The Bible is Divine Revelation 

The Christian faith is a revealed religion. We can only know the true and transcendent God we worship through his self-revelation. God can reveal himself in any way he chooses, but his chief means of speaking to us are through the Scriptures, the written word of God, and through his Son, the living or incarnate Word of God. He has also spoken through his prophets. They sometimes delivered oracles, which were direct “The Lord says” types of messages in which God’s actual words came out of prophet’s mouth. God also speaks in general ways through his creation: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1). God may also speak through dreams and visions. 

Once God spoke through Balaam’s donkey (Numbers 22:28-30) and so it is possible, he could even speak through us. When we seek to communicate the good news of Jesus to others, God may speak to them through us. God may speak through a preacher or teacher. God may speak to children through faith-filled parents. God may choose to use my words you are reading to reveal himself to you or others. However God chooses to speak, he always speaks in a way that is consistent with the Scriptures and the incarnate and living Word of God (Jesus). Jesus is called “Word” (Greek: logos) in John. Our job is to listen, and with the Spirit’s assistance, to understand.  

Accordingly, when Paul preached the good news of Jesus in a synagogue in Berea (Greece), the Book of Acts described what happened in this way: 

…they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.
Acts 17:11-12 

The Scriptures are the gold standard. They also, along with the Holy Spirit, are the main witnesses to Jesus. We can’t know Jesus without the written witness of the Scripture and the confirming witness of the Spirit. If you hunger to hear God’s voice, Scripture is the place to begin, especially the gospels as they reveal Jesus to those with open and receptive hearts. 

Glossary of Terms 

Before we go further, clarifying the meaning of a few terms that I use may be helpful. 

SCRIPTURE The word “Scripture” comes from the same Greek word as “graffiti.” It means “writing” or (“writings”), which is the literal meaning “scripture.” 

SACRED Sometimes the word “sacred” is used as an adjective to describe the scriptures. It is a synonym for “holy” which means 1) it is set apart by God, 2) which distinguishes it from all other writings Thus, the Holy Bible is the sacred writings. 

INSPIRED The Scriptures (writings) are also sacred because God “inspired” them. “Inspired” translates a compound Greek word that combines the word “God” and “breathe,” a not-so-subtle way of associating the Scriptures with the Holy Spirit (God-breathed writings). 

BIBLE And finally, “Bible” simply means “book,” the compilation of the sacred writings. 

Therefore, the Bible is the holy book that contains scripture — sacred writings which were inspired by the Spirit. The Bible is God’s written word.  

Discerning God’s Inaudible Voice 

Lilly Tomlin, was a stand-up comedian who always got lots of laughs when she would ask, “Why is it that when we talk to God we’re said to be praying, but when God talks to us, we’re schizophrenic?” Perhaps we associate hearing God’s voice with mental illness or religious extremism. Or we assume that only prophets, apostles, or the spiritual elite are privileged to hear God speak. The Bible, however, teaches that God desires everyone to hear him speaking to them personally. People I know and trust tell me they have heard God’s audible voice, but I suspect this is more the exception than the norm. God has never spoken to me in an audible voice, but I have learned to discern God’s voice none the less. 

I am convinced that Jesus wants all of his disciples to hear his voice, although not necessarily in an audible way. The truth is if you have gone all in for Jesus, you have heard God’s voice regardless of whether or not you recognized it at the time. If you are a disciple of Jesus, you have heard God’s (inaudible) voice. 

