WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.040 what do i mean by special revelation so let me 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:06.000 start with this we've already said general revelation 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:08.880 is god speaking through creation and conscience 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:12.839 to everyone it tells us that god is there powerful 00:00:12.839 --> 00:00:16.719 wise good and that we are guilty but it doesn't 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:20.589 tell us how a guilty sinner can be forgiven That's 00:00:20.589 --> 00:00:23.570 where special revelation comes in. Special revelation 00:00:23.570 --> 00:00:27.589 is God's specific saving self -disclosure. His 00:00:27.589 --> 00:00:31.230 focused words and actions in history that reveal 00:00:31.230 --> 00:00:34.549 his plan to rescue sinners. It comes through 00:00:34.549 --> 00:00:38.909 his choice of Abraham and Israel, his covenants, 00:00:38.909 --> 00:00:42.909 laws, promises, and prophets, and finally through 00:00:42.909 --> 00:00:46.369 his son, Jesus Christ. General revelation says 00:00:46.369 --> 00:00:49.899 you are in trouble before a holy God. Special 00:00:49.899 --> 00:00:54.359 revelation says, here is my rescue plan. How 00:00:54.359 --> 00:00:57.200 did God start special revelation with Abraham? 00:00:57.700 --> 00:01:00.820 So how did this special revelation get started? 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:04.239 God did not begin with a philosophy class. He 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:07.200 began with a man and a promise. In Genesis chapter 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:12.040 12, verse 1 to 3, God says to Abram, go from 00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:15.689 your country to the land I will show you. I will 00:01:15.689 --> 00:01:18.650 make you into a great nation and I will bless 00:01:18.650 --> 00:01:22.069 you and all peoples on earth will be blessed 00:01:22.069 --> 00:01:25.930 through you. Abram wasn't out searching for the 00:01:25.930 --> 00:01:29.890 true God. God came to him. That's grace. God 00:01:29.890 --> 00:01:32.750 took the initiative from Abraham. God formed 00:01:32.750 --> 00:01:35.640 a nation, Israel. Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse 00:01:35.640 --> 00:01:38.780 7 and 8 says there was no nation that had God 00:01:38.780 --> 00:01:43.000 so near to them or had such righteous laws. Psalm 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:47.379 147 verse 19 and 20 says God revealed his word 00:01:47.379 --> 00:01:50.739 and decrees to Jacob and Israel in a way he did 00:01:50.739 --> 00:01:54.579 not do for any other nation. So what do we see? 00:01:54.780 --> 00:01:58.180 God chooses a people freely. He makes covenants 00:01:58.180 --> 00:02:01.099 binding promises with them. He draws near to 00:02:01.099 --> 00:02:04.750 them in a unique way. Special revelation is not 00:02:04.750 --> 00:02:08.990 abstract ideas floating in the sky. It is God 00:02:08.990 --> 00:02:12.689 stepping into real history, binding himself to 00:02:12.689 --> 00:02:15.990 a real family and nation, and saying, through 00:02:15.990 --> 00:02:20.330 you, I will show myself and my saving plan to 00:02:20.330 --> 00:02:24.830 the world. What exactly did Israel receive from 00:02:24.830 --> 00:02:29.229 God? Next question. Okay, God chose Israel. What 00:02:29.229 --> 00:02:32.080 did he actually give them? Romans chapter 3 verse 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:35.659 2 says the Jews were entrusted with the oracles 00:02:35.659 --> 00:02:39.419 of God, literally God's own words. That means 00:02:39.419 --> 00:02:43.259 his law, like the Ten Commandments, his promises 00:02:43.259 --> 00:02:46.740 and covenants, his prophetic messages, his record 00:02:46.740 --> 00:02:50.539 of what he had