God announces himself in diverse ways, notably by a general and a special revelation. He manifests himself through nature, on the one hand, and on the other he discloses himself in Scripture—there in a more precise and focused way.
General revelation
All humanity has access to God’s manifestation of himself found on the worldwide scene. This witness of the world to God puts us, Christians and Jews, on common ground with the rest of humanity. We all have accessible to us God’s witness to himself woven into creation.
Not only nature but historyas well bears testimony to God: “Put this question, then, to the ages that are past, that have gone before you, from when God created the human race on earth: Was there ever a word so majesticfrom one end of heaven to the other? Was anythinglike it ever heard? Did ever a people hear the voice of the living God speaking from the heart of the fire, as you have heard it and remain alive? Has it ever been known before that any god took action himself to bring one nation out ofanother one, by ordeals, signs, wonders, war with mighty hand and outstretched arm, by fearsome terrors—all of which things Yahweh your God has done for you before your eyes in Egypt?” (Dt 4:32-35). God’s power and his divinity can be read off the world that he has brought into existence. “For what can be known about God is perfectly plain to them, since God has made it plain to them: ever since the creation of the world, the invisible existence of God and his everlasting power have been clearly seen by the mind’s understanding of created things” (Rom 1:19-20). Just as human beings reveal themselves in their general conduct of life and in the specific actions they perform, so it is with God.
So it can be said that creation has the imprint of its Maker stamped on it. It declares the glory of God. This general revelation of God is not that vague or opaque as not to be easily recognized. Paul severely castigates his pagan contemporaries for failing to act on what they surely came to know about God from nature. “These people have no excuse: they know God and yet they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him” (Rom 1:20). Rich rewards await the person who acts on nature’s testimony to God, for God “rewards them that seek him” (Heb 11:6).
Special revelation
What is most endearing about special revelation is not so much that it introduces God to us but that it unveils for us the love and mercy of God. Much as one may be in awe of God’s greatness, it is the Bible’s report of God’s surpassing goodness that makes it special and welcome.
Special revelation within the Old Testament occurs within the framework of a covenant struck with Israel. In diverse ways God is identified as all powerful, well-disposed and, more than that, loving toward his people. He acts, and his actions are carefully interpreted so that their redeeming significance becomes clear to all. It is both the words and deeds of God that are reported in the Scriptures. These words and deeds of God paint a picture of him as a loving, caring God. Although in the Old Testament the focus is upon a specific people, Israel, the scope of salvation embraces all humanity.
Special revelation at the New Testament level presents Jesus Christ as the one through whom the divine promises originally made to Israel are now made accessible to all. Jesus is shown as entering upon the world scene as the fulfillment of the ancient promise to bring salvation to all through Abraham’s posterity.
©Magnificat September 2000
