Page 26 - Bible Writers Theology Original

10 ♦ Bible Writers'Theology Chapter Two 2.4 Bible Writers' Evidence
The Bible in Isaiah 45:15 says, "Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, 0 God of Israel, the Saviour." (See also Romans 1:21-28). This hidden God has revealed Himself and can be known. Certainly one could never know God if He had not revealed Himself. In order to prove the existence of God, one must have a revelation of God. Therefore, general and special revela tion must be examined as evidence.
1 General Revelation
God's revelation in nature, histoiy, and conscience can be classified as a general revelation of God. General revelations are addressed to all intelli gentcreatures,andareaccessibletoall. Theyhavefortheirobjectthesup- plyingofthenaturalneedofthemanandthepersuasionofthesoul to seek after the true God. All naturalists, who reject the very idea of God and hold thatnatureisself-sufficientandself-explaining,seenorevelationofGod in nature. Yet, there is indeed the revelation of God in nature.
2 Special Revelations to the Israelites
More particularly, God has revealed Himself in the history of Israel. From the beginning with Adam, Cain, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
and their descendants, it was revealed that there would come a p)ersonal, infinite, holy and self-revealing God as a creator, a preserver and a governor (Joshua 24:2-3). Even more than this, it was revealed that they should appre hend God s purpose of redemption, through the sacrifice of deliverance, and
through the death oftheMessiah for the salvation of all nations. This mirac ulous revelation came when these men saw the revelation of their God and made altars to worship Him.
The means of delivering God's revelation to the patriarchs were dreams, visions, and visitations. In doing so, God communicated His message directly to them. When he revealed His holy character in the Mosaic Law, He Himself appeared on Mount Sinai in the buming fire. He appeared to Moses
in the burning bush. He appeared to the children of Israel on Mount Sinai and the mountain all together was covered with smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire, and the smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace and the whole mount quaked greatly. Here God made an everlasting
covenant with them This special revelation given to the Israelites was a tre^uiethatshouldbesharedwiththewholeworld (SeeExodusChapters 19-20).
Archeological discoveries, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Babylonian Tablets, stand as precious evidence of past miracles recorded in