The Bible: Revelation by Ps Michael Podhaczky

The way a person approaches the Bible can determine what they get from it. For example, if the Bible is merely a historical record, a book of answers for life, a self-help guide or seen as a theological textbook, then it will just have insights and proof texts. But if we see it as God’s revealed truth, then it takes on a whole new meaning.

I would like to review revelation, which has already taken place and cannot be repeated. So, there is no new biblical revelation. This process was used by God to make Himself and His ways known to humanity. It is the

“Act whereby God first taught people the truths He wanted them to know.”[1]

The flow of this action is from God towards humanity as He was willing to make Himself known. The application of this revelation of God is through the Holy Spirit. This process falls into two categories,

• General Revelation: Through creation, providence, history and conscience
• Special Revelation: Through Jesus and the Bible

General Revelation is the natural revelation that is accessible to anybody whether they believe in God or not. God supernaturally makes Himself known, as Paul said,

“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” (Rom 1:20 ESV).

However, a person will not be saved through General Revelation. There are three ways that God has made Himself known through the natural created order. These are the external revelations of creation, providence and history, and the internal revelation of God consciousness or conscience.

Special Revelation is through Jesus Christ and the Bible (Heb 1:1-3; 2 Pet 3:1-2). This is the only way that anybody can know God’s means of salvation. Jesus is the final and ultimate revelation. God uses the Bible to reveal Jesus Christ. In Jn 1:18 we read that,

“No one has ever seen God. But the one and only Son is Himself God and is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed God to us” (Jn 1:18 NLT).

That is, Jesus is the climax of God’s revelation.

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[1] God Speaks: A Workbook of The Bible. (Highbury, London: Grace Publication Trust, 1980), 10/7.