The voice of God!

When can we be sure what we hear is God’s voice and not our own twisted imaginations willing something to be true when in fact it isn't!  What then do we know about the way God speaks to His Children?

We will find the answer from the Word of God, the Bible, this we can be certain of!

·         We also know that in times past God spoke through His prophets, the Old Testament is full of accounts where God singled out people to speak on His behalf, in an audible fashion.

·         The writer of Hebrews clearly teaches us this fact; “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"? Or again, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son"?” (Hebrews 1:1-5)

·         The prophets were used to bring in the law and the commandments of God and describe His character, and His requirements for the cleansing of sin, sacrifice of goats, lambs, bulls, pigeons, the washing of water and the like, depicting a God who is righteous! But the Gospel dispensation is now the realisation of the law with all its requirements. It was there to teach us that we needed a Saviour in order to find forgiveness for our sins and in turn have a relationship with God

·         – Let us break this down for a clearer understanding; we will use Matthew Henry to help us get a richer picture…

(1.) “At sundry times, or by several parts, as the word signifies, which may refer either to the several ages of the Old Testament dispensation - the patriarchal, the Mosaic, and the prophetic; or to the several gradual openings of his mind concerning the Redeemer: to Adam, that the Messiah should come of the seed of the woman, - to Abraham, that he should spring from his loins, - to Jacob, that he should be of the tribe of Judah, - to David, that he should be of his house, - to Micah, that he should be born at Bethlehem, - to Isaiah, that he should be born of a virgin. (2.) In divers manners, according to the different ways in which God thought fit to communicate his mind to his prophets; sometimes by the illapses of his Spirit, sometimes by dreams, sometimes by visions, sometimes by an audible voice, sometimes by legible characters under his own hand, as when he wrote the Ten Commandments on tables of stone. Of some of these different ways God himself gave an account in Num_12:6-8, If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known to him in a vision, and will speak to him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses: with him I will speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches.

II. God's method of communicating his mind and will under the New Testament dispensation, these last days as they are called, that is, either towards the end of the world, or the end of the Jewish state. The times of the gospel are the last times, the gospel revelation is the last we are to expect from God. There was first the natural revelation; then the patriarchal, by dreams, visions, and voices; then the Mosaic, in the law given forth and written down; then the prophetic, in explaining the law, and giving clearer discoveries of Christ: but now we must expect no new revelation, but only more of the Spirit of Christ to help us better to understand what is already revealed. Now the excellency of the gospel revelation above the former consists in two things: -

1. It is the final, the finishing revelation, given forth in the last days of divine revelation, to which nothing is to be added, but the canon of scripture is to be settled and sealed: so that now the minds of men are no longer kept in suspense by the expectation of new discoveries, but they rejoice in a complete revelation of the will of God, both preceptive and providential, so far as is necessary for them to know in order to their direction and comfort. For the gospel includes a discovery of the great events that shall befall the church of God to the end of the world.

2. It is a revelation which God has made by his Son, the most excellent messenger that was ever sent into the world, far superior to all the ancient patriarchs and prophets, by whom God communicated his will to his people in former times. And here we have an excellent account of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ:” (Matthew Henry)

Simply put, we no longer need to rely on dreams, visions or the like. We needn't have someone speak into our situation as it was done in the day of the Prophets (BC) all we need now is to examine the scriptures as we have them. In reading the Canon of Scripture we will have the voice of God whisper into our ear; It is God the Holy Spirit who has been commissioned with this responsibility; “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26) – How do I know this to be true? That is an easy answer; this truth is found in the Canon of Scripture, if what you hear or are told cannot be confirmed from Scripture then it is more than likely a twisted vain imagination. Do not gamble with your eternal life, trust God Son the Lord Jesus – the One who died for the sins of the world, there is no other who can save us from our sin, in Christ and Christ alone will we escape judgement! How do I know that to be true, the Canon of Scripture so declares it; "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

So then to my dear friends who are pondering the meaning of life, Brett (Bandit), Richard, Terry, Paul, Derek, Jason and there are many others whom I have not mentioned by name, this then I say to you, trust no one’s opinion but the “Canon of Scripture” as we now have it, and if when reading it you do not hear that whisper in your ear, pray to God so that He may have mercy on your soul just as He has had mercy on my soul and ask Him to open your ears so that you may understand the brilliance of His voice! And what a voice He has! Praise the name of Jesus now and forever more, Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone