#Bavinck2022 Chapter Six: The Content of Special Revelation

This chapter is entitled the content of special revelation, but as Bavinck notes in the introductory paragraph, much of the chapter is devoted to a history of special revelation in the Old Testament. 

Almost immediately, I came across a line that piqued my interest and stirred up a question in me. Bavinck begins his discussion of special revelation immediately after the fall of man. One question I will have for Dr. Mattson at the Zoom call on 3/24 is “What would Bavinck make of God speaking to Adam before the Fall?” My tendency would be to consider God’s pre-Fall speech to Adam special revelation (admittedly, of a non-redemptive sort) as opposed to general revelation, and I think Bavinck might as well, but I would like to hear the opinion of an expert on it.

Tangent aside, as you read the chapter, take some time to marvel at the way that God preserves the knowledge of Himself in the days of the patriarchs. Some remnants remained even until the time of Abraham. The core of God’s revelation to Abraham is summarized as this: “I will be thy God, and the God of thy people.” (60) It is a promise to Abraham, not a demand from Abraham, that makes up the core of special revelation at that time in redemptive history. The future revelations of God in the Old Testament are further elaborations on this promise. 

Space does not permit even a full preview of the content of this chapter (21 pages), so this is an attempt at giving a 30,000 foot view of the topics that Bavinck covers. He helps us to answer the question: Why did God give the law to Israel? In light of the priority of the promise, what is the function of the law? We would do well not to fall into the pitfalls of nomism and anti-nomism. The relationship of the law and the promise, even in the Old Testament, are helpful for Christians to understand. 

A warning for you as you read: If you come across words or references you don’t immediately understand, you are not alone. He writes, “Da Costa and Heine are both sons of Israel” and when I read that all I could do was make this face. My best guess is that they’re philosophers, but don’t stress too much about understanding every reference to 19th and 20th century thinkers that Bavinck makes.

Overall, this chapter is an excellent overview of the development of God’s revelation to Israel in the Old Testament. Toward the very end of the chapter, Bavinck concludes that the entire revelation of the Old Testament “converges upon Christ, not upon a new law, or doctrine, or institution, but upon the person of Christ.” (77) The Old Testament gives the promise, and the New Testament is the fulfillment. The promise God made to Abraham all the way in Genesis 12 has come to all nations. This is good news, rejoice in it today!