A revelation is presupposed by the notion of faithfulness. It is not
possible in heathenism. 'Dumb idols,' which have given their
worshippers no promises, cannot be thought of as faithful. By its grand
conception of Jehovah as entering into a covenant with Israel, the Old
Testament presents Him to our trust as having bound Himself to a known
line of action. Thereby He becomes, if we may so phrase it, a
constitutional monarch.
That conception of a Covenant is the negation of caprice, of arbitrary
sovereignty, of mystery. We know the principles of His government. His
majestic 'I wills' cover the whole ground of human life and needs for
the present and the future. We can go into no region of life but we
find that God has defined His conduct to us there by some word spoken
to our heart and binding Him.