This article is part of an ongoing series of contemplations about God’s creation and man’s role in it by Rev. Lou Veiga, Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Houston, TX.

“Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.” (Psa 111:2 ESV)

The Church has always regarded the revelation from God as consisting of two books. The first is God’s book of general revelation, which comes from God to us in and through creation. In the book of creation, God reveals his eternal power and divine nature to reasonable souls (Rom 1: 20). This first kind of revelation is true and perfect concerning the purpose for which it was given, i.e., of revealing the existence of the Creator (Psa 19:1-6). Modern man is apt to call this book “nature” instead of “creation.” With this change in terminology, man becomes the measure of all things, including deducing the meaning and purpose of creation. This perspective consistently results in confusion, godlessness, and meaningless despair.

Sinful man’s perception of God’s general revelation is easily corrupted. Sinful man is aware of the existence of God, but evidence of God’s goodness in creation troubles him because it comes mixed with God’s wrath against sin (e.g., through plagues, earthquakes, fire, floods, and death). God is holy, and sin is rebellion in a creature against a holy Creator. Unless man understands this, reconciliation between a holy God and sinful humanity remains unattainable. That man must be righteous and holy is plain to see, as witnessed in our universal interest in ethics and the diversity of religions in the world. Still, how man is regarded as righteous by the Creator (as in the righteousness of God that comes through faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ) is not arrived at through general revelation.

God’s second book is the greater revelation. It speaks perfectly and authoritatively regarding who God is (i.e., Trinity, one God in three Persons) and speaks of creation and redemption. Through redemption, man understands that he is not his own but God’s creature. The knowledge of God as to his ultimate purpose for man and the means God provides to restore man is revealed in the companion book to the book of general revelation.

The second volume, whereby we learn infallibly about God, the book of his special revelation, is the Bible. In this book, God reveals himself and his purpose for his creation sufficiently for all to know the incomprehensible and inscrutable mystery of his person and will. Both books are written by God and are authentic and completely reliable. Both books are to be studied by all men not merely out of respect for the author’s majesty and authority but because the great works of Jehovah are revealed in them. The works of the Lord are intuitively great, but one’s esteem of their greatness grows in proportion to the diligence one gives to their study. The diligent study of Jehovah’s works is fruitful, and with God’s blessing, it delights the soul. This is to say that no true science is possible without presupposing God. Theology, of course, is a science.

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Our verse from Psalm 111 praises God for all of his works, both in creation and redemption. This is a high note of praise and worship of Jehovah. The greatest work of God, however, is not in the initial creation (in creating physical light out of nothing and in bringing order out of chaos) but in the restoration of the fallen, shattered creation through the Redeemer, God’s only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (in bringing forth spiritual light out of spiritual darkness and in his establishing a new and everlasting world). This is why the rest of Psalm 111 continues by mentioning more of the special revelation than the general revelation. Psalm 111 helps us worship God according to all his works wherein he reveals himself. Jehovah’s Name is thus intuited in all things, as all things are from him, through him, and to him – to him be the glory! Amen (Rom 11:36)!

Thus far, I have explained how the works of Jehovah are to be studied from one verse in Psalm 111.

During the Northern Renaissance in Europe, there was great interest in recovering and reading the ancient literature of past ages. This scholarly interest carried over into the Protestant Reformation – the Reformers insisted that our delight in the revelation of God is best served by studying the Word of God in its original languages, Hebrew and Greek. Many teachers, pastors, and theologians took up this discipline in the charge, ad fontes!, that is to say, “return to the sources.” The religion of the late medieval church had become cluttered with traditions and teachings, many contradicting and countermanding the other.  This approach to religion hindered and occulted rather than provided help in understanding God’s special revelation. The Protestant Reformation called for renewed attention to the Bible as the primary source of the Christian faith, to the extent of denying extra-biblical apostolic teaching authority: sola scriptura. The first step towards helping the ailing Medieval church was to simplify matters by returning to the source of God’s special revelation, the Holy Bible. 

But what about the first book of God’s revelation? How often do you take time to observe the works of God in creation directly? We usually rely on other men’s representations and interpretations of nature, not what nature reveals. This is commonly done through entertainment and telecommunications media, such as in nature documentaries. Has Millennial Man become so fettered in his pursuit of knowledge, or what we call “science,” that he has now substituted theories for reality, computer models for observation, and speculation for delight? Has Hollywood or academia become a new mediator and priesthood for mankind, coming between him and the creation to be observed “ad fontes”?

How many nature films today omit to mention the dangers of human-induced global warming? The massive die-offs of the corals in the Australian Barrier Reef? The evolutionary causes of species differentiation? The worldwide rise of the ocean’s sea level? All of these observations come to us meditated and are not directly observed (or able to be observed) by us. After years of this kind of scientific tutelage, one is tempted to disbelieve that the Lord God rules over all creation, and that he rules wisely, majestically, and benevolently over all his creation (Psalm 103:19-22).

As a youngster in the first grade, I could not speak or read English – our Cuban emigrant family spoke Spanish exclusively at home. When our class visited the school library, the only books that interested me were on baseball (obviously!) and astronomy (for the pictures! Besides, the primary star names were all of Arabic origin, which I could relate to as a descendant of Spaniards. Oh, and many Latinos played professional baseball).These subjects were delightful, and I returned to them continually.

Later in high school, I considered studying astronomy as a career – for the beauty and enormity of the creation made this science delightfully attractive. But that career option was aborted; upon looking through a college text on astronomy, I observed numerous charts, graphs, diagrams, equations, terminology, and pictures of instruments, but I connoted zero wonder and amazement in the author. Worse, because the study of the natural revelation in the universe was not informed by an insightful survey of God’s special revelation, there was no doxology nor any delight in God.  A godless approach to science results in an incomplete and faulty science.

What can one do, then? Two things: First, renew and revive your reverence and loving affections of Scripture. Begin a serious study of the Bible. Please talk to one of your church elders if you need to learn how to study (and not just casually read the Bible). Second, regularly spend time outdoors, day or night. Have a good, long look around. Observe God’s creation firsthand instead of through a computer flat screen as the mediatorial interpretation of a news network.

Christian! Stop depending on so many blogs, newsletters, email devotions, or commentaries for your knowledge of God and his works, and return to the Bible! And asking for the grace of the Holy Spirit — ultimately your only and surest Teacher – resolve to conscientiously read God’s general revelation through the lens of the special revelation in God’s holy, infallible, and inerrant Word. God promises you delight and wonder for all your diligence as you study his works, which are available in two volumes.

Featured photo by Ravi Pinisetti on Unsplash.