In Acts 17, the Apostle Paul explains that every part of man’s life has been strategically ordered so that He can “stumble” upon God. God even planned where every nation would dwell on the Earth so that they might encounter some revelation of Him. He made the Earth (and everything in it) to reveal Himself.
Acts 17:26-28 (NKJV)
26 And He has made from one blood every NATION OF MEN to dwell on ALL the face of THE EARTH, and has DETERMINED their PREAPPOINTED TIMES and the BOUNDARIES OF THEIR DWELLINGS, 27 SO THAT they SHOULD SEEK THE LORD, in the HOPE that they MIGHT GROPE for Him and find Him, though He is NOT FAR FROM EACH ONE OF US; 28 for in Him we LIVE and MOVE and HAVE OUR BEING, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’
So God, Who is ever-present but invisible to the natural man, then puts things in nature to show Himself to man. He fixed man in places that would reveal His glory to him. God made nature to reveal Himself to us.
The Psalmist says it thus, “The heavens (or the skies) DECLARE the glory of God; and the firmament SHOWS HIS HANDIWORK. Day unto day UTTERS SPEECH, and night unto night REVEALS knowledge.” (Psalm 19:1-2)
Every day speaks to us:
Only God could have made the sun to disappear at night, and reappear during the day! He did that so that the sun could speak to us of a Creator—God made nature to speak to us INDIRECTLY.
Nature’s voice is universal. Any man, anywhere, who is sincere can understand what it is saying, “There is no SPEECH nor LANGUAGE where their (the heavens) voice is not heard. Their line (or what they say) has gone out THROUGH ALL THE EARTH, and THEIR WORDS (that is, the skies’ words or nature’s words) to THE END OF THE WORLD…” (Vv. 3-4, Psalm 19)
No matter where you are in the world, you KNOW nature’s voice. It is LOUD AND CLEAR! You see, hear and feel nature everyday. That’s God voice talking to you.
The Psalmist continues, “…In them (that is, the Heavens or the skies) He has set a tabernacle (or a dwelling place) for the sun, which (that is the sun) is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, (vv. 4b-5, Psalm 19)
The sun is likened to a newly-wed husband coming out of his bedroom in the morning (similie); happy, having a bright, radiant countenance.
“…And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.”
The sun is full of vigour when it rises. That speaks of strength. (see Judges 5:31)
Vs. 6 (Psalm 19) then says, “Its (that’s the sun) rising is from one end of heaven, (east) and its circuit to the other end (the west); and there is NOTHING HIDDEN from ITS HEAT.”
Therefore, God has made the heavens and all the magnificent hosts of celestial bodies to point back to Him—God’s intention is that the man who observes nature should become curious to know about the God who made all the wonderful things he perceives. The heavens were made to declare (or to show forth) His glory!
So nature is speaking to man. If we listen carefully, we can hear what it is saying!
Nature is telling us:
“Hey, God created me and He wants you to know Him too!” A honest study of nature would reveal that there is a God! (see Psalm 8:1-9, Job 12:7-10, Isaiah 40:25-28).
He is teaching us about Himself through nature. This means that a degree of revelation about God is attainable by simply observing what He made.
Thus, our Lord Jesus, the Christ, would often use plants, flowers, trees etc to teach His audience. Take Matthew 6 for example.
Matthew 6:28-30 (NKJV)
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? CONSIDER THE LILIES OF THE FIELD, HOW they GROW: they neither TOIL nor SPIN; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now IF GOD SO CLOTHES the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, WILL HE NOT MUCH MORE CLOTHE YOU, O you of little faith?
Jesus instructs His audience to consider the lilies of the field because they too can teach us some truth about God (remember, nature was made to teach man about the God He cannot see).
The point here is this: God “clothes” the flowers of the field (which are not anxious about their needs) to teach man that He can also supply his needs.
God expects that man gives up worrying and trust Him for supply, just like the flowers do. God’s Voice is therefore found in nature and if you listen carefully, you will hear Him.
This Voice is SO LOUD that no one can claim absolute ignorance of God. EVERYONE, at some point in time, have encountered God’s Voice in what He created.
Romans 1:18-20 (NKJV)
18 For the wrath of God is revealed FROM HEAVEN against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 BECAUSE what may be KNOWN of God is manifest IN THEM (in the conscience of men), for God HAS SHOWN IT to them (men).
How did God show Himself to men? Vs. 20 tells us;
20 For since THE CREATION of the world His INVISIBLE ATTRIBUTES are CLEARLY SEEN, being understood by THE THINGS THAT ARE MADE (nature), even His ETERNAL POWER and GODHEAD, so that they (men) are without excuse,
So no man can say “God did not reveal Himself to me.” That’s what the Apostle Paul is saying here. Even nature is a tool God uses to preach. We believe that God would judge men by the degree of knowledge they have of Him at the time of their death. He meets men where they are.
So when we look at nature, we must begin to see God revealing Himself to us. That is ONE of the ways He has chosen to reveal Himself to man.
© Josh Banks Ministries. 2022.
