God's Revelation of Himself
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· 9 viewsMan, in his unregenerate state, does not know God, nor does he search after God. God knowing this, has taken the initiative and revealed Himself to mankind.
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Introduction
What is meant by the word revelation? Revelation means an uncovering, a removal of a veil, a disclosure of what was previously unknown. More specifically, in the context of this message, revelation is God’s manifesting of himself to humankind in such a way that his creation can know and have fellowship with him. This is why we were created. We were created to have fellowship with, to know, to commune with God. We find in the beginning, we did have fellowship and communion with God.
In Genesis chapter three, when God comes in the cool of the day to speak with Adam and Eve, despite their running and hiding, I do not believe that this was because they were shocked to hear God in the Garden with them. They ran and hid because of their sin. God coming to have fellowship with his creation, I believe was par for the course. What changed this? What happened so that we no longer have fellowship with God? Why is that we find so many not believing in God? It is because of man’s fallen state. Ever since Adam and Eve rejected the command of God and ate of the forbidden fruit, man has forgotten who God is and has been blinded by the devil himself to who God is.
Opening Passage
7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Outline
Forgotten and Blinded
Forgotten and Blinded
As stated already, What changed this (Man knowing God and having fellowship with God)? What happened so that we no longer have fellowship with God? Why is that we find so many not believing in God? It is because of man’s fallen state. Ever since Adam and Eve rejected the command of God and ate of the forbidden fruit man’s relationship with God has been broken. There has been this friction between the created and the Creator. Man has not, nor are they able to, mend this broken relationship. As we look at our opening text, we see two truths that we need to recognize about the state of who we are without Christ and why God has taken the initiative to reveal Himself to you and I.
Without Christ, because of false beliefs, man has forgotten his Creator
27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
Without Christ, because of Satan, man has been blinded to the message of his Creator
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
God has Taken the Initiative
God has Taken the Initiative
The truth at hand is that God knowing man has been blinded by their sin and rebellious acts and following the lies of the enemy, has taken the initiative to reconcile His relationship with us, his fallen creature, from the beginning.
God has revealed Himself through His creative work
As we look at the Word of God, specifically in the Psalms, we see how God has revealed Himself through His creation.
In Psalms 19, David writes...
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night sheweth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language, Where their voice is not heard.
As we look at our text, we find that God revealed in his creation several truths about Himself.
Within creation, God has revealed that he is
David writes, the heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handwork. As we look at creation and its precise creation, we cannot help but see that there is a divine source behind it. As we look at the placement of the earth in the cosmos, we see God’s handwork. It is undeniable.
Dr. Thor Madsen, professor of Theology and Apologetics at Midwestern gives several prime examples of how God has revealed that He is through His handwork.
If the earth had no water, we would not exist; but it does. If the earth did not have these atmospheric conditions, we would not survive; but it does. If the moon had not existed, life on earth would be jeopardy, since the moon stabilizes the earth’s tilt, which allows for tolerable changes in the weather. If the earth had not rotated at its current speed, the same unhappy results would have followed, affecting the average temperatures of the continents. Yet here we find the earth, rotating exactly as it does, year in and year out. We need just this kind of crust, fortified with just these elements, resting on a sea of lava, because these features allow for plant and animal life; and we have it. Even the huge planets around us, like Saturn and Jupiter, play a role in our survival, because they take cosmic bullets that might otherwise have hit us. The earth has to sit within the spiral arms of a galaxy like the Milky Way, being protected by this strategic location; and it does (Madsen, Teleological and Design Arguments).
Not only does God’s creative work show that He is, but also...
Within creation, God has shown his knowledge
David writes again about God in Psalm 19, day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night sheweth knowledge. Through all that we see, where God has intrinsically placed the earth in the cosmos, from the tilt of the earth’s axis, to the sequencing of the earth’s rotation, God has revealed his infinite knowledge.
Within creation, God has revealed Himself in such a way that it transcends language barriers
David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote, There is no speech nor language, Where their voice is not heard.
Within creation, God has shown His majesty, His greatness
The Psalmist writes...
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; Thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
Within creation, God has shown His great care and love for His creation
The Psalmist once again writes...
14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, And herb for the service of man: That he may bring forth food out of the earth; 15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, And oil to make his face to shine, And bread which strengtheneth man’s heart. 16 The trees of the Lord are full of sap; The cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; 17 Where the birds make their nests: As for the stork, the fir trees are her house.
