Lesson 2 God’s Special Revelation
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe” (Heb 1:1-2)
The special revelation of God is primarily to enable man to relate with him. God reveals himself in order that man can come to know him in an intimate manner. There are two aspects of special revelation : propositional truth and personal encounter. Both of these aspects must come together to result in a saving relationship with God. Understanding of propositional truth(“knowledge about God”) must merge with a personal encounter(“knowledge of God”). Special revelation is necessary for man to know God because of human finiteness and human sinfulness.
Definition of Special Revelation
God’s manifestation of himself to particular persons at definite times and places.
Style of Special Revelation
Special revelation is propositional. All Scripture is propositional in nature. Within the narrative of God’s dealings with man is the objective factual truth of his person, his acts and his will. This factual truth is real, objective rational information communicated from God to man.
(John 20:30-31) Faith has content. Factual information about the miracles done by Jesus will enable people to believe that Jesus is indeed the Christ.
Rom 10:9) Saving faith presupposes some genuine knowledge about God, that indeed Jesus is resurrected from the dead.
Special revelation is personal. All Scripture is personal in nature. What we find is not a set of universal truths but a narrative of a personal encounter with God. This personal encounter is a subjective experience
(Ex 3:14) God reveals himself to Moses and tells him his name. He tells Moses that he is ‘I AM WHO I AM’-the name by which God wished to be known and worshiped in Israel.
(Num 6:24-26) God reveals himself to the Israelites as a God of blessing and grace. God’s intention for his people is their good; he will preserve them to enjoy that good. As his glory had caused Moses’ face to shine, so the Lord desires to make his presence known to all his people. The peace that God gives is the positive state of rightness and the fullness of well-being.
(Phil 3:8) Paul wants to know Christ in an intimate manner, not just a knowledge about him but a personal relationship with Christ. It was an intimate communion with Christ that began at his conversion and had been his experience all the years since then. It was a growing relationship in which there was blessed enjoyment in the present and the challenge and excitement of increasing comprehension of Christ in personal fellowship.
Modes of Special Revelation
a) God’s special revelation is effected through his personal action in history or his “mighty deeds” (divine historical events).
(Deut 26:5-9) The miracles and wonders bring to mind the opening of the Red Sea and the provision of manna from heaven. The ‘great terror ‘ refers to the plagues brought about by God upon the nation of Egypt.
(Acts 13:16-41). This passage begins with the acts of God mentioned in
Deut 26:5-9 and continues with his acts until the coming of Jesus, his death and resurrection. The common element uniting the two testaments is the one history of the acts of God.
b) God’s special revelation is found in God’s speech.
(Jer 18:1) God spoke directly to Jeremiah with a message of repentance to the nation of Israel
(Ezek 12:1) God spoke directly to Ezekiel telling him to warn the Israelites of the impending judgment.
(1Cor 11:23) God spoke directly to Paul concerning the significance of the Lord’s Supper.
The prophets had a consciousness that their message was not of their own creation but was from God. God does not merely demonstrate through his actions what he is like; he also speaks, telling us about himself, his plans, his will.
c) God’s special revelation is found in God-given dreams
(Gen 20:3) Abimelech , an unbeliever, is told in a dream that Sarah is Abraham’s wife
(Gen 37:5-9) Joseph dreamed that his brothers would one day bow down to him in submission to his authority.
(Joel 2:28) When the Holy Spirit is poured out on all people old men will dream dreams.
d) God’s special revelation can be effected through God-given visions.
(Isa 1:1) Isaiah receives a vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
(Eze 1:3) Ezekiel sees a vision of God’s glory.
e) God’s special revelation can be effected through theophanies
Before the Incarnation , theophanies were associated with the appearance of the Angel of the Lord who communicated the divine message to people.
(Gen 16:7-14) The angel of the Lord speaks to Hagar and gives her a promise that her descendants will be too numerous to count.
(Ex 3:2) The angel of the Lord appeared to Moses from the burning bush to commission him to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
Review questions
- What is the difference between special revelation and general revelation ?
- Why does God reveal himself to us ? Based on your answer ,what do you think is the primary purpose of a Christian in this life ?
