It is the glory of God to conceal a matter but it is the glory of kings to find it out.  Proverbs 25:2

I know the Truth because I know Jesus (John 14:6).

But of course that is not the same thing as saying I know every particular detail of everything there is to know.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a systematic theology that told you all or at least most of what there is to know about Jesus?  Of course there isn’t but that is not the same as saying there is no value in systematic theology.

Now by the phrase “systematic theology” I mean an intellectual construction of arguments and proofs that explain something about the Truth.

Paul’s letter to the Romans is systematic theology.  He builds argument upon proof to show the basic doctrines about the Gospel and judgement (chapters 1-4) the flesh and the spirit and the relationship between the two (chapters 6-8) as well as dealing with predestination (chapters 9-11) and other fundamental subjects.  These have been of great value to the church over the centuries and show just what a good systematic theology can do.  Paul had special revelation and built his theology on that and used the Old Testament to back up much of what he said.  Nothing he wrote was independent of his relationship with Jesus, and nothing was a lie about Him or was not found in Him.  Christ for Paul was the beginning and the end of all revelation as it ought also to be for all systematic theology.

Being a logical kind of thinker (or at least I think I am, others can judge) I love systematic theology.  It is so like the engineering discipline that I use every day.  There are fundamental things that are true about creation, maths and machines that have to be obeyed and considered if I am to do my job right.

So you can see, perhaps, why I like systematic theology.  If there is any subject that I like to dig deeper into and find out more about it has to be Jesus Christ.  And I believe there is a place for deductive reasoning and analysis when doing so.  The creation that Jesus Christ is in, through and for, and the ways he wants us to act in it are simple in one way:

• Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.
• Love your neighbour as yourself.

(see Mark 12:30-31)

But creation and the creator are more complex than a computer system as Paul’s letter to the Romans explores.  I want to explore God the way Paul did and I believe there is value and endless depths in doing so.

Having said that, it is essential that we recognise the limits that our intellects have.

Firstly, we actually can know nothing that is not revealed to us.  As Christians, creation and the Scriptures are our main means of revelation and prayer and preaching are the best delivery mechanisms (catalysts if you like) for revelation.  According to the Christian gospel you can’t even begin to have this kind of revelation unless you are born from above (John 3:3, 1 Cor. 2:9, 10).  Secondly, there is a limit to what the intellect can know about God.  As Paul, quoting from Isaiah, says at the end of his discourse on predestination in Romans: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable his judgements and his ways past beyond finding out!  For who has known the mind of the Lord that he should be his counsellor?” Romans 11:33.

But we do have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16).  And God does want us to use it.

The posts I am putting up currently about “He who Overcomes” are a form of systematic theology.  The subject matter is mainly eschatological and the conclusions are not always main stream evangelical but the application is here and now and the hope is eternal.  I’ve found the understanding of what an Overcomer is and the implications of the promises to an overcomer very helpful for the last 20 years or so since God first began to show me these things.  I’m really praying you will too.

There is a warning though, if you are looking for a debate I’m not interested.  If you think I am wrong prove it from the Scripture but please do it in love.

10 I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. ² He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, ³ and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. ⁴ Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.”

⁵ The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven ⁶ and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, ⁷ but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.

⁸ Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.”

⁹ So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.”

And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”

¹⁰ Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. ¹¹ And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”

Revelation 10:1-11

A mighty angel brings it down from heaven – the bible is only a little book but it sure has had a big impact!  So it is not surprising that it should be introduced with such a fanfare.  We also know that of all books this one has the right to be considered as coming from heaven (2 Tim. 3:16).

Robed in a cloud – the book can be surrounded with mystery at times.

With a rainbow above his head – the rainbow is the sign of the covenant made with all mankind after the flood (Genesis 9:8-16).  We don’t have too many physical things that speak as loudly as the bible does about the fact that God is with us.  However whenever I see a rainbow I rejoice in this other clear sign that God cares about us.

His legs were like fiery pillars – so we can stand firm in the midst of trial once we have this book, this little book.

He was holding a little scroll (book) which lay open in his hand – this book reveals so much, and it is open to all, not the preserve of a few.

He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land  – in this case we could consider the sea as being things of the spirit and the land as things of the earth with the book connecting the two in a way nothing else does (see this blog on the sea).

He gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion – this book proclaims God’s word just as loudly and with just as much authority.

When he shouted the voices of the seven thunders spoke.  When God the Father spoke to His Son (John 12:28-30) some of those who stood by said it thundered, they didn’t hear the words.  Similarly, in this passage, we also are not going to hear what was said by the 7 thunders.

In verses 8 – 11, John is told by the Spirit to go and take the book from the angel, who then tells him to eat it.  There is no doubt in my mind that if anyone comes to God he will be quite clearly shown by the Spirit that he ought to devour the bible, feast on it, take it all in.  It will taste like honey when you do.

But it will make your stomach bitter, you will not be able to hold it in, it must come out.

You must prophesy if you eat this book.  You will have no choice but to.

(Note:  there are other interpretations of what the little book is (e.g. the book of life) but I think this fits best).