God took the initiative to bring reconciliation between fallen man and Himself. He did this through the whole of creation. Because He has revealed Himself through His creation...
Because God has taken the initiative and revealed Himself through His creative work, we are without excuse
Paul wrote to the church at Rome and declared this self-same truth.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
The truth being told, man knows ultimately there is a God, but because of being blinded by the devil, through their sin, they refuse to acknowledge God as God and choose to worship created rather than the Creator.
Paul continues in his letter to the church at Rome...
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
This is where we find many today. They consider themselves wise because of their perceived knowledge. In their perceived knowledge and wisdom, they declare that there is no god. All that is happened by chance. Man has evolved from ape man and the list goes on and on. They worship the earth but refuse to worship the Creator of the earth. In all of it they declare foolishness rather than wisdom. As Bible states...
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, There is none that doeth good.
God has revealed Himself throughout His creative work, but acknowledging God and having fellowship, communion with God are two different things. Even the demons in hell acknowledge God, without having fellowship with God and thus cringe because of it.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
God, knowing this, has not only revealed Himself through nature, which is limited in its productivity, has also revealed Himself through a more personal means. He has revealed Himself through what is called special revelation.
God has Revealed Himself with the Sole Purpose of Reconciliation
God has Revealed Himself with the Sole Purpose of Reconciliation
God has revealed Himself to humankind for the sole purpose of reconciliation. He has not only revealed Himself through creation, which is only good to reveal that He is and reveal character traits, He has also went a step further and revealed Himself in such a way to draw His creature man back to Him.
God has revealed Himself through His Word
Through the word of God, He has revealed Himself throughout history. The author of Hebrews writes...
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
God spoke through the word of the prophets in the Old Testament. He speaks to us today through His written word. Every time that you and I pick up this word and read it, we are reading the true words of God. The word before was written by man, but under the inspiration and direction of the Holy Spirit.
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
From In the beginning to Amen, and everywhere in between, God has breathed life into His Word.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
It is through the Word of God that we come to know that we are lost and in need of a Savior (Romans 7:7; 3:10, 23)
God went further and not reveals Himself through His Word, but He also revealed Himself through the Incarnation.
God has revealed Himself through Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ was not just another man. He was God come in the flesh. He was the incarnation. He was the Word in the flesh, the Logos.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Paul writes that Jesus was the image of God, a carbon copy.
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
The author of Hebrews declares that Jesus, as the express image of God, payed our sin debt on the cross. The Bible declares that we are all sinners (Romans 3:10,23). The Bible declares that we all owe a debt, death, because of our sin (Romans 6:23a). Yet, God, has not only revealed Himself through Jesus, He also payed our debt through that same Jesus.
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Finally, God has revealed Himself through His Holy Spirit.
God has revealed Himself through the Holy Spirit
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
The Holy Spirit came into the world and continues to work within the world today with purpose and it is the purpose of the Father (John 16:13-15). Within our text, we find how the Holy Spirit works in the life of the unregenerate heart to reveal that we need Jesus.
It is the Holy Spirit of God that convicts us of our lostness, our sin guilt (Romans 3:23). The guilt I speak of is not one of emotion, but is a judicial position, meaning we are deserving of a just punishment for our sin, death.
It is the Holy Spirit of God that convicts the world of righteousness. That is the Holy Spirit of God convicts man of their need for reconciliation and the requirement of holiness and sanctification. There is only one way that fallen man, becomes righteous before God, and that is through Jesus Christ. It is only through the justification of Jesus’ shed blood that our sin can and is covered.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Finally, the Holy Spirit of God convicts us of our impending judgment. We must realize that without Christ, in unregenerate state, man is a child of the devil (John 8:44), the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). As John states, the devil is already judged and those that follow him in disobedience to the Lord and disbelief of Jesus Christ, are already judged (John 3:17). Everyone of us will stand before the Lord and give an account of our lives. There is no avoiding this truth.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Conclusion
God chose to reveal Himself to His fallen creation, so that once again we would know Him, recognize our fallen state, and answer His call to repentance. In doing so, call upon the only name that can save us, the name of Jesus.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
He calls you to believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and that He died on the cross for your sins, my sins, all of humankind’s sin, and that God raised Him from the grave three days later (Romans 10:9-10). Finally, God wants you to all on the name of Jesus and be redeemed. Will you not call upon His name?
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.