C.A.C Sunday School Manual For January 25, 2026, Lesson 2: Title - Divine Revelations That Shape the Bible

CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH

Nigeria and Overseas

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

Theme: The Bible: God’s Message to Man

January – December 2026

Date: Sunday, January 25, 2026

Unit 1: The Nature, Message, and Inspiration of the Bible

Lesson 2

Topic: Divine Revelations That Shape the Bible

MEMORY SCRIPTURE

“And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’”

— Genesis 3:8–9

PICTURE MESSAGE

Divine revelation runs through the entire Bible, linking its message and showing how God progressively makes Himself known to humanity.

1. BRIEF COMMENT

This passage reveals how God made Himself known to humanity after Adam and Eve disobeyed His command concerning the forbidden fruit. Before the fall, man enjoyed a close and harmonious relationship with God, freely interacting with Him and delighting in His presence. However, disobedience altered that relationship. The presence of God, once a source of joy, became a cause of fear and shame because of sin. As a result, Adam and Eve hid themselves, illustrating how sin creates separation between God and man (Isaiah 59:1–3).

This account is foundational to the Bible’s message. It explains the original relationship between God and humanity, the entrance of sin, and the disruption it caused. It also serves as a solemn warning that sin can damage any relationship—whether with God or with others—if left unchecked. This lesson remains relevant today and is preserved to remind believers to live watchfully and obediently before God.

DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS

Monday 19: The Burning Bush Encounter (Exodus 3:1–6)

Tuesday 20: Revelation of God’s Glory (Exodus 33:14–23)

Wednesday 21: Solomon’s Divine Encounter (2 Chronicles 1:7)

Thursday 22: Another Divine Appearance (Jeremiah 31:3)

Friday 23: God Appears to Israel (Numbers 16:16–35)

Saturday 24: Divine Revelation at Shiloh (1 Samuel 3:19–21)

2. DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

i. Without divine revelation, the Bible would not be as inspiring, trustworthy, or complete as it is today.

ii. God reveals Himself to make His will and purposes known. How well are you recognising and appreciating His self-disclosure in your life? (Romans 1:19–20)

3. BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE

Romans 1:18–21

4. AIM AND OBJECTIVES

AIM:

To help learners understand that divine revelations form the foundation of biblical accounts.

OBJECTIVES:

By the end of this lesson, learners should be able to:

i. identify personal revelations of God in the Old Testament;

ii. identify personal revelations of God in the New Testament; and

iii. explain how these revelations shaped biblical narratives.

INTRODUCTION

TEXTUAL SOURCES:

Genesis 3:8–9; 18:1–31; 28:12–22; Isaiah 6:1–3; Daniel 3:23–30; Matthew 17:1–5; John 4:6–29; Acts 9:3–6; Hebrews 1:1–3

We thank God for granting us another opportunity to begin this new series of Sunday School lessons. We pray that He will give us fresh insight into His Word and the grace to live for Him throughout this year, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

In the previous lesson, which introduced this series, we examined the meaning and structure of the Bible. Today’s lesson focuses on Divine Revelations That Shape the Bible. We shall explore how God has personally revealed Himself to individuals and how these encounters influenced the message and formation of the Bible.

God delights in revealing Himself to humanity. This demonstrates His love, mercy, and desire for relationship with us. He has never left mankind without guidance or understanding of His nature and purpose. This lesson examines key divine revelations and their significance in shaping the Scriptures we possess today.

LESSON OUTLINE

I. Divine Revelations in the Old Testament

II. Divine Revelations in the New Testament

LESSON EXPOSITION

I. DIVINE REVELATIONS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

(Genesis 3:8–9; 18:1–33; 28:12–22; Isaiah 6:1–13; Daniel 3:23–30)

“And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…” (Genesis 3:8)

a) Genesis 3:8–9: Divine revelation involves God revealing His nature, will, and actions to sinful humanity. Here, God’s response to sin was first revealed and recorded for our instruction (1 Corinthians 10:11).

b) Genesis 12:7; 17:1ff; 18:1–3: Abraham experienced multiple divine encounters that shaped his destiny and that of future generations.

c) Some of these encounters are described as theophanies—physical manifestations of God to humans (Genesis 18:1–3; Hebrews 13:2), making His presence unmistakably real.

d) Genesis 28:12–22: God revealed Himself to Jacob in a dream, reaffirming the Abrahamic covenant and drawing Jacob into God’s redemptive plan.

e) Isaiah 6:1–13: Isaiah’s vision of God led to personal conviction, cleansing, and commissioning. Divine encounters inspire deeper commitment to God’s service.

f) Daniel 3:23–30: God also revealed Himself through Gentiles. King Nebuchadnezzar recognised the presence of a divine figure in the fiery furnace, affirming God’s power.

g) These revelations shaped the Old Testament, showing that God remains actively involved in human affairs rather than distant or detached.

II. DIVINE REVELATIONS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

(Matthew 17:1–9; John 4:6–29; Acts 9:3–6; Hebrews 1:1–3)

“God… has in these last days spoken to us by His Son…” (Hebrews 1:1–2)

a) Matthew 17:1–9: At the Transfiguration, Jesus revealed His divine glory to His disciples, confirming His identity and role in the New Covenant (2 Peter 1:17–20).

b) John 4:6–29: Jesus revealed Himself as the Messiah to the Samaritan woman, demonstrating that salvation is available to all and affirming His divine mission.

c) Acts 9:3–6: Paul’s encounter with the risen Christ radically transformed his life and reshaped the history of the Church.

d) Hebrews 1:1–3: Jesus Christ is the perfect revelation of God the Father. To know Christ is to know God (John 1:14; 10:30; 14:8–11).

e) The Bible, inspired by God and written by men, is a record of these divine revelations and reveals God’s truth to humanity.

LESSONS DERIVED

Personal revelations of God in the Old Testament provide authority and inspiration to Scripture.

God’s revelation in the New Testament through Jesus Christ fulfils and completes the Old Testament. Both Testaments are divinely inspired.

QUESTIONS

What are the impacts of divine revelations in the Old Testament?

Explain how Jesus Christ is the personal revelation of God in the New Testament.