Getting to Know When God is Speaking:
Has He Spoken or Is He Speaking to You?
God speaks!
He speaks through persons: individual humans, and institutions; God speaks through nature: the sun, the moon, the stars, the rocks, and the oceans - the work of his hands. God speaks in context: In seasons, and circumstances. He speaks in a variety of languages; talking to people groups, and individuals in the language they understand. God is no respecter of persons. He speaks to all humans on the earth, and relates with those who respond to Him in faith and obedience. Humankind was specially crafted to bear God’s image, and fellowship with Him.
It’s about relationships.
The writer of Hebrews says,
“In the past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe” (Hebrew 1:1).
Let’s try to understand the shades of historical realities subsumed in this sentence. The writer was a Jew, alluding to God’s encounter with his Jewish ancestors, Abraham and his descendants. The Book of Hebrews was written to the Jewish converts, who were facing hard times because of their newly found faith and were on the verge of returning to Judaism. God had revealed Himself to Abram, the man chosen from among his people and generation to mediate between God and fallen humanity. God changed his name from Abram (high father) to Abraham, (Father of multitudes of nations).
Peoples and nations had existed and occupied the face of the earth, long before the call of Abraham. From the Tower of Babel, the post-flood inhabitants of Shinar were scattered across the Earth. They found themselves in different climatic environments, and evolved into different cultures and religious traditions, worshiping different tribal gods. Notable was the leadership of Nimrod, and the civilization that emerged around him. Most of the religious customs of the ancient world had their origin here. The worship of Osiris by the Egyptians, and Tammuz by the Babylonians developed under the influence of Nimrod. Babylon became the fountainhead of post-flood religions of the ancient world.
Indeed, God spoke to “our ancestors” through the “prophets” at many times and in different ways.
Common to the past and present - the “time of our ancestors and these last days” - is that God speaks. He spoke to the Old Testament people and has spoken to us in the New Testament. The difference lies in the context and the mediums by which He spoke.
In the Old Testament, God spoke through:
Angels (Gen. 16)
Visions (Gen.15)
Dreams (Gen.28:10-19)
Urim and Thummim (Exodus 28:30)
Symbolic Actions (Jer.18:1-10)
A Gentle Whisper (1 Kings 19:12)
Miraculous Signs (Exodus 8:20-25), and in other ways.
But in the New Testament, God spoke through only one voice - His Son, Jesus; the One appointed heir of all things.
Hitherto, God had revealed Himself to groups, nations, and individuals at the level of their knowledge and understanding. The people had responded to God’s revelations standing in awe and marveling at His creation. They bowed to the reflections of the Almighty God, creating what they perceived as His image, under different names, and offered sacrifices to them.
However, God moved in at the time of His choosing, to correct the human error of worshiping idols carved in images of birds and animals, an insult to the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. This is where Abraham and his descendants came in. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the nation of Israel became the prototype or models of how God intends individual nations and people groups to relate to Him.
The covenant code outlined in the Ten Commandments, and rules for healthy social interaction, ensuring a peaceful co-existence, stability, and well-being, are spelled out in great detail in the Tora (See the Book of Deuteronomy for example).
The goal was the establishment of a Theocracy - a kingdom under God’s rule. But this was not to be, as the Israelites persisted in their failure to keep their part of God’s covenant with them. They chose to have a human king, while the prophets represented the voice of God in their midst. Even then, God continues to impress on the people, through the prophets, of a future when God’s kingdom will be established in Zion: A kingdom and rule that will cover the whole earth.
The beginning of the new era - New Testament - will be marked by the advent of Emmanuel, when God takes residence with humanity (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; and Numbers 24:17,19). Several prophecies point to the coming Age.
Jeremiah 23:5, says,
“Behold the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” (ESV).
This prophecy had its fulfilment in the birth of Jesus, and in his death and resurrection, thus closing the era of the prophets serving as the voice of God to His people. Jesus becomes the “Voice” appointed in these last days to speak to God’s people, and the world. The Church of Christ in the context of the New Testament, made up of born-again believers, are God’s people. Jesus, “the heir of all things and through whom God made the universe,” is the Head of the Church.
Does that make sense to you? Jesus is the be-all and end-all.
He was sent, not only to the Jews, but to save fallen humanity in the entire world.
Believers don’t need another mediator between him/her and God. Jesus, our High Priest is now seated on the right hand of God the Father, pleading our cause when, as sinful humans, we fall short of His glory. God has spoken through His Son, Jesus. He is still speaking. He, the Word, that was God and with God in the beginning is alive in the Bible, the written word (John 1:1-3). He also speaks through the Holy Spirit in the believer’s hearts.
Are we listening?
While he was physically present on earth, Jesus spoke to his disciples, teaching them about His Father’s kingdom. After His death and resurrection, He sent the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost to continue His ministry on earth.
The question is, do we put ourselves in a position to hear Him when He is speaking to us? Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me: a stranger they simply will not follow…” (John 10:5,27). God is still speaking today, essentially through His written word and His Holy Spirit.
The Blackabys and Claude King in their workbook, “Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God” write:
“If a Christian does not know when God is speaking, he is in trouble at the heart of his Christian life.”
In other words, if Christianity is about relationship between God and the believer, sure the Christian who does not know when God is speaking is in serious jeopardy.
Now my friend reading this; Do you know when God is speaking? What is He saying to you? Are you ready to obey even if it goes agaist the flow of popular opinion?
God is still working through individuals and groups to accomplish His purposes - for you and the world around you.
Seeing you soon.
