Revelation and Illumination

Intro

A young Luke Skywalker and an ageing Obi-Wan Kenobi were in a Chinese restaurant having a meal. Skillfully using his chopsticks, Obi-Wan deftly dished himself a large portion of noodles into his bowl, then topped it off with some chicken and cashew nuts. All this was done with the consummate ease you’d expect from a Jedi Master. But poor young Luke was having a nightmare, using his chopsticks in both hands, dropping his food all over the table and eventually himself. Finally, Obi-Wan looked at Luke disapprovingly and said, "Use the forks, Luke."

When we approach reading the bible we can do it using a whole series of tools - concordances, bible notes, dictionaries, commentaries, encyclopaedia these are great tools but like eating noodles we can get in a real mess with them. When it comes to reading the bible the Holy Spirit is like a force that alters the whole way we can appreciate Gods word bringing revelation and illumination.

Our time reading the Bible should be exciting and adventurous, a personal encounter with Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit helps us encounter Jesus every time we read and study the Bible through Illumination and revelation.

What the role of the Holy Spirit is not.

When I was a kid we would write secret messages with lemon juice , if you heated the paper the message would be revealed. Today the health and safety conscious replacement are the toy spy pens that writes messages in invisible ink that can only be read with using the ultraviolet light gadget on the other end of the pen. I would also have one of those cipher wheels – mine was from a box of Frosties. You know the ones where you would turn the inner wheel to a specific place so you could decode the secret message

Znke'xk mxkgz = They’re Great

It turns out that children are not the only ones fascinated by the making and breaking of secret codes. Some People approach God’s word in the same manner. To them, the Bible is a book of secret codes. Its words have some meaning at face value, but true meaning is hidden beneath the surface. The decoder is the Holy Spirit. When he mysteriously imparts his special code to the reader or shines his special light on the text, the letters on the page rearrange to communicate new meaning. This new meaning remains intensely personal—known only by the Spirit and the one to whom he has provided the code.

Such an approach is not how the Holy Spirit operate. The Holy Spirit will bring Illumination or Revelation but this idea of secret codes is a misunderstanding and unhealthy., it is this idea that brings elitism and in the most extreme Heresy and cultism, The Holy Spirit is there not to reveal a secret code but to bring life to a very un-secret text.

The Holy Spirit is there to bring illumination and revelation. Reading scripture with the Holy Spirit can be so much more rewarding than just reading the text, but we should first recognise that text of scripture has intrinsic value.

Scriptures intrinsic value.

Scripture has value because the Spirit as the divine Author

When we talk about biblical authorship, we’re talking about both the human authors and the divine Author.

The term “inspiration” refers to the Holy Spirit’s work in the lives of the human authors, with the result that they wrote what God wanted to communicate (i.e., the Word of God). In 2 Tim Paul said

2 Timothy 3:16–17 CSB

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The Spirit of God has breathed the character of God into the Scriptures.

The Greek word for “inspired” (theopneustos) is even related to the Greek word for “spirit” (pneuma).

The Bible has the power and authority to shape our lives because it comes from God himself. We hold to the authority of the Scriptures because they are inspired (“God-breathed”).

Paul’s words in 2 Timothy also reminds us that the Spirit and the Scriptures go together—the Word of God originated from the Spirit of God.

The Spirit’s work of inspiration is finished, but his work of bringing believers to understand and receive the truth of Scripture continues.

Theologians use the term “illumination” to refer to this ongoing work of the Spirit and we will pick this up later

Scripture has value because it conveys a message of God’s character.

Scripture is normal, logical communication. It is abnormal only in its nature to impact a person beyond the meaning of the words, not in the manner it uses human language to communicate actual thoughts.

The text has to have meaning and value for the unbeliever to understand and access the message.

