Creation & Revelation

Psalm 19 is a key passage to help explain how we learn about the character and nature of God.

Creation tells us there is a God.  Revelation tells us what he is like [Ps. 19:1, 7].

If you read Psalm 19:1-6, the psalmist proclaims that creation shows us that God exists.  Most people look at a night sky or a beautiful landscape on earth and proclaims, “How could anyone not believe there is a God?”  Creation takes us that far but only that far.

The rest of Psalm 19, the psalmist proclaims that revelation shows us who God is.  If you notice, Ps. 19:1 speaks of God in creation, but Ps. 19:7 speaks of the LORD in revelation.  Notice the name change.  The first is the generic term for God, but the latter is the covenantal, personal name of Yahweh – the Great I AM.

Creation can help us to the place of belief that God exists, but God’s revelation (the Bible) teaches us who he is and what he is like.

If we are going to grow in the gospel, creation and intuition can take us far but not far enough.  We are dependent upon the Bible to discover who God is fully.

Psalm 19:7The 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;
the fear of the Lord is clean,
    enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
    and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
    even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.