Peter was the first one to verbally declare that Jesus was “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). In the following verse Jesus explained how Peter had reached this conclusion: 

“You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn it from any human being.
Matthew 16:17 

Even the brightest minds who ever lived cannot think their way to the God revealed in the Bible. The only way we become convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and the Lord of all, is by divine revelation. I suspect Peter struggled to understand Jesus’ identity for the previous two- and one-half years he had been following Jesus. Perhaps he and some of the other disciples talked about it as they followed Jesus on the dusty paths of Galilee. But Jesus explained that Peter did not discover Jesus’ identity merely by thinking it all through rationally. Rather, he received this profound truth directly from God. It was “revealed “to him. God told him. The Holy Spirit must have whispered that truth to Peter's heart, just as he has revealed it to every disciple since Peter. I assume Peter did not realize he had heard God speaking to him until Jesus explained it to him, just as we may not have realized God spoke the same truth to each of us. This was the topic of part A of the second challenge. 

I am like Peter in that regard. I have no memory of hearing God speak to me with an audible voice. I read Scriptures and other Christian books, and thought deeply about who Jesus was. The process was lengthy and moved me from being a skeptic to a believer. Yet the process never required a giant mental leap over an intellectual gap as wide as the Grand Canyon. Instead, at some, I point I knew in my heart the gospel was true and that Jesus really was the Messiah, the Son of God, and the Lord of all. But I never heard God’s audible voice confirming it. Somehow the seed had taken root in my heart. God revealed it to me even though I did not recognize his voice at the time. I listened and then went all in for Jesus. Likewise, if you are persuaded that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, the Savior, and the Lord—all foundational truths of the faith—God has spoken to you and you heard him, even though you may not have recognized God’s inaudible voice whispering it to you. 

The goal in the fourth challenge is to learn ways to recognize his voice so you can develop a more intimate relationship with Jesus. As a disciple you have been equipped by the Spirit with the capacity to hear his voice. And the way you are most likely to hear it is through the Scriptures. 

The Scriptures are God-Breathed 

Scripture claims to be a divine revelation of God’s truth. God speaks through the Scriptures. However, all of the Scriptures were penned by human beings. This raises an important question: How can Scriptures be divine revelation if they were authored by human beings? Paul addressed this question in his second letter to Timothy. 

¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 

Scripture is more than words on a page. The Scriptures are dynamic, life-giving, and powerful. They teach what is true and right and help us recognize what is wrong in our lives. They correct us, teach us, and equip us. The Scriptures are intended to function as our personal life coach along with the Holy Spirit. 

The first six words contain an essential truth. It literally declares, “All sacred writings [Scriptures] are God-breathed [inspired].” Breathing is essential for life. The Holy Spirit is the breath of the living God. Discovering new insights through the Scripture is like God giving us mouth to mouth resuscitation, breathing his life into us. 

The Spirit is the breath of God. Remember, the word “spirit” literally means moving air or breath. The Spirit of God breathed on the human authors as they wrote the Scriptures. Consequently, the Scriptures they wrote were inspired (literally “God-breathed”). This does not necessarily mean that the Spirit dictated the Scriptures, word for word. That would be mechanical. The Spirit is not mechanical, but alive and dynamic and often works in mysterious ways. Yet he used human agents to express truths that originated in God. 

And now, centuries later, the same Spirit who breathed on the authors, equipping them to express God’s truth, breathes on us as we read, memorize, pray, study, and teach those scriptures. The result is the Scriptures comes alive to us as we read them attentively, seeking to hear the voice of God. As you breath in the breath of God, they come alive to you. You realize that the Lord is not some distant stranger but is present and attentive to you. With a thankful and joyful heart, your relationship with Jesus grows deeper and more intimate. The living Spirit is making Jesus alive and present to you. 

Disciples do not read the Bible to become Bible experts, to win Bible trivia games, or to impress people with their knowledge. No, we read the Bible to fall more in love with Jesus. That was the highest purpose of the O.T. law (See Deut 6:4-5). And the second purpose was closely related; that we might love our neighbor as ourselves. We cannot do either of those essentials unless we learn to read the Scriptures in ways that help us hear God’s voice and fall deeper and deeper in love with him. 

Disciples do not read the Bible to become Bible experts ... We read the Bible to fall more in love with Jesus.  

Did You Know? 

