what do i mean by special revelation so let me
start with this we've already said general revelation
is god speaking through creation and conscience
to everyone it tells us that god is there powerful
wise good and that we are guilty but it doesn't
tell us how a guilty sinner can be forgiven That's
where special revelation comes in. Special revelation
is God's specific saving self -disclosure. His
focused words and actions in history that reveal
his plan to rescue sinners. It comes through
his choice of Abraham and Israel, his covenants,
laws, promises, and prophets, and finally through
his son, Jesus Christ. General revelation says
you are in trouble before a holy God. Special
revelation says, here is my rescue plan. How
did God start special revelation with Abraham?
So how did this special revelation get started?
God did not begin with a philosophy class. He
began with a man and a promise. In Genesis chapter
12, verse 1 to 3, God says to Abram, go from
your country to the land I will show you. I will
make you into a great nation and I will bless
you and all peoples on earth will be blessed
through you. Abram wasn't out searching for the
true God. God came to him. That's grace. God
took the initiative from Abraham. God formed
a nation, Israel. Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse
7 and 8 says there was no nation that had God
so near to them or had such righteous laws. Psalm
147 verse 19 and 20 says God revealed his word
and decrees to Jacob and Israel in a way he did
not do for any other nation. So what do we see?
God chooses a people freely. He makes covenants
binding promises with them. He draws near to
them in a unique way. Special revelation is not
abstract ideas floating in the sky. It is God
stepping into real history, binding himself to
a real family and nation, and saying, through
you, I will show myself and my saving plan to
the world. What exactly did Israel receive from
God? Next question. Okay, God chose Israel. What
did he actually give them? Romans chapter 3 verse
2 says the Jews were entrusted with the oracles
of God, literally God's own words. That means
his law, like the Ten Commandments, his promises
and covenants, his prophetic messages, his record
of what he had done in their history. Psalm 147
verse 19 and 20 says God revealed his word to
Jacob and his decrees to Israel and he has done
this for no other nation. So Israel became the
guardian of God's written revelation. Through
them the scriptures were written, preserved and
eventually spread. But we need to be clear this
was a stewardship not a superiority badge. Israel
was not given this role because they were better
than others. They were supposed to be a light.
Isaiah chapter 49 verse 6 says, God's servant
will be a light for the nations that my salvation
may reach to the ends of the earth. So Israel's
job was to receive God's words to protect them
and to shine them outward. They were like a lamp
on a stand, not a treasure locked in a safe.
Was God just focused on one small tribe or the
world? That raises another question. If God focused
on Israel, was that just a local tribal project?
From the very beginning, the answer is no. Back
in Genesis chapter 12 verse 3, God tells Abraham
that all peoples on earth will be blessed through
him. Isaiah chapter 2 verse 2 and 3 pictures
many nations streaming to the mountain of the
Lord to learn his ways. Isaiah chapter 49 verse
6 says Israel was called to be a light to the
nations. So the Old Testament story is not God
cares only about Israel. It is God narrows his
focus to one people so that through them he can
bless and save many peoples. You could almost
picture it like a funnel. God's special revelation
is poured into Israel so it can then pour out
to the nations, culminating in Jesus Christ,
the descendant of Abraham, through whom the promise
is fulfilled. So special revelation is never
meant to terminate on Israel alone. It is always
pointing outward, always preparing for Christ,
always aimed at the world. Does God reveal himself
only by words or also by actions? Another question
we should ask, is special revelation just information
or is it also events? In the Bible, special revelation
is both God's deeds and God's words explaining
those deeds. Think about the Exodus. God acts
first. He brings Israel out of slavery in Egypt
with signs and wonders. He divides the sea. He
defeats Pharaoh. Then God speaks to explain what
He has done. In Exodus chapter 20 verse 2, He
says, I am the Lord your God who brought you
out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Then
He gives the Ten Commandments. The commands are
rooted in a real saving act that God Himself
interprets. The same pattern shows up with Jesus.
God acts in Christ's life, death, and resurrection.
Then he gives apostolic preaching and writings
to explain what those events mean. In Acts chapter
2, Peter stands up and says, Jesus was crucified,
God raised him, and this fulfills God's plan.
He tells the people what they must do in response,
that is, they have to repent and be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ. So I want you to
see this. Special revelation is not vague religious
feeling. It is God doing real things in history
and giving his own explanation of those things.
That explanation is now written down for us in
scripture. Objections and questions we need to
address. To begin with, if God used Israel as
a unique bearer of revelation, doesn't that support
living church tradition alongside scripture?
A Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox friend might
say, if God used Israel as a unique bearer of
revelation, doesn't that support the idea that
the church, especially Rome or the Orthodox communion,
now carries that same role with a living tradition
and authoritative teaching that stand alongside
scripture as special revelation? Here's how I'd
respond. First, I want to affirm something. There
is a continuity. God used Israel as his steward.
Now he uses the church as his steward. 1 Timothy
3, verse 15 calls the church the pillar and foundation
of the truth. But second, we must ask, what is
the content that the church is stewarding? Romans
3, verse 2 said Israel was entrusted with the
oracles of God, God's own words. Hebrews chapter
1 verse 1 and 2 says that long ago God spoke
through the prophets, but in these last days
he has spoken to us by his Son. 2 Timothy chapter
3 verse 15 to 17 says the Holy Scriptures make
us wise for salvation and equip us for every
good work. So the saving revelation, God's decisive
self -disclosure, is in his words and acts now
preserved in Scripture. The church's job is to
guard that revelation, to teach it faithfully,
to live it out. Even Israel and the apostles
were judged by God's previous word. Deuteronomy
chapter 13 verse 1 to 5 says if a prophet tells
people to follow other gods, they must reject
him, even if he does signs. Galatians chapter
1 verse 8 and 9 says if anyone, even an angel,
preaches a different gospel, he is to be accursed.