done in their history. Psalm 147 00:02:50.539 --> 00:02:53.960 verse 19 and 20 says God revealed his word to 00:02:53.960 --> 00:02:57.360 Jacob and his decrees to Israel and he has done 00:02:57.360 --> 00:03:01.520 this for no other nation. So Israel became the 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:04.520 guardian of God's written revelation. Through 00:03:04.520 --> 00:03:07.879 them the scriptures were written, preserved and 00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:11.199 eventually spread. But we need to be clear this 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:15.120 was a stewardship not a superiority badge. Israel 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:17.740 was not given this role because they were better 00:03:17.740 --> 00:03:20.330 than others. They were supposed to be a light. 00:03:20.590 --> 00:03:24.069 Isaiah chapter 49 verse 6 says, God's servant 00:03:24.069 --> 00:03:27.030 will be a light for the nations that my salvation 00:03:27.030 --> 00:03:30.270 may reach to the ends of the earth. So Israel's 00:03:30.270 --> 00:03:33.409 job was to receive God's words to protect them 00:03:33.409 --> 00:03:36.150 and to shine them outward. They were like a lamp 00:03:36.150 --> 00:03:38.849 on a stand, not a treasure locked in a safe. 00:03:39.050 --> 00:03:43.210 Was God just focused on one small tribe or the 00:03:43.210 --> 00:03:47.939 world? That raises another question. If God focused 00:03:47.939 --> 00:03:51.580 on Israel, was that just a local tribal project? 00:03:51.939 --> 00:03:55.680 From the very beginning, the answer is no. Back 00:03:55.680 --> 00:03:58.879 in Genesis chapter 12 verse 3, God tells Abraham 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:01.379 that all peoples on earth will be blessed through 00:04:01.379 --> 00:04:05.199 him. Isaiah chapter 2 verse 2 and 3 pictures 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:08.139 many nations streaming to the mountain of the 00:04:08.139 --> 00:04:12.159 Lord to learn his ways. Isaiah chapter 49 verse 00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:14.580 6 says Israel was called to be a light to the 00:04:14.580 --> 00:04:17.910 nations. So the Old Testament story is not God 00:04:17.910 --> 00:04:21.790 cares only about Israel. It is God narrows his 00:04:21.790 --> 00:04:25.290 focus to one people so that through them he can 00:04:25.290 --> 00:04:28.110 bless and save many peoples. You could almost 00:04:28.110 --> 00:04:31.490 picture it like a funnel. God's special revelation 00:04:31.490 --> 00:04:34.930 is poured into Israel so it can then pour out 00:04:34.930 --> 00:04:37.689 to the nations, culminating in Jesus Christ, 00:04:37.970 --> 00:04:41.189 the descendant of Abraham, through whom the promise 00:04:41.189 --> 00:04:44.560 is fulfilled. So special revelation is never 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:47.579 meant to terminate on Israel alone. It is always 00:04:47.579 --> 00:04:49.839 pointing outward, always preparing for Christ, 00:04:50.019 --> 00:04:52.920 always aimed at the world. Does God reveal himself 00:04:52.920 --> 00:04:56.480 only by words or also by actions? Another question 00:04:56.480 --> 00:04:59.579 we should ask, is special revelation just information 00:04:59.579 --> 00:05:03.680 or is it also events? In the Bible, special revelation 00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:07.220 is both God's deeds and God's words explaining 00:05:07.220 --> 00:05:10.810 those deeds. Think about the Exodus. God acts 00:05:10.810 --> 00:05:14.089 first. He brings Israel out of slavery in Egypt 00:05:14.089 --> 00:05:17.069 with signs and wonders. He divides the sea. He 00:05:17.069 --> 00:05:19.970 defeats Pharaoh. Then God speaks to explain what 00:05:19.970 --> 00:05:22.949 He has done. In Exodus chapter 20 verse 2, He 00:05:22.949 --> 00:05:25.709 says, I am the Lord your God who brought you 00:05:25.709 --> 00:05:28.430 out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Then 00:05:28.430 --> 00:05:31.189 He gives the Ten Commandments. The commands are 00:05:31.189 --> 00:05:33.829 rooted in a real saving act that God Himself 00:05:33.829 --> 00:05:37.199 interprets. The same pattern shows up with Jesus. 