October 18, 2013
Psalm 19:1-4
(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)
In Wednesday’s blog, we saw how God has clearly revealed Jesus Christ in scripture. In the Old Testament there are over 300 distinct prophecies about the coming of the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled most of them, as recorded in the New Testament. But there are still some yet to be fulfilled. These will come true as the last days wind to and end, and the Lord returns to judge the world and set up His kingdom.
Those of us who have access to the Bible – especially in the western world – will certainly be held accountable concerning what we did – or did not do – with the Son of God. As Paul says in Romans 1:20, “…they are without excuse.”
Put your faith in Jesus Christ as YOUR Savior and Lord NOW!
But what about the heathen in the middle of the jungle who has never even heard of Jesus? Is he held responsible? God addresses that issue in Psalm 19:1 through 4:
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handi-
work. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line
has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.
This is called General Revelation. All creation shows forth God’s glory and that He is Creator. Furthermore, Romans 1:18 through 20, Paul writes,
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because
what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has showed it to
them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly
seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power
and Godhead, so that they are without excuse….
So besides God’s glory and Creativity, nature also reveals His wrath, eternal power and Godhead (His three-in-one existence and much more!)
But is that all that is revealed by creation? If it is, it seems like a pretty general revelation. But Romans 10:9 through 18 shows that God has gotten very specific in His general revelation. Here are verses 9, 13 through 15 and 17 & 18:
…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart
that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved….For whoever calls
upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him
in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom
they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how
shall they preach, unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are
the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of
good things!”…So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out
to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”
What is Paul saying? He is very specific when he tells us that to be saved you must “…confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead….” But in verse 18 he asks, “Have they not heard?” Yes they have! And then he quotes part of our scripture of Psalm 19, verse 4: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” So general revelation has gotten very specific in that it is proclaiming, “Jesus Christ is risen Lord!” Closely compare verse 9 with verse 18.
If we would hear it, all creation – every leaf, every blade of grass, every lowly animal crawling on the ground, every bird flying through the air – is proclaiming, “Jesus Christ is risen Lord!” If this is true – and this is what Paul is saying – is it any wonder that even the heathen in the jungle is “…without excuse”?
But there is still one more way that God reveals Jesus Christ. And that one more way is closely related to the first two – specific and general revelation. This will be the subject of our next blog.