What is the Purpose of Divine Revelation?
How many times have you cried out to the Holy Spirit for revelation in a situation in your life? People of faith in Christ seek revelation from the Holy Spirit because we need revelation to follow His plan for us and because Jesus promised He’d send it! (John 16:13) What is the purpose of divine revelation? Maybe you’ve needed to know which choice to make, which path to walk, what opportunity to pursue, what door to walk through, or what to avoid. Maybe you’ve asked God for a word in season, or something to strengthen or guide you, or for inspiration to approach a tough situation. God’s Word says that the Holy Spirit reveals truth and speaks exactly what the Father is speaking. (John 15, and 16)
Many times we come to the Lord hoping for a divine perspective on what we’re going through, but feel as though we walk away without receiving. However, because you know that God is faithful, you know that He will send you His Counselor to help guide you. Even so, the types of revelation we seek aren’t always the same as the types of revelation we receive. The main reasons why we sometimes don’t see the revelations from God is because we already had an expectation and it wasn’t met, or because we’re seeking in the wrong place. The primary way the Lord will send revelation is through His Word.
Divine Revelation is a Path to Praise
In Daniel 2, Daniel, a captive of the kingdom of Babylon, had grown into a position of prominence and authority, but he still lived under constant threat within a pagan nation. King Nebuchadnezzar was going to kill everyone unless someone could tell him 1) what he had dreamed and 2) what it meant. That put Daniel, whose life was immediately on the chopping block, into a very, very desperate situation! Daniel went to his friends and shared his need, and his friends prayed with him seeking for “compassion from the God of heaven”, and for God’s divine revelation.
Daniel did not make one move until he had stopped to bless and worship God, thanking Him, first, for His help in a desperate situation.
Daniel 2:19 says, “During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision…” What did Daniel do next? He did not throw on his robe and run to the king with the answer! If you’ve ever wondered what is the purpose of divine revelation, here is the answer: Worship. The first thing Daniel did when the Lord sent revelation to him was to acknowledge and thank the Lord in praise. Daniel 2:19-20 says, “During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are His….” Daniel did not make one move until he had stopped to bless and worship God, thanking Him, first, for His help in a desperate situation. When God sends you revelation, the point is to praise Him!
Thought for today: Praise is Proof of Your Priorities
Even though Daniel had an urgent need, he did now allow it to become a greater priority than praising the Lord for such a mighty act. Maybe the revelation God sends through His Word or a through a thought in your spirit isn’t earth-shattering to anyone else, but for you, it is a big deal. Praise Him, every time and before you do anything else! Specifically, Daniel blessed God, and he wrote a worship song to God, from his heart of thanksgiving (Daniel 2:19-23). “I thank and praise you, O God,” Daniel said. “Thank” is the Hebrew word “Yadah” and “praise” in this verse is the Hebrew word “shabach“- two powerful ways to praise the Lord using the 7 Hebrew words for “praise”. Gratitude is the point of origin for all praise and what Daniel did in response to God’s miracle of revelation was exactly what the Lord wanted- worship!
True worship, in “spirit and truth” as Jesus spoke about in John 4:23-24 is not one action in a singular moment of time. Worship is a lifestyle. As you develop a worship mindset, and discipline your response to be worship, in all things, you will find yourself naturally turning to the Lord in worship even in your darkest hours, as your first response in all things. There is power in that! There is victory! But you won’t naturally turn to worship in the tough times unless it has already been your life, who you are. You want the blessings and miracles Daniel had? Worship like he did and see how far God can take you!
Explore More Areas of God’s Revelation Through His Word
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