00:05:37.500 --> 00:05:40.720 God acts in Christ's life, death, and resurrection. 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:43.759 Then he gives apostolic preaching and writings 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:47.339 to explain what those events mean. In Acts chapter 00:05:47.339 --> 00:05:50.399 2, Peter stands up and says, Jesus was crucified, 00:05:50.759 --> 00:05:54.019 God raised him, and this fulfills God's plan. 00:05:54.279 --> 00:05:57.300 He tells the people what they must do in response, 00:05:57.600 --> 00:06:00.500 that is, they have to repent and be baptized 00:06:00.500 --> 00:06:03.620 in the name of Jesus Christ. So I want you to 00:06:03.620 --> 00:06:07.100 see this. Special revelation is not vague religious 00:06:07.100 --> 00:06:11.079 feeling. It is God doing real things in history 00:06:11.079 --> 00:06:14.720 and giving his own explanation of those things. 00:06:14.899 --> 00:06:19.040 That explanation is now written down for us in 00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:21.620 scripture. Objections and questions we need to 00:06:21.620 --> 00:06:25.399 address. To begin with, if God used Israel as 00:06:25.399 --> 00:06:28.600 a unique bearer of revelation, doesn't that support 00:06:28.600 --> 00:06:31.259 living church tradition alongside scripture? 00:06:31.930 --> 00:06:34.970 A Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox friend might 00:06:34.970 --> 00:06:39.110 say, if God used Israel as a unique bearer of 00:06:39.110 --> 00:06:42.290 revelation, doesn't that support the idea that 00:06:42.290 --> 00:06:46.009 the church, especially Rome or the Orthodox communion, 00:06:46.269 --> 00:06:50.089 now carries that same role with a living tradition 00:06:50.089 --> 00:06:53.670 and authoritative teaching that stand alongside 00:06:53.670 --> 00:06:57.839 scripture as special revelation? Here's how I'd 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:00.600 respond. First, I want to affirm something. There 00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:03.899 is a continuity. God used Israel as his steward. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:07.240 Now he uses the church as his steward. 1 Timothy 00:07:07.240 --> 00:07:11.480 3, verse 15 calls the church the pillar and foundation 00:07:11.480 --> 00:07:14.620 of the truth. But second, we must ask, what is 00:07:14.620 --> 00:07:17.720 the content that the church is stewarding? Romans 00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:20.600 3, verse 2 said Israel was entrusted with the 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:24.339 oracles of God, God's own words. Hebrews chapter 00:07:24.339 --> 00:07:27.160 1 verse 1 and 2 says that long ago God spoke 00:07:27.160 --> 00:07:29.920 through the prophets, but in these last days 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:34.300 he has spoken to us by his Son. 2 Timothy chapter 00:07:34.300 --> 00:07:37.800 3 verse 15 to 17 says the Holy Scriptures make 00:07:37.800 --> 00:07:40.759 us wise for salvation and equip us for every 00:07:40.759 --> 00:07:44.300 good work. So the saving revelation, God's decisive 00:07:44.300 --> 00:07:47.600 self -disclosure, is in his words and acts now 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:50.560 preserved in Scripture. The church's job is to 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:52.899 guard that revelation, to teach it faithfully, 00:07:52.939 --> 00:07:56.079 to live it out. Even Israel and the apostles 00:07:56.079 --> 00:07:59.600 were judged by God's previous word. Deuteronomy 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:02.839 chapter 13 verse 1 to 5 says if a prophet tells 00:08:02.839 --> 00:08:05.939 people to follow other gods, they must reject 00:08:05.939 --> 00:08:09.579 him, even if he does signs. Galatians chapter 00:08:09.579 --> 00:08:13.420 1 verse 8 and 9 says if anyone, even an angel, 00:08:13.500 --> 00:08:16.060 preaches a different gospel, he is to be accursed. 