What's the Word? Divine Revelation, Pt. 1

Theologians who discuss Divine Revelation typically start by distinguishing between General and Special Revelation. This distinction is solid theology, and it can be helpful. However, since these terms aren’t in the Bible, I’d like to spark your imagination to see Divine Revelation in a new way. In this pattern of organization, God has revealed Himself through four types of words:

1. His Spoken Word: Creation. Creation is the result of God’s words: He literally spoke the universe into existence. His act of speaking (a fancier term is “locutionary act”) resulted in what He made revealing both His existence and His character. Although creation is marred by sin, it still shows its Designer’s fingerprints. Creation makes it clear that the Creator is worthy of worship. 

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.  He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. (Psalm 33:6-9, ESV) 

 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. (Psalm19:1-4a) 

 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20) 

 2. His Written Word: Conscience. God has high moral standards, and He hasn’t left humanity in the dark about what those standards are. Although not everyone will agree about what to do in a tricky ethical dilemma, there is a common understanding across cultures that a moral law exists, and there tend to be similar ideas of what the virtues or rules are. This is because God has written His moral law on human hearts; even though consciences can become corrupted, they still testify to God’s existence and moral perfection.

 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them (Romans 2:14-15) 

In the traditional explanation, both creation and conscience would comprise General Revelation. They are insufficient for salvation but nevertheless reveal important truths about God. Part two will discuss two other types of Words by which God reveals Himself. Teleport yourself to Part Two to keep reading!