Surveys taken by George Gallup and Jim Castelli indicate that “Americans revere the Bible – but they don’t read it. And because they don’t read it, we have become a nation of biblical illiterates.” Their research shows the following: 

• Fewer than 50% of adults can name the four gospels. 60% of active churchgoers cannot identify even half of the Ten Commandments. 82% of Americans believe “God helps those who help themselves” is a verse in the Bible. 

• More than 50% of high school seniors believe Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife. And a large number of those surveyed thought that Billy Graham preached the sermon on the Mount. 

• Approximately 30% of parents did not know that Adam and Eve, David and Goliath, and the Good Samaritan were Bible stories. But the same people assumed Superman, Harry Potter and, The Hunger Games are probably in the Bible. 

(Statistics cited by Glenn McDonald, Morning Reflection, (glenn@glennsreflection.com), April 7, 2020.)

A professor at Boston University, Stephen Prothero, says that today, the average American would not understand that when Martin Luther King, Jr., declared, “I’ve been to the mountaintop!” in his final speech (1968), that he was referring to Moses seeing the Promised Land from Mt. Nebo (Deut 32:48f). 

Disciples cannot remain biblical illiterates. Jesus obviously loved and grasped the Scriptures, and his disciples can do no less. It’s essential for those who follow the Jesus Way.  

THINKING IT THROUGH

“Guide my steps by your Word.” Psalm 119:132 

THE TRUTH: The Lord continues to speak in this day and age. 

THE CHALLENGE: Disciples must learn to discern and listen to God's voice. 

Each part of every four-part challenge concludes with a “Thinking it Through” segment which consists of a list of Scriptures related to the topic being considered, questions for group discussion and personal reflection, and notes. Each of the twelve challenges will end with an exercise to guide you through the process of naming lies, believing the truth, and clarifying the personal implications and applications of the truth to your life. Truth, if believed, must be lived, and living the truth brings personal transformation (Kingdom living). Please consider this section as a tool to help you to understand the truth, not as a test or as busy work. 

Related Scriptures 

John 1:1-14 (Excerpts) 

¹ In the beginning was the Word [logos], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. ⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

Matthew 4:4 [Jesus, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3] ⁴ But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 

Matthew 24:35 ³⁵ “…but my words will never disappear.” 

Psalm 119:11, 18, 74, 104-105 ¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

¹⁸ Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.

⁷⁴ … for I have put my hope in your word.

¹⁰⁴ᵇ your word is my source of hope. ¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. 

John 10:35a ³⁵ᵃAnd you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. 

Hebrews 4:12 ¹² For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 

2 Peter 1:20-21 ²⁰ Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, ²¹ or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God. 

Proverbs 30:5-6 ⁵ Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. ⁶ Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar. 

Revelation 22:18-19 ¹⁸ And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. ¹⁹ And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book. 

Questions 

You are encouraged to use these questions for group discussion or personal reflection. Respond to the questions that are most relevant or interesting to you (I urge you to write your responses in a journal or notebook). 

1. Christianity is a revealed religion. Reflect on what God said through the prophet Isaiah: “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts … and my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). If God thoughts are higher than our thoughts, what could we know about God and the Jesus Way if God did not reveal it to us? 

2. What happens when people substitute their opinions about God for what the Bible teaches? Can you give a biblical example of when this happened in the past? What were the consequences? 

3. The theme of Part B is “God speaks through Scripture.” Does God speak in other ways? 

4. What would you conclude if someone you are close to claimed that God told them to do something that Scripture prohibited?

5. Part B indicates that God often speaks in an inaudible voice. It assumes that the Holy Spirit has spoken (usually inaudibly) to everyone who has gone all in for Jesus. Reread the section entitled “Discerning God’s Inaudible Voice” and reflect on your own experience. 