00:08:16.649 --> 00:08:19.550 Historically, the early church saw itself as 00:08:19.550 --> 00:08:22.449 preserving the apostolic writings, not creating 00:08:22.449 --> 00:08:25.870 new revelation equal to them. Councils argued 00:08:25.870 --> 00:08:28.649 from scripture, claiming to confess what the 00:08:28.649 --> 00:08:33.049 apostles taught, not to add new scripture. Presuppositionally, 00:08:33.049 --> 00:08:36.649 if we treat ongoing ecclesial tradition as a 00:08:36.649 --> 00:08:40.169 parallel stream of revelation, we face a question, 00:08:40.289 --> 00:08:43.789 which is ultimate? The fixed written word, or 00:08:43.789 --> 00:08:46.909 the evolving institutional voice. If the latter 00:08:46.909 --> 00:08:49.690 can correct the former, then scripture is no 00:08:49.690 --> 00:08:52.649 longer our final authority. That undercuts the 00:08:52.649 --> 00:08:56.990 sufficiency and finality of God's written special 00:08:56.990 --> 00:09:00.529 revelation. Didn't God later choose a restored 00:09:00.529 --> 00:09:03.259 church with new prophets and new scripture? A 00:09:03.259 --> 00:09:06.980 Mormon friend might say, we agree God chose Israel, 00:09:07.159 --> 00:09:10.960 but we believe God later chose a restored latter 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:14.200 -day church and prophets who bring new binding 00:09:14.200 --> 00:09:17.720 revelation beyond the Bible. Why not see special 00:09:17.720 --> 00:09:21.179 revelation as continuing like that? Here's my 00:09:21.179 --> 00:09:23.899 answer. Scripture presents God's choice of Israel 00:09:23.899 --> 00:09:26.460 and then the coming of Christ and his apostles 00:09:26.460 --> 00:09:30.600 as the high point, not as another step in a chain 00:09:30.600 --> 00:09:33.960 waiting for later canons. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 00:09:33.960 --> 00:09:36.360 1 and 2 says that in these last days God has 00:09:36.360 --> 00:09:39.460 spoken by his son. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 00:09:39.460 --> 00:09:42.419 20 says the church is built on the foundation 00:09:42.419 --> 00:09:45.820 of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus 00:09:45.820 --> 00:09:48.980 as the cornerstone. You only lay a foundation 00:09:48.980 --> 00:09:51.539 once as confirmed by first Corinthians chapter 00:09:51.539 --> 00:09:55.179 3 verse 11 which says for no one can lay a foundation 00:09:55.179 --> 00:09:57.899 other than that which is laid which is Jesus 00:09:57.899 --> 00:10:01.480 Christ. Further, Jude verse 3 says we are to 00:10:01.480 --> 00:10:04.980 contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted 00:10:04.980 --> 00:10:09.379 to God's holy people. That sounds like a completed 00:10:09.379 --> 00:10:12.879 deposit, not an open file waiting for later prophets 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:16.360 to fill in more pages. The New Testament pictures 00:10:16.360 --> 00:10:20.320 the church as proclaiming the once for all gospel, 00:10:20.620 --> 00:10:24.019 guarding the apostolic teaching, passing it on 00:10:24.019 --> 00:10:27.120 faithfully, not writing new corrective scripture. 00:10:28.039 --> 00:10:31.220 Historically, from quite early on, Christians 00:10:31.220 --> 00:10:34.559 had a strong sense that there was a closed set 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:38.179 of apostolic writings that carried unique authority. 00:10:39.139 --> 00:10:41.960 Presuppositionally, if special revelation is 00:10:41.960 --> 00:10:46.580 open -ended, then no revelation is ever final. 