In the Old Testament times the voice of the Lord God was frequently heard by people. The Lord spoke for one reason alone. It was to glorify His Name. His voice was unique and men knew that it was the voice of the God of heaven and earth. For it brought fear, certainty, blessedness and hope in those who heard it. Many times it pronounced the sentence of punishment upon a people who did not believe in Him and who did not revere Him. People understood the intent of it, because it had the word. His voice delivered every aspect of His will and purpose. God made Himself known to people through it marking His authority and wisdom. His voice was of the word, which was from the beginning and it delivered His desire. And since those days the Lord God did not cease to make it heard. When He speaks, it is palpable. So, the prophet remarked, “Moreover, the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty when He speaks” (Ezek. 10:5).
There is certain uniqueness to the way the Lord God makes His voice heard. It is bold and very clear. It is with power to convince men that it is indeed His voice. This is the reason for the Spirit to lead the writer of the book of Hebrews into saying that the word of God is living and active. Unless it is so, it cannot be heard; it cannot penetrate our spirit and soul. The word judges our every thought and intention, because of the God who speaks. There are those who oppose to such activity from the word. Do not trust them. They have never believed in God to the extent of receiving from the word. They do not even believe that the Lord God indeed speaks. They see the word, read it and understand it according to the knowledge they acquired in the flesh. They do not hear from it, because the Spirit of God that indwells in the believing is not in them. It is the Spirit inside us that guides us to hear from the word.
There were many in the days of Ezekiel, but only he and the prophets contemporaneous to him heard God’s voice. Even so was the case in the times of the disciples of Jesus and beyond. God does not speak to any, but to those whom He called for faith. His voice which is of the word alone gives us life, courage, peace and joy. It gives us His will. We know it, because it captivates us making us a people that fear Him. This fear is the sign of certainty regarding His voice. It leads us to the blessedness He planned to produce in us. Thus, we continually live in hope of eternal life. Listen to the answer John the Baptist gave when he was questioned by the priests and Levites. “And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ’” (John 1:20).
He strongly confessed that he is not the Christ, because of the uniqueness of the voice of God. This God appeared in the flesh. And, Jesus said that He is the Good Shepherd; that His sheep hear His voice; that He opens the door and closes it for them. And many other things Jesus spoke in relation to the sheep that hear Him. He was also speaking of the sheep that seek Him after His departure. John who knew God’s purpose for him, i.e. a forerunner for Christ, did not claim to be the Christ. It is the nature of God’s elect to see themselves as the servants of the Most High, because they receive His voice and obey it; they know no rebellion. They are sure of God’s desire for them and delight in His choice of them. But, those who are not acquainted with His voice are not so. Of them the Spirit through the apostles said, “Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls” (Acts 15:24).
It is imperative that as believers sanctified by God through the Spirit we understand the importance of the Scripture in our midst. Many are they that call themselves Christians. They are without the full knowledge of the endearing word of God. They speak from a mental baggage that is not in the interest of God. Those who believed and go from faith to faith gradually lose this baggage. But, the rest go from flesh to flesh discarding the very interest of God, which is to hear His voice. Listening to such people can worry our souls and compel us to think in opposition to God’s interest. Consider the men of whom the apostles spoke. They neither received from God’s word nor from the apostles, but spoke as if their thoughts were of God. They caused great disturbance. On the other hand, in order to save the believing from false views the apostles received from God. It was through the Spirit that indwelled them.
There are many views about Christianity among Christians themselves. And apart from one the rest are not in the interest of God. For when God called Abram, it was His voice from the word; Abram could not override it. This is the voice that maps out everything pertaining to us. When we seek God ardently in Christ whom we believed, He will not forsake us. He will fulfill the work of the Good Shepherd. He will invoke the Spirit of Christ living in us to lead us to His voice. When this becomes a habit, we resist seeking the council of the flesh. We never miss God’s guidance. Do not be tattered by those who constantly deny this work of God. But, consider the words of the apostle. They will encourage you. “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing” (2 Cor. 4:3).
They deny, because they are veiled with unbelief. The gospel is only for those that are willing to come out of stubbornness. It is good news for men with a willing heart. It teaches, pleads and guarantees them God’s intimacy. What does Paul mean by “our gospel?” It is the gospel which is in the interest of God and the one which you now hear. When you embrace it, you work and live according to it; you yourselves will find out that you have become intimate with God. You obtained a habit that does not need men, but the gospel that God gives through His means. Again, what does he mean by the gospel being veiled to those who are perishing? That there will always be people that deny “our gospel.” God knew these men beforehand. It is called His fore-knowledge. So, Jesus explicitly told men to find and enter through the narrow door. For that which is aberrant to human reasoning is God’s choice. “Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE” (Heb. 3:7), believe.
You hear His voice, if you chose the gospel that is difficult and even becoming impossible to accept to the many Christians. God is not found in places where men desire Him. He is not found at a time when men think as favorable. But, He is found when He speaks. He speaks at a time when you choose His gospel and make your heart desirable for Him. That moment is an appropriate time for Him to let you hear Him. You will not override Him. When you are saved by grace through faith, it is by the same that you hear Him. As you have a desirable heart through the gospel, seek Him and you will hear Him. If you seek Him at every instance, you will also find Him at the same. “Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe” (Jude 1:5).
For there are many in the churches that do not have the gospel you hear. It is because of those that have crawled into them covertly. These are in dissipation leading them into the way God did not intend. Since you have the gospel that is in God’s interest you know all things. And as you are powered by the voice of God you are saved from their wicked schemes and knowledge. You do not suppose them as the saved. Without the gospel that guides to hear His voice from the word they are like the men that were subsequently destroyed. You know they are without belief and you also know that those who hear them will be like them. You have the wisdom of Jesus that said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets” (Luke 20:46). So, once you have made it your habit to hear God’s voice make it your aim to save as many as possible. Seek God for an opportune time and He will make provision for you.