The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

Dear friend,

For our 20th wedding anniversary, Jennifer and I went to Bali for the first time. While we were there God revealed Himself to us.

In fact, God is speaking to people all the time. Christian theology teaches us there are two broad ways He does this. One is through special revelation, God’s voice as we hear it primarily through the scriptures. The other is general revelation, that is the way the created world announces to us that there is a God.

Of course special revelation is necessary for salvation. If we did not have the message of the gospel, then we could not know how to be saved from sin, death, and hell. Nevertheless, the other kind of revelation is a powerful reminder that the God of the Bible is the King of the Universe. People in the world might try to deny his existence, but a few moments on the beach in a place like Bali leaves us breathlessly aware that there is a powerful, intelligent, omnipresent Creator with whom we must deal.

When you look at a beautiful garden flower, an intricate butterfly, a microscopic cell, or the evening sky, do you hear them proclaiming Him?

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour fourth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out to the ends of the earth, their words to the end of the world” (Ps. 19:1-4a).

Your servant,

Stephen