This explains why an unbeliever can write a perceptive biblical commentary or read the stories and gain something from the passage bur without the Spirit cannot understand God’s Word in the fullest sense, they do not and cannot have a real appreciation of the spiritual implications of biblical truth, especially in relation to themselves. They may grasp the thoughts, but he misses the spirit, the life-changing purpose behind the thoughts. In that sense they comprehend the raw concepts, but do not truly “see.”

That is not to say that scripture alone cannot have a transformative effect on someone or even lead them to seeking Jesus.

Mark Twain, an avid unbeliever, said, “It is not those passages of Scripture I do not understand that bother me, but those that I do understand.”

Illumination

On the night before he was crucified, Jesus promised his followers that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth:

John 16:12–14 CSB

12 “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

Jesus stresses that the work of the Spirit is directly related to Jesus’ teachings that is the Word of God).

Because of the Spirit’s work of inspiration and illumination, we know that the Spirit and the Word work together and must never be set against one another. Since the Spirit inspired Scripture in the first place, we should not expect him to contradict himself when he illuminates it.

This means, for example, that we should not allow personal experience, religious tradition, or community consensus to stand above the Spirit-inspired Word of God. The Spirit does not add new meaning to the biblical text; instead, he helps believers understand and apply the meaning that is already there.

Kevin Vanhoozer writes that the “Spirit may blow where, but not what, he wills.”

He goes on to describe the Spirit as the “Word’s empowering presence.” This description is helpful because it reminds us that the Spirit’s role isn’t to author a new Bible , but to illuminate the meaning He already authored.

Having the the Holy Spirit’s presence Illuminate the scripture necessary for total biblical understanding, it is not sufficient for it. The Holy Spirit is not a “cure all” for poor interpretation. He does not automatically reverse the consequences of misinterpretation or taking items our of context.

The Holy Spirit will correct but if a persons Ego or desire for a text to say something it doesn’t is great, I fear the Holy Spirt is often overruled.

This means that a person’s apparent spirituality has no necessary bearing on the validity of their interpretation. You should not take a confident speaker’s or eloquent writer’s interpretation as Gospel ‘if you will excuse the pun” but instead read the text – engage your brain and let the Holy Spirit be your direct teacher. 1 John 2:27

1 John 2:27 CSB

27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you don’t need anyone to teach you. Instead, his anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie; just as it has taught you, remain in him.

God expects a thoughtful, careful human mind to discern and apply the principles of interpretation to Scripture. But to

My mind is not perfect, but it is useable; and as I use it in biblical study, it should be increasingly renewed and sharpened. But Holy Spirit’s presence in the life of the reader is essential to his total understanding, appreciation, and implementation of Scripture (

1 Corinthians 2:6–16 CSB

6 We do, however, speak a wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, because if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written, What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived— God has prepared these things for those who love him. 10 Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, since the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except his spirit within him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. 14 But the person without the Spirit does not receive what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually. 15 The spiritual person, however, can evaluate everything, and yet he himself cannot be evaluated by anyone. 16 For who has known the Lord’s mind, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

The Holy Spirit’s ministry is to shed light on “old truth” (already-revealed Scripture), not to reveal “new truth.”

It may be “new truth” to me, and in that sense a “revelation,” but look out! If it is different than what the author intended, if it’s some new message God is bringing to me, then very careful consideration needs to be given to its validity

In principal, in terms of Illumination . “The way of the Spirit is the way of the Word.” The Spirit speaks through and in conjunction with the Word. He opens you mind to certain principles, implications, and unique applications of His truth. But the raw material the Holy Spirit uses is the revealed truth itself.

Revelation.

Now is a good time to pick up on revelation proper…

Revelation in the strictest sense refers to the Spirit’s act of revealing that which was previously hidden from human understanding. Since God’s will for us in the church age is now perfectly revealed in the Scriptures This is less about revealing Gods big plan, the bible does that but is all about revealing the personal perspective to you and those around you

1 Cor. 3:16 says

1 Corinthians 3:16 CSB

16 Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you?

In the Book of Daniel, we read the story of King Nebuchadnezzar and his dream.

