What universal revelation does man receive – The Revelation of God in Nature
The God of power and love desired to make Himself known and to be loved by his creatures. Therefore, he manifests Himself and comes down to the level of our comprehension.
- The Revelation of God in nature
According to Paul,
… what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 1:19-21, ESV
And the psalmist declares,
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Psalm 19:1, ESV
The revelation of God through natural revelation leads every sincere man to feel his own littleness before and infinitely great God who created all things.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
and marked off the heavens with a span,
enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure
and weighed the mountains in scales
and the hills in a balance?
13 Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord,
or what man shows him his counsel?
14 Whom did he consult,
and who made him understand?
Who taught him the path of justice,
and taught him knowledge,
and showed him the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
and are accounted as the dust on the scales;
behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.
Isaiah 40:12-15, ESV
With all the evidence for himself God has placed before us in creation one would have to be blind or would have to blind himself voluntarily to miss it. The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. (Psalm 14:1) Even Voltaire said, The world poses a problem for me, and I cannot suppose that his clock exists with there having been a clock maker.
However, since the fall, the revelation of God presented in nature is insufficient. It clearly presents a glimpse into his power, providence and eternality, but it does not clearly present His person, His holiness, His righteousness and, above all, His redeeming love and everlasting purpose for us.
