Divine Revelation

To reveal is to uncover what was hidden. It is what happens when a curtain lifts, a mountain emerges from fog, a secret comes to light. The doctrine of Divine Revelation declares that God has done just that—He has made Himself known. The infinite has stepped toward the finite; the unseen has become truly, though not exhaustively, seen.

Left to reason, research, or religion alone, we cannot reach God. He “dwells in unapproachable light” (1 Tim. 6:16) and His thoughts soar above ours (Isa. 55:8-9). Sin compounds this enormous gap, rendering us both unable and unwilling to accept “the things of the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:14). Were God silent, we would remain in darkness.

Yet Scripture opens with light, “And God said.” From the book of Genesis to Revelation, the storyline is one of a speaking God. Revelation, the truth God made known, is a gift received, not a prize achieved. 

God discloses Himself first through general revelation—creation and conscience. “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Ps. 19:1). Every sunset, intricate cell, and pang of conscience testifies to His power and moral order. Romans 1 and 2 insist this witness is universal and clear enough to leave humanity “without excuse.”

But general revelation cannot announce the gospel. It demonstrates that God exists and we are accountable. Yet it cannot instruct sinners on how to obtain forgiveness. For that, we need special revelation—God’s specific, redemptive self-disclosure. Across history, He has spoken through burning bushes, prophets’ pens, mighty acts, and, supremely, His Son (Heb. 1:1-2). Jesus is not only a messenger, He is the message—“the Word became flesh” (Jn. 1:14).

The Holy Spirit has preserved this special revelation in Scripture. In its pages, God explains who He is, what has gone wrong, what He has done to save, and how we must respond. Here, the veil is pulled back far enough for faith and obedience to begin.

Divine Revelation, then, is God’s loving pursuit of people who could never find Him on their own. He opens the curtain, turns on the light, and invites us to see, believe, and live. To open the Bible is to step into that light each day, hearing afresh the voice that first shattered the silence.

Verses for Further Reflection

• Hebrews 1:1–2
• Romans 1:20
• 1 Corinthians 2:10–14
• Psalm 19:1–4