God’s Revelation
Primary 6 · Social and Religious Studies
God’s Revelation
Lesson 1 of 3
13 min
Habimana and his sister Ishimwe live with their grandmother in Kigali. Their father works far away in Musanze. How do they know what he is like? They know him in two ways. They can see what he has made: the strong wooden stool he carved for the house. And they can read what he says: every month he sends a letter telling them his plans and giving them advice.
Believers say that people come to know God in two similar ways. That is what this unit is about.
In Rwanda, Christians and Muslims live, learn and work side by side. In this unit you will read what each faith teaches, in its own words. Learning about each other's faith helps us to respect one another.
To reveal something means to uncover it, so that it can be seen or known. God's revelation is the way God makes Himself, His will and His guidance known to people. In Kinyarwanda we say Imana; Muslims also use the Arabic name Allah. Both Christians and Muslims teach that people cannot fully know God by their own cleverness, so God chose to show Himself.
| General (natural) revelation | Special revelation |
|---|---|
| God shows Himself through the world He created (the sky, rain, mountains, animals, the human body) and through the sense of right and wrong inside every person. | God speaks in a special way to chosen people: through prophets, holy scriptures, angels, visions and dreams. Christians believe God revealed Himself most fully in Jesus Christ. |
| It is open to everyone, everywhere. | It was given to particular people at particular times, and they passed it on to others. |
Progressive revelation means that God revealed His message little by little over a long time, like a teacher who teaches a class one lesson after another.
In Christianity, the Letter to the Hebrews explains this:
"God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son."
(Hebrews 1:1–2, World English Bible)
Christians believe God spoke first through prophets over many centuries, and then most fully through Jesus.
In Islam, revelation is called wahy. Muslims believe that Allah sent many prophets, from Adam to Muhammad (peace be upon him), who is the last prophet. The Qur'an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad little by little, over about 23 years, through the angel Jibril (Gabriel). The Qur'an says it confirms the books revealed before it:
"He hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture with truth, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, even as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel."
(Qur'an 3:3, translated by Marmaduke Pickthall, 1930)
| Christianity | Islam | |
|---|---|---|
| Holy book | The Bible (Old Testament and New Testament) | The Qur'an |
| How it was given | Written over many centuries by many writers inspired by God | Revealed to Prophet Muhammad over about 23 years through the angel Jibril |
| God's fullest message | Jesus Christ, whom Christians believe is the Son of God | The Qur'an, God's final revelation, brought by Muhammad, the last prophet |
Tip
G is for "Global", S is for "Sent". General revelation can be seen by everyone across the globe. Special revelation is sent through chosen messengers and holy books.
Answer: To uncover something, so that it can be seen or known.
Answer: General (natural) revelation and special revelation.
Answer: General (natural) revelation, because it comes through creation.
Answer: Wahy.
Answer: Both say God's message came in stages: through earlier prophets or books first, and then through a later, fuller message.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
The explanations around the scripture passages are written by Ganzaa.
Quick check
Habimana and Ishimwe know their father in two ways. Match each one to the kind of revelation it is like.
Tap one on the left, then its partner on the right.
