3. Special Revelation.
addition to the revelation of God in nature we have His special revelation which is now embodied in Scripture. The Bible is per-eminently the book of God's special revelation, a revelation in which facts and words go hand in hand, the words interpreting the facts and the facts giving substance to the words.
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| God chose men to write his Word. |
a. Necessity of special revelation.
This special revelation became necessary through the entrance of sin into the world. God's handwriting in nature was obscured and corrupted, and man was stricken with spiritual blindness, became subject to error and unbelief, and now in his blindness and perverseness fails to read aright even the remaining traces of the original revelation, and is unable to understand any further revelation of God. Therefore it became necessary that God should re-interpret the truths of nature, should provide a new revelation of redemption, and should illumine the mind of man and redeem it from the power of error.b. Means of special revelation.
In giving His special or super-natural revelation God used different kinds of means, such as (1) Theophanies or visible manifestations of God. He revealed His presence in fire and clouds of smoke, Exodus 3:2; 33:9; Psalms 78:14; 99:7; in stormy winds, Job 38:1; Psalms 18:10-16; and in a "still small voice," 1 Kings 19:12. These were all tokens of His presence, revealing something of His glory. Among the Old Testament appearances those of the Angel of Jehovah, the second Person of the Trinity, occupied a prominent place, Genesis 16:13; 31:11; Exodus 23:20-23; Malachi 3:1. The highest point of the personal appearance of God among men was reached in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. In Him the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, John 1:14.
(2) Direct communications. Sometimes God spoke to men in an audible voice, as He did to Moses and the children of Israel, Deuteronomy 5:4, and sometimes He suggested His messages to the prophets by an internal operation of the Holy Spirit, 1 Peter 1:11. Moreover, He revealed Himself in dreams and visions, and by means of Urim and Thunnim, Numbers 12:6; 27:21; Isaiah 6. And in the New Testament Christ appears as the great Teacher sent from God to reveal the Gather's will; and through His Spirit the apostles become the organs of further revelations, John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; 1 Thessalonians 2:13.
(3) Miracles. The miracles of the Bible should never be regarded as mere marvels which fill men with amazement, but as essential parts of God's special revelation. They are manifestations of the special power of God, tokens of His special presence, and often serve to symbolize spiritual truths. They are signs of the coming Kingdom of God and of the redemptive power of God. The greatest miracle of all is thecoming of the Son of God in the flesh. In Him the whole creation of God is being restored and brought back to its original beauty, 1 Timothy 3:16; Revelation 21:5.
c.The character of special revelation.
This special revelation of God is a revelation of redemption. It reveals the plan of God for the redemption of sinners and of the world, and the way in which this plan is realized. It is instrumental in renewing man; it illumines his mind and inclines his will to that which is good; it fills him with holy affections, and prepares him for his heavenly home. Not only acquaints us with redemptive facts. It not only enriches us with knowledge, but also transforms lives by changing sinners into of redemption appear but dimly at first, but gradually increase in clearness, and finally stand out in the New Testament in all their fullness and beauty.
More Scripture Reference: Special Revelation.
Numbers 12:6-8; Hebrew 1:1; 2 Peter 1:21.
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Typing Paragraph by : Sin Keu
Source: Christian Doctrine (Louis Berkhof)
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