Faith And Revelation

Intro

Text - Isaiah 53.1

Isaiah 53:1 NKJV

1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

Title - Faith And Revelation

Series - Ever-Increasing Faith (Part 4)

Issues

what is the connection between faith and revelation

what did the prophet mean when he said “faith is a revelation”

The Main Point

Faith grows when we believe and abide in the things that God has revealed to us through His prophets and apostles

Biblical thoughts on “revelation”

Definition

Revelation - Grk. APOKALYPSIS

Apocalupsis means unveiling of something that is previously hidden

Revelation has 3 primary semantics

it is the act or means of unveiling - vision, dream, vocal, etc.

it is the thing that is being unveiled - secret, mystery, character of God

it is the meaning of the thing that is being unveiling -

Example - the Book of Revelation

the whole purpose of the visions is to reveal Christ

the visions are the means of revealing Christ

the meaning of the visions are the revelations of Christ to the church

The word “revelation” has 2 common usages in the Bible -

actual - to describe an actual event

abstract - to describe an event or experience that takes place in the mind

Actual events

salvation, glory, coming of Christ

1 Peter 1:5 NKJV

5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:7 NKJV

7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

1 Peter 1:13 NKJV

13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

future bodily condition

1 John 3:2 NKJV

2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

coming of Christ ?

1 Corinthians 1:7 NKJV

7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

[READ QUOTE ON RAPTURE]

Abstract usage

understanding of the Messiah’s coming

1 Peter 1:10–13 NKJV

10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into. 13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

understanding of the mystery of God

Colossians 1:26 NKJV

26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.

Luke 2:26 NKJV

26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

This is how the word revelation is used in the message circle

Revelation is the foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ

the church was revealed by Christ

the church is built on things that God reveals to her

The act of revealing is confined to a few important things -

secrets and mysteries

Psalm 25:13 NKJV

13 He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth.

Amos 3:7 NKJV

7 Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

Daniel 2:47 NKJV

47 The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.”

Ephesians 3:1–5 NKJV

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:

God’s character, will, and purpose

1 Corinthians 2:7–10 NKJV

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

True revelation is personal but not private

personal - because God deals to a person

not private - because God’s revelation is consistent

How Faith and Revelation connect

The act of revealing is God’s prerogative and initiative

until God reveals His thing, we know nothing!

revelation is different from reason

reason is when we arrive at an understanding using our God-given ability to “think”

revelation is when God gives us the understanding by outside means

Man cannot believe what God has not revealed

John 12:37–40 NKJV

37 But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, 38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.”

Except for the few elect, Christ was not revealed to the Jews

the Jews could not believe because God hid it from their understanding

Matthew 13:16–17 NKJV

16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Faith is receiving what God is revealing to you.

Matt 16.16-17 “16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”

Faith is understanding because it is disclosed before you (not a product of your study)

Heb 11.3 “3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”

God reveals things from faith to faith.

Romans 1:16–17 NKJV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Man must continue in faith, so that God will continue to reveal things to him.

Romans 3:21–22 NKJV

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

the Jews could not believe the Gospel because they did not believe

John 5:45–47 NKJV

45 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

Our foremost responsibility is to BELIEVE what God is REVEALING to us

2 Chronicles 20:20 NKJV

20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”

the Jews had the prophets

the Church have the prophets AND the apostles

Conclusion

True Christianity is founded on revelation

Matthew 16:16–18 NKJV

16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

The building of the church was not known until Christ revealed her to His disciples, and to the world.

The existence of the church is only possible because she believes in the revelation of God through the apostles and prophets!

True Faith is founded on revelation

True believers receive the revealed righteousness of God, as they live and walk by faith.

Romans 1:17 NKJV

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Live by faith - if you want to grow in faith

Live by faith - if you want God to continue to reveal His righteousness to you

SONG - Burning the Midnight Oil