Historically, the early church saw itself as
preserving the apostolic writings, not creating
new revelation equal to them. Councils argued
from scripture, claiming to confess what the
apostles taught, not to add new scripture. Presuppositionally,
if we treat ongoing ecclesial tradition as a
parallel stream of revelation, we face a question,
which is ultimate? The fixed written word, or
the evolving institutional voice. If the latter
can correct the former, then scripture is no
longer our final authority. That undercuts the
sufficiency and finality of God's written special
revelation. Didn't God later choose a restored
church with new prophets and new scripture? A
Mormon friend might say, we agree God chose Israel,
but we believe God later chose a restored latter
-day church and prophets who bring new binding
revelation beyond the Bible. Why not see special
revelation as continuing like that? Here's my
answer. Scripture presents God's choice of Israel
and then the coming of Christ and his apostles
as the high point, not as another step in a chain
waiting for later canons. Hebrews chapter 1 verse
1 and 2 says that in these last days God has
spoken by his son. Ephesians chapter 2 verse
20 says the church is built on the foundation
of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus
as the cornerstone. You only lay a foundation
once as confirmed by first Corinthians chapter
3 verse 11 which says for no one can lay a foundation
other than that which is laid which is Jesus
Christ. Further, Jude verse 3 says we are to
contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted
to God's holy people. That sounds like a completed
deposit, not an open file waiting for later prophets
to fill in more pages. The New Testament pictures
the church as proclaiming the once for all gospel,
guarding the apostolic teaching, passing it on
faithfully, not writing new corrective scripture.
Historically, from quite early on, Christians
had a strong sense that there was a closed set
of apostolic writings that carried unique authority.
Presuppositionally, if special revelation is
open -ended, then no revelation is ever final.
Today's message might be corrected by tomorrow's
message. That conflicts with the idea that God
is wise and truthful enough to give a complete
saving message that stands. Isn't holy tradition
bigger than the Bible? Why limit special revelation
to scripture? An Eastern Orthodox friend might
say, we say holy tradition includes scripture
but is larger than it. icons, liturgy, and councils
also carry God's self -revelation. Why limit
special revelation to the Bible? I'd respond
this way. I want to gladly acknowledge that God
has used liturgy, preaching, catechisms, councils,
even art to echo and apply his word. These are
important parts of the church's life. But we
must distinguish tradition, small t, as something
that is shaped and corrected by scripture, from
scripture itself. which is the standard that
shapes and corrects everything else. 2 Timothy
3, verse 16 and 17 says, All Scripture is God
-breathed and sufficient to equip us for every
good work. 2 Peter 1, verse 19 to 21 says, We
have the prophetic word made more sure, and that
Scripture came as men were carried along by the
Holy Spirit. Revelation chapter 22 verse 18 and
19 warns against adding to or subtracting from
the words of that prophetic book. Historically,
the ecumenical councils argued from scripture.
They claimed authority because they claimed faithfulness
to what God had already revealed in the Bible.
They did not say, we are now creating new revelation.
Holy tradition is defined so broadly that it
can correct or overshadow the Bible, then it
is no longer a servant of scripture, it becomes
a rival. That is not consistent with treating
God's written word as uniquely and finally God
-breathed. Is this chosen Israel and church language
just religious self -promotion? A pluralist or
historical critical voice might say, Isn't the
idea that God chose Israel and then the church
just a way for religious communities to boost
their own importance? Why not treat these as
human stories instead of divine revelation? Let's
look at the tone of the biblical story. Deuteronomy
chapter 7 verse 6 to 8 says God chose Israel
not because they were more numerous, but because
he loved them and was keeping his oath. Ezekiel
chapter 36 verse 22 and 23 says, God will act
not for your sake, people of Israel, but for
the sake of my holy name. That's not flattery,
that's humbling. The Old Testament is brutally
honest about Israel's sin, idolatry, injustice,
failure. If Israel wrote propaganda just to praise
itself, it did a terrible job. Historically,
being God's people did not give Israel easy power.
They were enslaved, exiled. scattered. The claim
of being chosen often brought suffering, not
privilege. If we say all chosen people stories
are just self -promotion, we still have to explain
why the biblical narrative is so self -critical,
puts God's honor, not Israel's, at the center,
and offers a coherent, God -centered story of
history rather than a human victory story. The
Bible's claim is that God chose Israel and then
formed the church purely by grace, for his glory
and for the salvation of the nations, not as
a human ego project. So what does this mean for
us today? Let me finish by bringing this home.
First, be deeply thankful. The God who did not
need to speak has chosen to speak first to Abraham
and Israel, then in his son, and now to you through
scripture. You are not guessing about God in
the dark. You are being invited into a story
he started long before you were born. Second,
rest in confidence. Your faith is not based on
vague spiritual impressions or human inventions.
It is anchored in what God has actually done
and actually said in history, now written for
you. When you open the Bible, you are listening
to the same God who spoke to Abraham, Moses,
David, the prophets and the apostles. Third,
live with a mission mindset. If God blessed Abraham
so that all families of the earth would be blessed
through him, and if you are now in Christ, then
you are part of that global plan. You are a steward
of special revelation. You have the privilege
and responsibility to share God's word so that
others from every nation can know the God who
speaks and saves. In the chapters ahead, we'll
zoom in more closely on Jesus himself as the
climactic revelation of God and on how scripture
carries his authority. But for now, remember
this. The God who spoke through creation has
spoken more clearly through Israel and finally
through his son so that a world in darkness can
hear, believe, and live. And you can listen to
this voice of God in the Bible.