The Father Reveals

2025-05-26

The Word of God is the Revelation of God. But that revelation must be personally revealed to us. In other words, we can read the Word of God and know academic facts, but we need a revelation from God for us to know them personally and own them. As a repository of facts with little heart, I write to you now what I am trying to learn.

“At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes” (Matthew 11:25). All the scholars could not grasp the truth, but the simple received it. The disciples were fishermen; the Lord Jesus did not choose the Pharisees. Those men received Christ, and the Father revealed truth to them.

This tells me that knowing Christ is not an academic exercise. Knowing Him is not something we do because we think it will be a cool experience so we can add Jesus to our life as a scout badge among a series of others. Knowing Christ belongs to babies. They are 100% dependent creatures. They lie there and depend on mothers to do everything for them. The self-sufficient and self-aggrandizing are not going to have a part of the Father’s revelation. He might need to first mow us down for us to see more of Him.

“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17). Remember when Peter confessed Jesus as both Christ and the Son of God? Previously, he had been with the Lord, hearing His teaching and following Him. But there came a day when it dawned on the humble fisherman that Jesus was truly the Messiah he had been waiting for. This revelation came from the Father.

Moreover, the Son can reveal the Father. “All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him” (Luke 10:22). We need the Father to show us more of His Son. We need the Son to show us more of His Father.

“That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (John 12:38). It appears that revelation is also rarer than we would like to think. Few believed on Him in Israel. Maybe it is because so many believed in salvation by the works of the law. So many were wise and prudent and were not babes.

“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). Faith has a role in revelation, a faith that continually is listening for the Lord to give us something new. The Gospel reveals the righteousness of God we need, and we to continually hear for something new to grow in grace.

“But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10). Now we can see that the whole Trinity is involved in revelation. The deep things of God and His mysteries is searched out by the Spirit of the LORD, and He reveals these wonders and riches to us.

“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you” (Philippians 3:12-15). Though the Lord has all of me, I do not have all of Him. The more we know about Him, the more we realize how much we do not know Him. We need Him increasingly every day. He shows us our need for Him daily.

“Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into” (1 Peter 1:11-12). The prophets gave the apostles the Word of God, but the revelation was made more complete by the apostles. The prophets did not receive any full revelation, and even the angels want to look into the things of Christ. However, the Lord reveals these things to us.

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:17-18). It was the apostle’s desire for the Ephesian believers to have increasing revelation and enlightenment of Jesus Christ. They would therefore increase in knowing their identity in the Savior and know all that is available in Him for faith and service.

Let us stop here and think about these things.