Revelation and Open Canon of Scripture
Following their deliverance out of the land of Egypt, God commanded Moses to gather the children of Israel together that they might hear His voice and know that He is God. Moreover, the Lord desired to share His covenant with the people so that they might know what was required of them. [Exodus 19 and 20, and Deuteronomy 4 and 5]. To this end God came down upon Mount Horeb (also called Mount Sinai) in great glory and spoke with Israel face to face. Afterward the people responded to Moses saying, “Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and He liveth.” [Deuteronomy 5:24].
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It is said that religion is man’s search for God, while Christianity is God’s search for man. The latter has always been true as God has shown us time and again that He both lives and speaks with us today. The Scriptures testify that God has continued to reveal Himself throughout the course of history. He revealed Himself to Adam, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to Moses and the children of Israel, to the prophets, to the disciples in the days of Christ, to the Church following Christ’s ascension, etc. In so doing, the Lord God has demonstrated that He is unchangeable, and that in Him there is no “variableness, neither shadow of turning.” [James 1:17]. For He is the same God today, yesterday and forever, [Hebrews 13:8] as He told Malachi, “I am the LORD, I change not. [Malachi 3:6].
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Not only has the Lord spoken throughout the ages, but He has done so in a variety of ways, albeit by the same Spirit of Truth. He has done so through angels [Genesis 19:1-20, Psalm 91:11-12, Daniel 9:20-23, Matthew 1:20, Matthew 2:13, 19-20, Luke 1:11-20, 26-38, Mark 1:10-11] by the Holy Ghost [Judge 3:10, 1 Samuel 10:6, Isaiah 11:1-4, Luke 1:41-45, John 14:16-17, 26, Acts 2:4, 1 Corinthians 2:10-14] and by His own voice [Exodus 3:4, Deuteronomy 5:4-6, 23-33, Deuteronomy 18:15-19, Ezekiel 33:1-9, John 3:16-18, John 12:28-30, John 17:5, Hebrews 1:1-2]. Many of these testimonies have been recorded and given as Scripture for the benefit of man, so that we might know the covenants of God and His eternal principles. As Paul wrote unto Timothy, “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” [2 Timothy 14-17]
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If God spoke yesterday and also speaks today, then He must speak forever. For truly God spoke in the days of Adam, Moses, Christ, and the Apostles. Thus He must still speak today. Jesus said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” [Matthew 4:4]. However, it is critical to for us to understand that “the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.” [1 Corinthians 14:32-33]. Thereby we know that the word of God does not contradict itself or change, but it is as incorruptible as He is. We also know that the word of God is confirmed by the power of the Spirit [Luke 22:31-32, 1 Thessalonians 1:5, 1 Corinthians 12:3].
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While it is true that God has warned us not to add to nor take away from His Holy Word [Revelation 22:18-19, Deuteronomy 4:1-2, Deuteronomy 12:32], He never said He would stop giving more light and truth.
Scriptures to Consider
Deuteronomy 4:9-12, 33, 36 (KJV)
4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; 4:10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children. 4:11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness. 4:12 And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.
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4:33 Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?...4:36 Out of heaven he made thee to hear His voice, that He might instruct thee: and upon earth He shewed thee His great fire; and thou heardest His words out of the midst of the fire.
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Deuteronomy 5:4, 22-24 (KJV)
5:4 The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire… 5:22 These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and He added no more. And He wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me. 5:23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; 5:24 And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and He liveth.
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Malachi 3:6 (KJV)
3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not;
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Hebrews 13:8 (KJV)
13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
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James 1:17 (KJV)
1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
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Matthew 4:4 (KJV)
4:4 It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
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1 Corinthians 14:32-33 (KJV)
14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace
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Luke 24:31-32 (KJV)
24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him; and He vanished out of their sight. 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the scriptures?
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Revelation 22:18-19 (KJV)
22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
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Deuteronomy 4:1-2 (KJV)
4:1 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
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Deuteronomy 12:32 (KJV)
12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
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