Daniel 2:2 tells us that "the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed." He didn't want them to just tell them what the dream meant but to also reveal the actual dream because he had forgotten what it was. He thought that if they really had power to interpret the dream, they should also have the power to reveal the dream itself. Listen to their answer. It reveals what most people also think about God. To loosely paraphrase, they said that God is way up there and we are way down here and that God doesn't interact with man. They said, There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks!

Did you catch that? They said that only gods could reveal the dream and the god's don't live amongst men. That is what millions (if not billions) of people actually think today! If they believe in God at all, they think He is up "there" somewhere on His throne and that we are a somewhat insignificant thing that shouldn't bother Him.

1 Corinthians 3:16

reveals the real truth. It's the opposite of what King Nebuchadnezzar's men thought. To those who receive Jesus as their Saviour, not only is God not way up there, the Bible tells us is that He lives within us! His Word says, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

1 Cor 3:16

That scripture alone should get you excited enough to shout with joy!

God says His Holy Spirit is available to help us know and understand God's thoughts. We can actually know what the Almighty God of the universe thinks. That is something to spend time thinking about because it is absolutely mind-boggling. Just think, the God of this universe is actually so intimate with us that He wants to let us know His thoughts, His mind, and His ways.

1 Corinthians 2:12–13 CSB

12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.

God can bring revelation, that revealing of his plans through, a range of gifts, visions, dreams but also through the way the Holy Spirit illuminates his word.

Romans 10:17 says,

Romans 10:17 CSB

17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

Many people tend to think this refers only to hearing the preaching of the gospel. But it actually refers to preaching and prophesying. It includes the written word of the past but also the Spirit-empowered spoken word of the present.

This means that as we read God's Word and as we pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help us understand what we read, the Holy Spirit will teach us what God is saying through the scriptures he will illuminate them. Since the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, God will talk to you! He may bring understanding about your situation, your plans. It is the Holy Spirit that brings the revelation (or understanding) of what God's Word means in the context of you.

The Holy Spirit lives within us for the purpose of doing that very thing. He lives within us to reveal the secrets of God.

Contrary to what many think today and what King Nebuchadnezzar's men thought then, we have a God that loves us—One who lives in and amongst us and Who reveals His heart and thoughts to us.

When the Holy Spirit illuminate the word, or when he brings Revelation He will

not change the nature or message of the biblical text.

Not contradict the heart of God

Give revelation of himself to only one – that’s a cult or a scam

Not negate the need for Study, prayer, fellowship, acts of faith. – it is part of a package not a replacement.

Conclusion

Illumination and Revelation go hand in hand and Reading the Bible with the Holy Spirit and spending time with him is the key to both.

It is thrilling to read the Bible with the Holy Spirit. He will not only reveal spiritual truths to us individually, but also show us how to follow God’s Word.

In my experience the best way to read or listen to the Bible is to first pray and invite God’s Spirit to open our minds.

Before reading God’s Word you may want to pray for the Holy Spirit to illuminate and reveal You might ask him to

Please open my mind to understand Your Word.

Help me receive Your Word with an honest and good heart.

You may want to repent of any unbelief or idol that blocks your understanding.

Or ask him to Please explain today’s teaching to me.

You can also ask the Holy Spirt to explain some of the things we would ask a human author, in the joint authorship of the bible these are just as relevant to ask the Holy Spirit as they would be to ask the psalmist, or Paul or John

Why have You put this in Your written Word?

What is Your intention?

What are You trying to show me through this passage?

What should I do with what You have shown me?

Please help me to remember what You have taught me

Without the Spirit, you may understand some of the Bible’s meaning, but you will not be persuaded of its truth and will not live it out. you may grasp the meaning of the biblical text, but you won’t allow the text to grasp you.

You cannot fully apply the Word of God without the help of the Spirit of God.

You cannot fully grasp God’s Word apart from the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit paves the way, illuminates are reveals.

So that we can be like the good ground.

Luke 8:15 CSB

15 But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit.

Pray