God Spake In Divers Manners

Scripture Reading | Hebrews 1:1-4

Introduction

Finding Out God

The Determinate Counsel of God

God Hath Revealed

———

Self-Revelation - can man by searching find out God?

Kinds of Revelation

1. General Revelation - creation, conscience

2. Special Revelation - God speaks

3. Written Revelation - special + general inscripurated (put into scripture - written down)

3. Mode of Revelation

4. Content of Revelation

1. His Nature - His attributes

2. His Will

Sermon

Hebrews 1:1–4 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 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; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”

God

Sundry times - different points in history

Divers manners - different ways

Spake - His express word(s)

Kinds of Revelation

1. Review “General Revelation”

That which God reveals of Himself through creation + conscience

Indirect

Universal

Visible to all

2. Special Revelation

that which God reveals through His spoken word

Direct

Detailed

Special

Addressing what general cannot

Mediums of Special Revelation

God does this through 1) direct acts, 2) dreams and visions, 3) Christ’s incarnation, and 4) scripture.

Direct Speaking

Adam

Noah

Abram

Moses

Direct Acts - theophanies - physical manifestations of God’s presence

Ex. 3:1-6

Ex. 19:16-20

Ex. 24:9-11

Ex. 33:18-23

Josh. 5:13-15

Judges 13:2-23

Dreams

Gen. 37:5-10

Gen. 40:5-41:36

Dan. 2:1-45

Matt. 1:20-24

Visions

Gen. 15:1

Gen. 46:2

1 Sam 3:1-15

2 Sam. 7:17

Miracles

Ex. 14:21-22

2 Kings 4:32-35

1 Kings 17:17-24

Dan. 3:19-27

Jonah 1:17

Christ’s Incarnation

John 1:1-5, 14

John 14:9-10

Col. 1:15

3. Written Revelation - Scripture

General revelation is canonized

Special revelation is inscripturated

Its’ fixed

Composed over 1500 years

40 different human authors

superior to general (Ps. 19:7-11)

specific + verbal

given to prophets + apostles

lasting + forever settled witness

3. Mode of Revelation

Progressive Revelation - God unfolding His truth in stages across history, “milk to meat”, “witness to manifest”

Gradual - not all truth was given at once (Heb.)

Cumulative - later revelation builds on earlier revelation - each new building and clarifying what came before

Consistent - it never contradicts prior truth

Conclusion

God has not left Himself unknown. From the beginning, He has been a God who speaks. At sundry times and in divers manners, He has made Himself known—through creation, through conscience, through prophets, through acts, through dreams and visions, and ultimately in His Son, Jesus Christ. What was once partial has now been brought into fullness. What was once revealed in pieces has now been clearly declared.

You have seen that God’s revelation is not random—it is intentional, structured, and gracious. In general revelation, He has shown that He is. In special revelation, He has declared what He says. In written revelation, He has preserved it so that it stands fixed, sure, and authoritative. And through progressive revelation, He has unfolded His truth step by step, never contradicting Himself, always building, always clarifying, until it reaches its fullness in Christ. This means you are not left to guess who God is—He has made Himself known.

But this truth calls for a response. If God has spoken, then we ought not ignore Him. If God has revealed His nature, then we are accountable to know Him as He is. If He has declared His will, then wouldn’t you want to know it and to submit to it. And if He has revealed Himself fully in His Son, then the question is not whether God has spoken—the question is do you want to know Him? Do you know Jesus Christ?

So do not treat the Word of God as common. Do not reduce it to mere information. This is the inscripturated, preserved, unfolding revelation of the living God. Receive it. Believe it. Submit to it. And let it bring you to a fuller knowledge of God—not just in understanding, but in faith, obedience, and worship.