What is general revelation? What is special revelation?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

When believers speak of how God has revealed Himself, the two technical terms used are general revelation and special revelation. General revelation refers to God's revealing of Himself through nature or natural means (Psalm 19:1-4). The apostle Paul speaks of this kind of revelation in his letter to the Romans, using it to make the point that creation itself makes it obvious that a Creator exists, so people are “without excuse” for unbelief (Romans 1:20). Special revelation refers to God's revealing of Himself in miraculous ways, primarily through Scripture, but also through visions, dreams, and miracles, such as those He communicated to Daniel, Jacob, and Joseph. Ultimately, God revealed Himself through the special revelation of Jesus Christ, giving specific knowledge of His character, salvation, and will (Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 1:1-3). Together, these forms of revelation invite us to respond with trust, obedience, and worship, allowing His truth to transform our hearts and help us reflect His glory to the world.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• General revelation is of great importance, as it is available to all people in all places. Psalm 19:1-4 declares, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." General revelation is universal and available to everyone, offering evidence of an all-powerful Creator.
• Psalm 19 also refers to special revelation. Following the section on creation, the psalmist writes, "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes" (Psalm 19:7-8). God has revealed Himself to all people through the created world, both through creation and more specifically through His written Word.
• Special revelation is called "special" in contrast with general revelation because it is not given to all people in all places. At certain times throughout biblical history, God has chosen to reveal Himself by miraculous means. Special revelation includes physical appearances of God, dreams, visions, angels, the prophets, the written Word of God, and most importantly—Jesus Christ. God appeared in some type of physical form on multiple occasions (Genesis 3:8, 18:1; Exodus 3:1-4, 34:5-7). Further, the Bible records God speaking to people through dreams (Genesis 28:12, 37:5; 1 Kings 3:5; Daniel 2) and visions (Genesis 15:1; Ezekiel 8:3-4; Daniel 7). God also used angels to reveal special messages (Daniel 9:20-21).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The greatest occurrence of special revelation is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God in human form (John 1:1, 14). Hebrews 1:1-3 (NIV) summarizes it best, "In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son … The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being." When Jesus came to our world, He showed us God and ultimately died on the cross for us, displaying God's love for us.
• The Apostle Paul also discusses general revelation in Romans 1:20: "For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they [human beings] are without excuse." This verse clearly teaches one specific reason for general revelation—to give every person evidence that there is a God.
• Our most commonly shared form of special revelation is the Bible. God supernaturally gifted the writers of Scripture to accurately record His message through each author's personality and style. The Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) and is inspired, profitable, and sufficient (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21).
• This written Word provides much more specific and accurate information than the natural world and gives us everything we need for “life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

In the movie classic The Wizard of Oz, trees talk to Dorothy and even throw apples at her. That was the author’s imagination, but creation really does speak to all of us. And what it says is “God exists.”

Creation—the skies, the oceans, the complexity of life—is evidence of God’s eternal power, wisdom, and divine nature (Psalm 19:1-4; Romans 1:20). God’s general revelation reminds us that He is great and always at work in the world. Creation calls us to respond with awe, gratitude, and worship.

At the same time, God reveals Himself more specifically through special revelation, especially in God’s Word and ultimately in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-3; John 1:14). Through the Bible, God reveals who He is, His plan of salvation, and the way in which He calls us to live. God’s Word confronts us with our sin and invites us to allow His Word and Spirit to transform our hearts. As we integrate what we learn from both creation and the Bible, we are empowered to know and love God, reflect Him well, and make Him known to a world that desperately needs Him.

UNDERSTAND

• God reveals Himself through general revelation (creation) and special revelation (Scripture and Jesus).
• General revelation shows God’s power and character to all.
• Special revelation gives specific knowledge of God, salvation, and specific guidance through the Bible and Jesus Himself.

REFLECT

• What does the beauty and order of creation tell you about God?
• What have you learned about God through His Word?
• How has God’s general and special revelation impacted your relationship with Him?

ENGAGE

• How do we see God’s character revealed differently in creation versus Scripture, and what does that teach us about the way He chooses to reveal Himself to us?
• How can our understanding of both general and special revelation shape the way we understand God and share that with others?
• How can we become more attentive to God’s general and special revelation?