Imagination and the Revelation of God's Nature

The concept of imagination in relation to the revelation of God's nature is complex and multifaceted. In biblical contexts, imagination is not merely a creative faculty but is closely tied to the understanding and perception of divine truth. The Bible itself is considered a primary means through which God's nature is revealed, with the Scriptures being "the revelation itself in a written form" ^[1].

The revelation of God's nature is a central theme throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, the heavens are described as declaring the glory of God, with Psalm 19:1 stating, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the expanse shows his handiwork" ^[3]. This natural revelation is seen as a precursor to the more specific revelation of God through his interactions with humanity, particularly through the incarnation of Jesus Christ. The incarnation is described as a mystery of godliness, where "God is manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up in glory" ^[2].

The role of imagination in understanding this revelation is nuanced. On one hand, human imagination can be a barrier to understanding divine truth, as it can lead to "imaginations" or "reasonings" against God's purposes and the truths of the Gospel ^[7]. In this sense, the imagination must be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. On the other hand, the imagination can be a faculty through which the depth and richness of God's revelation are grasped, as it is through the Spirit that the "deep things of God" are revealed to believers ^[9].

The Reformed tradition, as represented by John Calvin and John Gill, emphasizes the importance of the Spirit in illuminating the minds of believers to understand the revelation of God. Calvin notes that the history of creation was preserved through writing to prevent its corruption over time, highlighting the importance of Scripture in understanding God's nature ^[12]. Gill, commenting on 1 Timothy 3:16, underscores the mystery of the incarnation as a central aspect of the revelation of God's nature, emphasizing its significance for godliness ^[8].

The Presbyterian and Baptist/Reformed traditions share a common emphasis on the role of Scripture and the Spirit in revealing God's nature. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, in their commentary on Romans 1:20, note that the invisible things of God are understood through the things that are made, suggesting a synergy between natural revelation and the inner revelation of God to the believer ^[10]. This synergy is also highlighted in the Baptist/Reformed tradition by John Gill, who comments on the light of God shining in darkness, indicating that despite the darkness caused by sin, God's light can still illuminate human understanding ^[11].

The names of certain biblical figures also offer insight into the concept of God's revelation. Names like Phanuel, meaning "face or vision of God," Deuel, meaning "the knowledge of God," and Eliada, meaning "knowledge of God," suggest a deep connection between the understanding of God's nature and the revelation He provides ^{[4, 5, 6]}.

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Revelation — An uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had been previously wholly hidden or only obscurely seen. God has been pleased in various ways and at different times (Heb. 1:1) to make a supernatural revelation of himself and his purposes and plans, which, under the guidance of his Spirit, has been committed to writing. (See WORD OF [532]GOD.) The Scriptures are not merely the "record" of revelation; they are the revelation itself in a written form, in order to the accurate presevation and propagation of the truth. Revelation and inspiration differ. Rev”
I Timothy “I Timothy 3:16 (Geneva1599) — And without controuersie, great is the mysterie of godlinesse, which is, God is manifested in the flesh, iustified in the Spirit, seene of Angels, preached vnto the Gentiles, beleeued on in the world, and receiued vp in glorie.”
Psalms “The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork. -- Psalms 19:1”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Phanuel — face or vision of God”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Deuel — the knowledge of God”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Eliada — knowledge of God”
2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 10:5: Casting down imaginations,.... Or "reasonings"; the carnal reasonings of the minds of natural men against God, his providences and purposes, against Christ, and the methods of salvation, and every truth of the Gospel; which are all disproved, silenced, and confounded, by the preaching of the word, which though reckoned the foolishness and weakness of God, appears to be wiser and stronger than men; and whereby the wisdom of the wise is destroyed, and the understanding of the prudent brought to nothing: and every high thing that exalteth itself against the know”
1 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Timothy 3:16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness,.... What follows is so, the incarnation of Christ, his birth of a virgin, the union of the two natures, divine and human, in his person; this is a mystery, which though revealed, and so to be believed, is not to be discerned nor accounted for, nor the modus of it to be comprehended by reason: and it is a great one, next, if not equal, to the doctrine of a trinity of persons in the divine essence; and is a mystery of godliness, which tends to encourage internal and external religion, powerful and practical g”
1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 2:10: revealed . . . by . . . Spirit--The inspiration of thoughts (so far as truth essential to salvation is concerned) makes the Christian (Co1 3:16; Co1 12:3; Mat 16:17; Joh 16:13; Jo1 2:20, Jo1 2:27); that of words, the PROPHET (Sa2 23:1-2; Kg1 13:1, Kg1 13:5), "by the word of the Lord" (Co1 2:13; Joh 20:30-31; Pe2 1:21). The secrets of revelation are secret to some, not because those who know them will not reveal them (for indeed, the very notion of revelation implies an unveiling of what had been veiled), but because those to whom they are announ”
Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 1:20: For the invisible things of him from--or "since" the creation of the world are clearly seen--the mind brightly beholding what the eye cannot discern. being understood by the things that are made--Thus, the outward creation is not the parent but the interpreter of our faith in God. That faith has its primary sources within our own breast (Rom 1:19); but it becomes an intelligible and articulate conviction only through what we observe around us ("by the things which are made," Rom 1:20). And thus are the inner and the outer revelation of God the comp”
John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 1:5: And the light shineth in darkness,.... Which, through sin, came upon the minds of men; who are naturally in the dark about the nature and perfections of God; about sin, and the consequences of it; about Christ, and salvation by him; about the Spirit of God, and his work upon the soul; and about the Scriptures of truth, and the doctrines of the Gospel. Man was created a knowing creature, but, not content with his knowledge, sins, and is banished from the presence of God, the fountain of light; which brought a darkness on him, and his posterity, and which is increased in t”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 4.3: known through the ancient and perpetual tradition of the Fathers. Yet, since nothing is more easy than that the truth of God should be so corrupted by men, that, in a long succession of time, it should, as it were, degenerate from itself, it pleased the Lord to commit the history to writing, for the purpose of preserving its purity. Moses, therefore, has established the credibility of that doctrine which is contained in his writings, and which, by the carelessness of men, might otherwise have been lost. I now return to the design o”

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