Garden variety "brute fact" and Psalm 19

Scripture does not have to address all the facts of the universe individually and exhaustively and "claim" them for God. A part of the reality of any fact of the universe is its implicit "God- giveness". To deny this, according to Scripture, is to suppress the truth in unrighteousness and mute the facts as they declare the glory of God. Actually, its more like putting ear plugs in your ears, and then accusing God of silence. That there is a moral transaction involved in the interpretation of any fact is evident from this. The word of God written, authoritatively declares the interpretation of the facts as God wants them to be known. Van Til makes the important point that man was never meant to operate apart from divine revelation:

"It is only in Reformed theology, then, that the doctrine of revelation is held in all the depth and breadth of its significance. This is done because the doctrine of God, as quoted from the Confession and Catechism is held uncompromisingly. Holding this doctrine without qualification implies taking the creation doctrine seriously. And taking the creation doctrine seriously involves thinking of man in his whole constitutional make-up as himself revelational of God. Being himself exhaustively revelational of God he is in all his activities dependent upon God. The constitution of his mind therefore interposes no obstruction to any form of revelation that might come to it. Being itself revelational, the mind of man is made for the reception of revelation. If human reason in all of its manipulations is itself in the first place wholly dependent upon a prior revelational activity of God and upon a constant maintaining revelational activity of God, then a supernatural revelational activity will not come to it as something strange. On the contrary it is only on the assumption that even from the outset of history the human mind never operated except in conjunction with a supernatural positive revelation of God that the original creative revelational character of the human mind be maintained. The Genesis narrative informs us that from the outset God walked and talked with man in the garden. The human reason therefore never functioned properly and could not function properly except in self-conscious relationship to this supernatural revelation. All things about man and within him were creationally revelational of God. Every fact was what it was by virtue of the place that it would occupy in the plan of God for the whole course of history. So then the mind of man could not presume with Parmenides to legislate by means of logic about the nature of reality. The human mind by its gift of logic was supposed merely to order the facts of reality, both with respect to God and with respect to the created universe, including himself, in self-conscious subordination to supernatural positive word-revelation." (emphasis mine)

Introduction to Systematic Theology, Chapter 13, The Incomprhensibility of God



For The Chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

Psa 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth the work of his hands.
Psa 19:2 Day to day uttereth speech, and night to night showeth knowledge.
Psa 19:3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Psa 19:4 Their line hath gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Psa 19:5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
Psa 19:6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit to the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from his heat.
Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Psa 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
Psa 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honey-comb.
Psa 19:11 Moreover, by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Psa 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Psa 19:13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Psa 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

More to follow...