- Have you had a personal encounter with God through any of the modes of special revelation that we have discussed ?
- What do you think is meant by this statement “Special revelation includes both a personal encounter with God and propositional truth”
The Incarnation as the supreme revelation of God The pinnacle of God’s acts is to be found in the life of Jesus. His miracles, death and resurrection are redemptive history in its most condensed and concentrated form.
Jesus is revealed as the fulfillment of OT prophecies (Matt 5:17). He fulfilled the Law in the sense that he gave it its full meaning. He emphasized its deep underlying principles and total commitment to it rather than mere external acknowledgement and obedience.
(Mat 16:16) Peter acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah
Revelation took place in the very perfection of Jesus’ character. (Heb 4:15) Jesus is acknowledged as sinless.
(Luke 5:8) The holiness and sinless-ness of Jesus is portrayed in this statement. The nearer one comes to God, the more he feels his own sinfulness and unworthiness
(John 14:9) Jesus identifies himself as the complete revelation of the person of God.
The fullness of God is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. (Heb 1:1-3) The fragmentary revelation of the OT era is contrasted with the complete revelation of God in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is himself God manifested in flesh. He is not merely a reflection of God. He is the absolutely authentic representation of God’s being.
(John 1:1) Jesus is identified as the Word of God in person.
(1 John 1:1) Refers back to John 1:1 where Jesus is identified as the Word of God. In him the Word of life becomes incarnated, manifested and hence can be seen, touched and even handled.
Among the members of the Trinity it is especially God the Son who in his person as well as in his words has the role of communicating the character of God to us and of expressing the will of God for us.
Scripture as revelation.
a) Scripture is a written record of the original revelation and is revelation itself. If revelation is propositional then it can be preserved. Scripture is the preservation of revelation and is indeed the Word of God.
(Ex 32:16) The tablets bearing the Ten Commandments were written by God and constitutes part of Scripture that we have today.
(Jos 24:26) Joshua recorded the revelation of God and this record becomes what we have in the book of Joshua.
(Jer 30:2) Jeremiah was instructed by God to write in a book all that God had revealed to him.
(1 Cor 14:37) Paul’s writings were at the command of God.
b) This revelation is progressive. Later revelation builds on earlier revelation, complementing and supplementing, rather than contradicting it.
Examples of progressive revelation:
(i) In the OT atonement for sins was effected by the blood of animals. Finally in the NT atonement for sins is now effected through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God.
(Lev 16:15-16) Atonement is effected through a blood sacrifice of an animal (OT)
(Heb 9:12) The death of Jesus Christ and his blood sacrifice has won for his people an effective salvation and that this has nothing to do with earthly sacrifices.(NT)
(ii) The external requirements of holiness in the OT has progressed into the internal (heart) condition of holiness in the NT. Circumcision of the flesh has progressed to the circumcision of the heart.
(Lev 11:44-45) Holiness was set in the context of clean and unclean food(OT).
(1 Pet 1:13-16) Holiness is now in relation to desires of the heart(NT).
Jesus often begins with a teaching in the OT (within the Old Covenant), interprets it and expands upon it to reveal its significance in the NT(within New Covenant).
(Mat 5:21-22) Jesus begins with “You have heard that it was said long ago….” and later adds “But I will tell you….”
Conclusion
Special revelation includes both the personal presence of God and propositional truth. We are therefore able to identify God, understand something about him and point others to him. The primary result of special revelation is knowledge of God. By this we mean knowledge not only of the person of God, but also what he has done, of his creation, of the nature and situation of humans, of the relationship between God and humans. It is through special revelation that man can come to a saving relationship with God.
Review questions
- How does the understanding of Scripture as progressive revelation affect the way you perceive the OT and the NT ? In your personal opinion, between the OT and the NT, which testament takes priority?
- What spiritual insight can you learn from “2 Pet 3:18”?
- What is one main spiritual insight that you can personally draw from reading Heb 1:1-2?
- How does an understanding of the doctrine of special revelation affect your approach to evangelism?
No comments:
Post a Comment