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-11-
God Hath Spoken
Direct Revelation
In Genesis chapter 3, verse 8, we find, "And they [Adam and Eve] heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden." Note that they "heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." This is direct revelation.
In the book of Exodus, chapter 33, note verse 11. "And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tabernacle."
God did something for Moses that He did not do for anyone else: He "spake to him face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend." He had an intimate, personal relationship with Moses that He did not have with anyone else. It is true that He walked with Adam in the cool of the Garden, and that He walked with Enoch, and God took him. It is also true that Joshua did not depart from out of the tabernacle, and that he succeeded Moses. Yet God did not deal with them the same way that He did with Moses, for "There arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face" (Deut. 34:10). In the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, and which Moses showed in the sight of all Israel, God dealt with Moses in a way that set Moses apart from other men.
In Genesis, chapter 5 and verse 21, we read; "Enoch lived sixty and five years and begat Methuselah: and Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters." He was a married man with children, and yet he walked with God.
Notice verse 22: "Enoch walked with God." He set himself to walk with God. He fixed his purpose and intention to walk with God. It did not happen by accident, but was something he determined he would do; and he kept up and maintained his walk with God. The Hebrew also means, "he walked up and down with God." To "walk with God" implies peace, for "can two walk together except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3).
We have seen instances of direct revelation in the Old Testament. Turn now in the New Testament to Matthew chapter 3, verse 16. "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."
In Matthew chapter 17, beginning with verse 1, we read, "And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him" (vs. 1-5).
Yet another example of direct revelation is the experience of Saul on the road to Damascus. He saw Jesus, when Jesus was high and lifted up, when He had already ascended into heaven, and He said, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" Saul answered, "Who are you, Lord?" Jesus said, "I am Jesus whom you persecute;" to which Saul responded, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"
Direct revelation was given to Moses, to Adam, to Enoch, to the Son of God, and to them who were present with Him. It was given to Peter and to Paul. When Jesus walked with men as a man, seeing He is Divine, we can say this also is an example of direct revelation. It was useful prior to the closing of the canon of Scripture.