Why Revelation Matters
Who is God? This is the question that has plagued the world for millennia. Different religions and ideologies emerge with varying responses. The current cultural approach to answer this question is illustrated in this ancient Indian parable of the elephant and blind men:
Several blind men encounter an elephant for the first time. Each man touches a different part of the elephant and forms his own conclusion: One touches the trunk and says, “An elephant is like a thick snake.” Another touches the leg and declares, “No, it’s like a tree trunk,” and so on. Each man is partly right but ultimately wrong about the elephant as a whole.
This parable has become a favorite in our culture because it suggests that everyone has their own piece of truth. No one can really know the whole picture of God’s identity. Truth, we’re told, is relative. Your perspective versus mine. But here’s the question Christians must ask: what if the elephant can talk?
Revelation: God Speaks
The heart of Christianity is not humanity’s search for God, but God’s gracious act of making Himself known. We don’t have to feel around in the dark, piecing together fragments to discover God. The God of the Bible speaks. He tells us who He is, what He is like, and how we can know Him.
This is what Christians call the doctrine of revelation. Revelation means God unveils Himself to us. The God of the Bible does not allow humanity to define who He is, rather He defines himself to humanity. God’s self determination is at the core of the doctrine of revelation and the Christian faith, yet it is being lost in a world of subjectivity and must be rediscovered. As God declared to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14).
God is not whoever we want Him to be. He is who He says He is.
A Culture of Self-Made Gods
This truth stands in stark contrast to the spirit of our age. Today, it’s common to treat God like a customizable app:
Some prefer “hippy Jesus” who only preaches peace.
Others turn to “patriotic Jesus” who waves their nation’s flag.
Still others imagine “prosperity Jesus” who promises wealth and health.
But all of these are fragments: partial truths twisted by preference. We live in a culture that says, Choose your own version of God. Meanwhile the historic Christian faith insists the opposite: receive the God who reveals Himself.
Why It Matters
The doctrine of revelation matters because it protects us from worshiping idols of our own making. Tim Keller once wrote, “In the modern world, we don’t call them idols, but we still practice idolatry.” When we reshape God in our own image, we’re not worshiping Him, we’re worshiping ourselves.
But when God reveals Himself, He pulls us out of our preferences and feelings. He reminds us that truth is not subjective. Truth has a voice. Truth has a name and His name is Jesus.
“The Elephant” Speaks
Think back to the parable of the blind men. Imagine their shock if, instead of endless debate, the elephant actually spoke: “I’m not a snake or a tree or a wall. I’m an elephant. Here’s who I am.” That’s what God has done in Jesus Christ. God is not silent. The elephant talks.
This is precisely what the Gospel of Mark is all about. Mark writes the story of Jesus to answer the question of Jesus identity. To answer this question he frames his biography in three key revelatory events: Jesus’ Baptism, Jesus’ Transfiguration, and Jesus’ Crucifixion.
Gospel of Mark
When we zoom out, we notice how Mark’s story begins and ends with echoes of each other. Certain words and themes tie the narrative together:
1 | Jesus’ Baptism (Mark 1:9–11)
“The heavens were torn open” as the Spirit descended on Jesus.
A voice declared, “You are my beloved Son.”
This moment reveals Jesus as the chosen Son, empowered by the Spirit to bring heaven’s kingdom to earth.
This moment reveals Jesus as the chosen Son, empowered by the Spirit to bring heaven’s kingdom to earth.
2 | Jesus’ Transfiguration (Mark 9:2–8)
On the mountain, Jesus’ glory is unveiled.
Moses and Elijah appear, representing the Law and the Prophets.
Once again, the Father’s voice breaks through: “This is my beloved Son; listen to Him.”
Here we see Jesus not only as teacher and miracle worker but as the fulfillment of Israel’s story, the very radiance of God’s glory.
3 | Jesus’ Crucifixion (Mark 15:37–39)
As Jesus breathes His last, “the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.”
A Roman centurion, standing at the cross, confesses, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
The place of separation between God and humanity is ripped open forever. In His suffering, Jesus reconciles heaven and earth through His own body and blood.
Notice the pattern: torn, Spirit/breath, confession. At the baptism, the heavens are torn, the Spirit descends, and the Father declares Sonship. At the crucifixion, the temple curtain is torn, Jesus breathes His last, and the centurion declares Sonship. The transfiguration inbetween confirms what these moments reveal: Jesus is the Son of God, the suffering servant who came not to be served but to give His life as a ransom for many.
The Gospel of Mark uniquely reveals the true Jesus as a living demonstration of the doctrine of revelation. Through His baptism, transfiguration, and crucifixion, Jesus is unveiled as the Son of God. The suffering servant who came to reconcile heaven and earth. Mark’s narrative isn’t only biography; it is God speaking. In Christ, the mystery of God’s identity is not left for us to invent or imagine. It is revealed.
Takeaway
The doctrine of revelation is good news. You don’t have to invent God. You don’t have to guess what He’s like. You don’t have to settle for fragments of truth.
The God who created you has spoken clearly in Jesus. He doesn’t invite you to speculation but to relationship. He invites you not just to know about Him, but to know Him personally. And when you do, you’ll find that He is far more gracious, compassionate, forgiving, and just than you ever dared to imagine..
