Heidi Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 What exactly is providence? How does it differ from revelation? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 I'm sure there are lots of 'flavors' and subtext out there but simply put: Providence is God's plan and provision for His creation. Revelation is the revealing of God's truth. They are two different topics. What example are you thinking of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 I'm not a Christian, but from what I've gleaned on this board through various curriculum discussions: Providence is when God makes America the bestest country ever. Revelation is when God tells you he's made America the bestest country ever. Feel free to not read that with the slightly sarcastic tone in which it was typed. I just can't help myself sometimes. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susann Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 I'm sure there are lots of 'flavors' and subtext out there but simply put: Providence is God's plan and provision for His creation. Revelation is the revealing of God's truth. They are two different topics. What example are you thinking of? :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 (edited) I'm not a Christian, but from what I've gleaned on this board through various curriculum discussions: Providence is when God makes America the bestest country ever. Revelation is when God tells you he's made America the bestest country ever. Feel free to not read that with the slightly sarcastic tone in which it was typed. I just can't help myself sometimes. :tongue_smilie: That seriously cracked me up. :laugh: However more accurately it would be Providence is when God makes America the bestest country ever. Revelation is when we find out that means God has certain expectations on the way we care for our neighbors. Edited November 6, 2011 by Denise in Florida hit post too soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 That seriously cracked me up. :laugh: However more accurately it would be Providence is when God makes America the bestest country ever. Revelation is when we find out that means God has certain expectations on the way we care for our neighbors. Yeah, there's only so much information you can gather from reading discussions about history textbooks. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttichen Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Providence is God preserving and governing His creation; revelation is God showing himself to mankind. The Heidelberg Catechism defines providence as: "The almighty and ever present power of God by which he upholds, as with his hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty - all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but from his fatherly hand." It goes on to say that the knowledge of God's creation and providence can help us because, "We can be patient when things go against us, thankful when things go well, and for the future we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that nothing will separate us from his love. All creatures are so completely in his hand that without his will they can neither move nor be moved." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 (edited) I can understand your questioning this. In religious cultural language they often sound like the same thing. The idea that God provides for his believers is often taken to mean that when things go right (in our favor), God must be revealing himself, or his ultimate plan, to us. My personal outlook on providence is universal and non specific. God set the natural world in motion and because of this humans are capable of existing and thriving. In fact, it would seem as if all creation exists to support us. Providence works for everyone. This is in contrast to a modern belief that providence is specific and targeted. God chooses which nations and people to bless based on a presumed standard. Those who believe themselves to be beneficiaries of this kind of providence tend to believe that there must be something special about themselves or their cause. Which in turn can cause them to ignore their own faults and shortcomings, including oppression and injustice, because people who are being blessed must be doing something right. Revelation comes in two ways: directly and indirectly. Direct revelation is God clearly speaking to someone. Moses, the prophets, Paul, and John are all said to have recieved direct revelation. Many individuals also believe that God has spoken to them directly. Indirect revelation is a deduction made about the nature of God by examining the natural world. "The heavens declare the glory of God." God also reveals his will to us by showing us the natural consequences of our actions and the actions of others so we can gain wisdom and make appropriate choices. Again, I believe indirect revelation is universal. However, there are some who believe that "providential" blessings are a form of revelation. That is God is revealing his will through those whom he chooses to bless in a certain way. It boils down to a matter of perspective. Edited November 7, 2011 by Onceuponatime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I can understand your questioning this. In religious cultural language they often sound like the same thing. The idea that God provides for his believers is often taken to mean that when things go right (in our favor), God must be revealing himself, or his ultimate plan, to us. My personal outlook on providence is universal and non specific. God set the natural world in motion and because of this humans are capable of existing and thriving. In fact, it would seem as if all creation exists to support us. Providence works for everyone. This is in contrast to a modern belief that providence is specific and targeted. God chooses which nations and people to bless based on a presumed standard. Those who believe themselves to be beneficiaries of this kind of providence tend to believe that there must be something special about themselves or their cause. Which in turn can cause them to ignore their own faults and shortcomings, including oppression and injustice, because people who are being blessed must be doing something right. Revelation comes in two ways: directly and indirectly. Direct revelation is God clearly speaking to someone. Moses, the prophets, Paul, and John are all said to have recieved direct revelation. Many individuals also believe that God has spoken to them directly. Indirect revelation is a deduction made about the nature of God by examining the natural world. "The heavens declare the glory of God." God reveals also reveals his will to us by showing us the natural consequences of our actions and the actions of others so we can gain wisdom and make appropriate choices. Again, I believe indirect revelation is universal. However, there are some who believe that "providential" blessings are a form of revelation. That is God is revealing his will through those whom he chooses to bless in a certain way. It boils down to a matter of perspective. This is really well put. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbookbuzz Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I'm sure there are lots of 'flavors' and subtext out there but simply put: Providence is God's plan and provision for His creation. Revelation is the revealing of God's truth. They are two different topics. What example are you thinking of? :iagree: WSS (what she said) Examples (from my own life): PROVISION: last year about this time we were REALLY struggling financially. So much so that at times it came down to "Do we EAT or do we put GAS in the car?" Around one time such as this, ON THE SAME DAY, I received a Visa Gift Card from one friend and an offer to put gas in my car from another. THAT's God's provision. Yes, friends who knew our plight gave of themselves, but these were Jesus-following friends of mine. ;) REVELATION: Because of our tight finances last year, we had decided to put our kids in public school last fall, so that I could look for a job. I did, to no avail. And during that time, I really felt like God was telling me to bring our kids back home for schooling, Believe me I PRAYED A LOT during this time! Finally, after not getting a job, and my kids not.learning.one.thing.new at school I briefly mentioned it to my husband. Plus, I'd been asking many hs'ing friends to pray for wisdom in this regard, too. When my husband wound up literally pacing the floor New Year's Eve and finally said, "I know I'm not going to get any peace until I let you homeschool" (and no, I really had not been nagging. Mentioned it maybe twice), I KNEW that was God's way of revealing to me (REVELATION) that my "hunch" was correct and we needed to bring our kids home. (I hope that makes sense and helps you in your understanding.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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