6. Peter was the first person to affirm that Jesus was the Messiah and Son of God. Jesus confirmed his statement was correct, but then told him, “My Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn it from any human being.” Do you believe the Holy Spirit confirmed Jesus’ identity to you before you went all in for Jesus, or did you reach that firm conviction without assistance? In other words, did the Holy Spirit speak to you without you recognizing you had heard the inaudible voice of God?? 

7. If you doubt whether you have ever heard an inaudible voice, pray for God to speak to you through either Matthew 17:1-13 or Deuteronomy 17:14-20. Then copy the passage you chose into your journal. Make sure you made no errors in copying it. Then write down any new insights, thoughts, or ideas that came to you through the passage. And if you received at least one specific insight, decide whether that could have been God speaking to you through the Scriptures (in answer to your prayer). 

Notes 

Theological Education 

The standard graduate degree program that most denominations and congregations require pastors to complete is the M. Div. (Master of Divinity) program from an accredited university or seminary. Normally this takes three years to complete. A Master of Arts degree in theology requires two years to complete. The difference is a M.A. in theology is a purely academic program. The M. Div. requires an extra year of practical and professional training (i.e. preaching counseling, church polity, hospital visitation, internships, etc.) in addition to the academic requirements. Some pastors and those planning to teach theology go on to earn Ph. D. or Th. D. programs. 

Theological studies are the core of the curriculum. Theology is the study of God and it is built around the Scriptures. In the first two years students study the original languages in which the Scriptures were written. Greek for studying the NT and Hebrew for studying the OT Scriptures. They also study how to interpret the Scriptures. That study usually begins with a class or two on hermeneutics, the principles of Biblical interpretation. These are the foundational classes on which the rest of curriculum is built upon. 

The principles of biblical interpretation are technical and complex. The Bible is composed of sixty-six (66) ancient books, spanning over one thousand years, reflecting different cultural and social contexts, by dozens of human authors. Each book and text in that book must be interpreted in it own unique historical and literary context. The goal is to discover what the text being studied meant to its original audience. That requires some familiarity with biblical languages and idioms. The type of literature in the text needs to be identified, history or allegory, literal or figurative, narrative or poetry, and prophetic or apocalyptic. Likewise, the reader of the text must attempt to determine the historical and social context in which it was written, pre-exilic, exilic, or post exilic, and dozens of other contexts which help us understand how its first audience would have understood the message. Sometimes geography becomes a significant factor. For instance, when the Israelites lived in Egyptian bondage, irrigation was normative for agriculture. But when they arrived in the promised land, agriculture depended on seasonal rainfall, which required them to learn new agricultural methodology and skills. Yet the approach used by the local agricultural experts, included learning which gods needed to be appeased in order to receive sufficient rain and abundant crops. In other words, agriculture and idolatry were closely linked. This helps explain why the worship of idols became so widespread in ancient Israel. 

There are many other principles that apply in particular situations. For example, one principle is “Scripture interprets Scripture.” This means when the meaning a particular text is unclear, it must be interpreted in light of other similar texts that speak with greater clarity to the topic. 

After the student has learned the hermeneutical principles and process, they begin to use them in exegetical classes. The “ex” mean “out of” (like in exit) the “gesis” is the meaning of the text. Thus, exegesis is the process the reader goes through to interpret the text accurately. The goal is accuracy by avoiding “eisegesis” which is reading one’s own biases into the text – making the text say what I want it to say. Good exegesis results in understanding the message the same way the original readers understood the text. 

When this is done correctly, the last step is to discern the original meaning of the text so that it can be appropriately applied to the twenty-first century world, thus making the ancient test relevant to contemporary life through faith preaching, teaching, and Bible study. This entire process of learning to read and interpret the Bible accurately is called grammatical-historical method. 

Naturally there many other courses on topics such as worship, church history, biblical history, archaeology, systematic theology, biblical theology, preaching, church distinctives, church governance, leadership, ethics, evangelism, spiritual formation, and many other topics. Much is packed into the typical three years of basic theological education.

Copyright © 2024 Don Waite

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