WHAT IS DIVINE REVELATION
LIKE WHAT IS DIVINE REVELATION
LIKEDivine revelation looks like human writing because it consists of human words. Many people believe that divine revelation is just like human writing, and that all rules of interpreting human books can be applied to Divine revelation
Actually, Divine revelation is a divine creation, just as the universe is a divine creation. There is much more to divine revelation than can be seen at first glance, just as there is much more to nature than what we see at first glance
When we look at nature, we see matter and objects and plants and animals and people. But when we begin to look closer, we see so much more. What we see and feel is composed of things we do not see and feel. There are cells and molecules and atoms and subatomic particles of various kinds. Actually, all matter we see and feel, is nothing but an appearance of energy
Just looking at nature and feeling its objects does not reveal its complexity. Nor do we see the intelligence behind the external face of nature. The more we penetrate nature, the more intelligent the Creator appears to be
We see the same thing in revelation. A first reading does not reveal complexity and intelligence. Parts of revelation seem even dull and boring. But inside revelation there is a great deal of wisdom
In the literal sense, in what we see first, there are other senses, there is deeper wisdom. These "internal senses" deal with "love relationships". The most internal sense deals with the love relationship between God and humans. A more external sense deals with love relationships between people. The most external sense deals with the church
Seeing this nature of revelation is very helpful
in two ways: 1. We can see what books are divine revelation and which ones
are not. 2. We see more clearly how to understand and interpret divine
revelation. These subjects will be further discussed later.
