God reveals Himself to
us in more ways than one. The obvious way that God reveals Himself is
in Scripture, and this is important, because there are many things we
would not know about God without the Bible. But in special ways, God
has revealed Himself in His creation. In intimate ways, God reveals His
plan to reconcile man to Himself, and just how special our relationship
with God is. What we see in the physical world reflects certain
spiritual truths.
The Sun is the most basic reflection of God's truth - it reveals to us the light of Christ, the Son of God. Malachi 4:2 says, "But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall." The rising and setting of the Sun reflects another eternal truth: The spiritual ups and downs throughout history. The world is constantly rolling through times of darkness and times of light. The fact that the Sun produces light, while the moon, the earth and everything on the earth can only reflect that light, demonstrates for us that the Son of God is the source of light, and when we live in that light we reflect the light of Christ. Those in darkness are in darkness because the Earth is between them and the Sun. So it is with those that allow the world to come between them and the Son of God - they live in darkness. And when it is daytime, we feel a comforting warmth that comes from the Sun. Yet the Sun can burn us, and if we look straight at the Sun, its light overwhelms us. I think this demonstrates the fact that man is separated from God, and because of sin, the glory of God overwhelms us.
The family, which is another creation of God, also reveals for us some eternal truths. God reveals Himself as the Father in Heaven, and by giving us fathers on earth He reveals a major aspect of the relationship between us and Him. We know that, just like a good father on earth, He is protector and provider and the Head of our heavenly household. He also disciplines us, just like a good father disciplines his son. Marriage is what gives us a picture of our unity with God. The Bible describes the Church of Christ as the Bride of Christ, and in Genesis 2:24 God states that a man and his wife become "one flesh". This means that Christ and the Church will become "one flesh", and this is how we as Christians are adopted into God's family. If Jesus is the Son of God and we are married to Jesus, then we too are sons and daughters of God. In Ephesians 5:22-24, Paul draws a clear parallel between the relationship of a man and his wife and the relationship of Christ and His Church. The man is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the Head of the Church. This is another way that marriage reveals to us the truth of our relationship with Christ - it is as husband and wife, and Christ is the Head of the Church.
Finally I want to touch on the greatest reflection of all. Christ coming to Earth and taking on the flesh of man is the essential demonstration of salvation. Christ has done the work of salvation, but this is an important point: Jesus was 100% man and 100% God. If Christ is 100% man and 100% God, then His work on earth demonstrates clearly that it is both God and man who do the work of salvation, and God and man working together as one. Consider this: Paul and the other apostles were always using the phrase "in Christ" to describe a Christian. The implication is that the Church makes up the body of Christ, and any member of that body is "in Christ". This makes perfect sense when we consider regeneration (being born of the Holy Spirit) and the fact that Jesus is 100% man and 100% God. When we are born of the Holy Spirit (the third Person of God) we are one with God, because then the Spirit of God is in us and we are in Christ. So the body of Christ is made up of us - men - and made up of God. Christ coming to earth, being born as a man, dying on the cross and resurrecting three days later is a blueprint for our own salvation. We must take the steps that Christ took and so be united with Christ.
The Sun is the most basic reflection of God's truth - it reveals to us the light of Christ, the Son of God. Malachi 4:2 says, "But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall." The rising and setting of the Sun reflects another eternal truth: The spiritual ups and downs throughout history. The world is constantly rolling through times of darkness and times of light. The fact that the Sun produces light, while the moon, the earth and everything on the earth can only reflect that light, demonstrates for us that the Son of God is the source of light, and when we live in that light we reflect the light of Christ. Those in darkness are in darkness because the Earth is between them and the Sun. So it is with those that allow the world to come between them and the Son of God - they live in darkness. And when it is daytime, we feel a comforting warmth that comes from the Sun. Yet the Sun can burn us, and if we look straight at the Sun, its light overwhelms us. I think this demonstrates the fact that man is separated from God, and because of sin, the glory of God overwhelms us.
The family, which is another creation of God, also reveals for us some eternal truths. God reveals Himself as the Father in Heaven, and by giving us fathers on earth He reveals a major aspect of the relationship between us and Him. We know that, just like a good father on earth, He is protector and provider and the Head of our heavenly household. He also disciplines us, just like a good father disciplines his son. Marriage is what gives us a picture of our unity with God. The Bible describes the Church of Christ as the Bride of Christ, and in Genesis 2:24 God states that a man and his wife become "one flesh". This means that Christ and the Church will become "one flesh", and this is how we as Christians are adopted into God's family. If Jesus is the Son of God and we are married to Jesus, then we too are sons and daughters of God. In Ephesians 5:22-24, Paul draws a clear parallel between the relationship of a man and his wife and the relationship of Christ and His Church. The man is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the Head of the Church. This is another way that marriage reveals to us the truth of our relationship with Christ - it is as husband and wife, and Christ is the Head of the Church.
Finally I want to touch on the greatest reflection of all. Christ coming to Earth and taking on the flesh of man is the essential demonstration of salvation. Christ has done the work of salvation, but this is an important point: Jesus was 100% man and 100% God. If Christ is 100% man and 100% God, then His work on earth demonstrates clearly that it is both God and man who do the work of salvation, and God and man working together as one. Consider this: Paul and the other apostles were always using the phrase "in Christ" to describe a Christian. The implication is that the Church makes up the body of Christ, and any member of that body is "in Christ". This makes perfect sense when we consider regeneration (being born of the Holy Spirit) and the fact that Jesus is 100% man and 100% God. When we are born of the Holy Spirit (the third Person of God) we are one with God, because then the Spirit of God is in us and we are in Christ. So the body of Christ is made up of us - men - and made up of God. Christ coming to earth, being born as a man, dying on the cross and resurrecting three days later is a blueprint for our own salvation. We must take the steps that Christ took and so be united with Christ.
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