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:50.340 Today's message might be corrected by tomorrow's 00:10:50.340 --> 00:10:53.759 message. That conflicts with the idea that God 00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:56.759 is wise and truthful enough to give a complete 00:10:56.759 --> 00:11:00.820 saving message that stands. Isn't holy tradition 00:11:00.820 --> 00:11:03.559 bigger than the Bible? Why limit special revelation 00:11:03.559 --> 00:11:06.500 to scripture? An Eastern Orthodox friend might 00:11:06.500 --> 00:11:10.600 say, we say holy tradition includes scripture 00:11:10.600 --> 00:11:15.539 but is larger than it. icons, liturgy, and councils 00:11:15.539 --> 00:11:19.559 also carry God's self -revelation. Why limit 00:11:19.559 --> 00:11:22.419 special revelation to the Bible? I'd respond 00:11:22.419 --> 00:11:25.100 this way. I want to gladly acknowledge that God 00:11:25.100 --> 00:11:28.100 has used liturgy, preaching, catechisms, councils, 00:11:28.259 --> 00:11:31.799 even art to echo and apply his word. These are 00:11:31.799 --> 00:11:34.299 important parts of the church's life. But we 00:11:34.299 --> 00:11:38.159 must distinguish tradition, small t, as something 00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:41.279 that is shaped and corrected by scripture, from 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:44.250 scripture itself. which is the standard that 00:11:44.250 --> 00:11:47.750 shapes and corrects everything else. 2 Timothy 00:11:47.750 --> 00:11:51.669 3, verse 16 and 17 says, All Scripture is God 00:11:51.669 --> 00:11:54.190 -breathed and sufficient to equip us for every 00:11:54.190 --> 00:11:59.090 good work. 2 Peter 1, verse 19 to 21 says, We 00:11:59.090 --> 00:12:02.389 have the prophetic word made more sure, and that 00:12:02.389 --> 00:12:05.429 Scripture came as men were carried along by the 00:12:05.429 --> 00:12:09.090 Holy Spirit. Revelation chapter 22 verse 18 and 00:12:09.090 --> 00:12:12.450 19 warns against adding to or subtracting from 00:12:12.450 --> 00:12:15.330 the words of that prophetic book. Historically, 00:12:15.330 --> 00:12:17.590 the ecumenical councils argued from scripture. 00:12:17.850 --> 00:12:21.450 They claimed authority because they claimed faithfulness 00:12:21.450 --> 00:12:23.649 to what God had already revealed in the Bible. 00:12:23.769 --> 00:12:27.029 They did not say, we are now creating new revelation. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:31.440 Holy tradition is defined so broadly that it 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:34.480 can correct or overshadow the Bible, then it 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:37.460 is no longer a servant of scripture, it becomes 00:12:37.460 --> 00:12:40.500 a rival. That is not consistent with treating 00:12:40.500 --> 00:12:44.399 God's written word as uniquely and finally God 00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:48.600 -breathed. Is this chosen Israel and church language 00:12:48.600 --> 00:12:53.600 just religious self -promotion? A pluralist or 00:12:53.600 --> 00:12:57.370 historical critical voice might say, Isn't the 00:12:57.370 --> 00:13:00.909 idea that God chose Israel and then the church 00:13:00.909 --> 00:13:04.190 just a way for religious communities to boost 00:13:04.190 --> 00:13:07.450 their own importance? Why not treat these as 00:13:07.450 --> 00:13:11.009 human stories instead of divine revelation? Let's 00:13:11.009 --> 00:13:13.789 look at the tone of the biblical story. Deuteronomy 00:13:13.789 --> 00:13:17.730 chapter 7 verse 6 to 8 says God chose Israel 00:13:17.730 --> 00:13:20.870 not because they were more numerous, but because 00:13:20.870 --> 00:13:24.960 he loved them and was keeping his oath. Ezekiel 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:29.139 chapter 36 verse 22 and 23 says, God will act 00:13:29.139 --> 00:13:32.360 not for your sake, people of Israel, but for 00:13:32.360 --> 00:13:35.779 the sake of my holy name. That's not flattery, 00:13:35.779 --> 00:13:38.399 that's humbling. The Old Testament is brutally 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:40.799 honest about Israel's sin, idolatry, injustice, 00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:44.720 failure. If Israel wrote propaganda just to praise 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:47.980 itself, it did a terrible job. Historically, 00:13:47.980 --> 00:13:50.519 being God's people did not give Israel easy power. 00:13:50.700 --> 00:13:54.570 They were enslaved, exiled. scattered. The claim 00:13:54.570 --> 00:13:57.370 of being chosen often brought suffering, not 00:13:57.370 --> 00:14:01.210 privilege. If we say all chosen people stories 00:14:01.210 --> 00:14:04.870 are just self -promotion, we still have to explain 00:14:04.870 --> 00:14:08.690 why the biblical narrative is so self -critical, 00:14:08.690 --> 00:14:12.490 puts God's honor, not Israel's, at the center, 00:14:12.570 --> 00:14:16.429 and offers a coherent, God -centered story of 00:14:16.429 --> 00:14:20.509 history rather than a human victory story. The 00:14:20.509 --> 00:14:23.330 Bible's claim is that God chose Israel and then 00:14:23.330 --> 00:14:26.450 formed the church purely by grace, for his glory 00:14:26.450 --> 00:14:29.590 and for the salvation of the nations, not as 00:14:29.590 --> 00:14:33.070 a human ego project. So what does this mean for 00:14:33.070 --> 00:14:35.490 us today? Let me finish by bringing this home. 00:14:35.870 --> 00:14:39.350 First, be deeply thankful. The God who did not 00:14:39.350 --> 00:14:43.129 need to speak has chosen to speak first to Abraham 00:14:43.129 --> 00:14:46.750 and Israel, then in his son, and now to you through 00:14:46.750 --> 00:14:49.629 scripture. You are not guessing about God in 00:14:49.629 --> 00:14:52.789 the dark. You are being invited into a story 00:14:52.789 --> 00:14:56.830 he started long before you were born. Second, 00:14:57.090 --> 00:15:00.629 rest in confidence. Your faith is not based on 00:15:00.629 --> 00:15:03.850 vague spiritual impressions or human inventions. 00:15:04.169 --> 00:15:07.460 It is anchored in what God has actually done 00:15:07.460 --> 00:15:11.159 and actually said in history, now written for 00:15:11.159 --> 00:15:14.080 you. When you open the Bible, you are listening 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:16.860 to the same God who spoke to Abraham, Moses, 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:19.669 David, the prophets and the apostles. Third, 00:15:19.830 --> 00:15:23.210 live with a mission mindset. If God blessed Abraham 00:15:23.210 --> 00:15:26.909 so that all families of the earth would be blessed 00:15:26.909 --> 00:15:29.990 through him, and if you are now in Christ, then 00:15:29.990 --> 00:15:33.169 you are part of that global plan. You are a steward 00:15:33.169 --> 00:15:35.970 of special revelation. You have the privilege 00:15:35.970 --> 00:15:39.230 and responsibility to share God's word so that 00:15:39.230 --> 00:15:42.250 others from every nation can know the God who 00:15:42.250 --> 00:15:45.639 speaks and saves. In the chapters ahead, we'll 00:15:45.639 --> 00:15:48.820 zoom in more closely on Jesus himself as the 00:15:48.820 --> 00:15:52.159 climactic revelation of God and on how scripture 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:55.720 carries his authority. But for now, remember 00:15:55.720 --> 00:15:58.799 this. The God who spoke through creation has 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:02.039 spoken more clearly through Israel and finally 00:16:02.039 --> 00:16:05.460 through his son so that a world in darkness can 00:16:05.460 --> 00:16:09.019 hear, believe, and live. And you can listen to 00:16:09.019 --> 00:16:11.039 this voice of God in the Bible.