Revelation

An uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had been previously wholly hidden or only obscurely seen. God has been pleased in various ways and at different times (Heb. 1:1) to make a supernatural revelation of himself and his purposes and plans, which, under the guidance of his Spirit, has been committed to writing. (See WORD OF GOD.) The Scriptures are not merely the “record” of revelation; they are the revelation itself in a written form, in order to the accurate presevation and propagation of the truth. Revelation and inspiration differ. Revelation is the supernatural communication of truth to the mind; inspiration (q.v.) secures to the teacher or writer infallibility in communicating that truth to others. It renders its subject the spokesman or prophet of God in such a sense that everything he asserts to be true, whether fact or doctrine or moral principle, is true, infallibly true.

REVELA'TION. God has revealed himself in the works of creation, Ps 19:2; comp. Rom 1:19-20; Acts 14:17; Acts 17:26-28; in the conscience of man, Rom 2:14-15; comp. John 1:9; Rom 8:9; and in the history of nations and of the world. Acts 14:17; comp. John 1:5, 1 Kgs 16:10. But this triple revelation, though a most precious guidance intellectually and morally, never leaving man wholly without testimony, of God, is, nevertheless,- only an indirect revelation, requiring the interpretation of human reason and liable to its mistakes. The full revelation of God is found only in his holy word, Ps 119:105; comp. Ps 19:8-9, and in the person of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 2 Pet 1:19; 2 Tim 3:15-17; Heb 1:1-2; Heb 4:12-13, a direct revelation breaking miraculously through nature and history, and laying hold miraculously in the conscience of man on a new life. This revelation is the foundation of our religion, which is therefore of divine origin and authority. All religions claim to be founded on revelation, but only the Jewish religion of the old covenant and the Christian religion are really revealed by God. All heathen religions are religions of Nature, the outgrowth of the human mind groping in the dark after the unknown God.

REVELA'TION. God has revealed himself in the works of creation, Ps 19:2; comp. Rom 1:19-20; Acts 14:17; Acts 17:26-28; in the conscience of man, Rom 2:14-15; comp. John 1:9; Rom 8:9; and in the history of nations and of the world. Acts 14:17; comp. John 1:5, 1 Kgs 16:10. But this triple revelation, though a most precious guidance intellectually and morally, never leaving man wholly without testimony, of God, is, nevertheless,- only an indirect revelation, requiring the interpretation of human reason and liable to its mistakes. The full revelation of God is found only in his holy word, Ps 119:105; comp. Ps 19:8-9, and in the person of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 2 Pet 1:19; 2 Tim 3:15-17; Heb 1:1-2; Heb 4:12-13, a direct revelation breaking miraculously through nature and history, and laying hold miraculously in the conscience of man on a new life. This revelation is the foundation of our religion, which is therefore of divine origin and authority. All religions claim to be founded on revelation, but only the Jewish religion of the old covenant and the Christian religion are really revealed by God. All heathen religions are religions of Nature, the outgrowth of the human mind groping in the dark after the unknown God.

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. The act of revealing, disclosing, or discovering to others what was before unknown to them.

2. That which is revealed.

3. The act of revealing divine truth.

4. That which is revealed by God to man; esp., the Bible. By revelation he made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote afore in few words. Eph. iii. 3.

5. Specifically, the last book of the sacred canon, containing the prophecies of St. John; the Apocalypse.