Inspired by the Africa Study Bible

Psalm 19 tells us indirectly about the concept of “special revelation” and “general revelation”. General revelation is the idea that the glory of God can be seen throughout his creation, meaning that everyone on earth must know that there is a higher being even if they have never heard about Jesus. It is called “general” because it entails a broad amount of information and does not specifically include the gospel. Special revelation is how God reveals himself directly to his children through the Bible. It is called “special” because one must specifically know Jesus to have had special revelation. Simply acknowledging that someone created the world is not enough (Romans 1:20-21).

            The Africa Study Bible says:

“Nature is like an open book for all people of the world to read. We only need to look, feel, smell, and touch things in the natural world to recognize the glory and power of our Creator.”

            God’s creation is nothing but marvelous. It is clear that his workmanship is unique. His hand can be seen in it all, from the human body down to the blades of grass. God’s beautiful artwork throughout the world sparks awe within us. The glory of his creation leads us to have general revelation that someone higher and greater must have created the world. This general revelation is based on the fact that it is vast, intricate, and incredibly gorgeous.

The Bible, however, is the conductor for special revelation. Once we realize how great God’s creation truly is, God’s Word is what leads us to follow the Creator. God’s character and law reveal our sinful nature. Jesus’ work on the cross shows us the grace, faithfulness, and love that we have been searching for. How could we not pursue a relationship with the One that saved us while we were still sinning against him? The Bible gives us everything that we need. It lays it out like a blueprint. God’s holiness compared to our darkness leads us to worship him endlessly.

This knowledge promotes action. The Africa Study Bible states:

“Listen to what God says to you through his creation and his Word…set aside time to appreciate God’s beautiful creation and read the Bible.”

This excerpt is inspired by an Article of the Africa Study Bible titled, “ ”. Africa Study Bible Articles are about the Christian life and critical concerns that face the church in Africa and its people. The articles help you understand how to apply the bible to a specific area of life where God’s wisdom is needed.

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