I always had many different ideas and questions about God. I would often wonder what it would be like if God spoke to me. Or, if I had a chance to meet with God, what would I want to ask? However, as I pondered more about these things, I began to seriously wonder how God communicates with us today. There are many people around the world who claim to receive visions from God or hear God’s voice through dreams. But I didn’t want to believe anything until it could be verified as true. So, I turned to the Bible for help.
In the Old Testament, there are many instances of prophets receiving visions from God to record and share with the people. I always thought it would be cool to speak with God, even if it might be a bit intimidating. However, when I looked at the accounts of the prophets actually receiving a vision, most of the time they were described as being terrified (Ezekiel 1:28). So, I went back a bit further to the time of Moses. Then, all the pieces fell into place.
Hearing God’s Voice According to the Bible
It is recorded in both Exodus and Deuteronomy that the Israelites did not want to hear God’s voice directly. That’s because when they did, they felt like they were going to die.
They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”
Exodus 20:20
We know that God is holy and He desires for His people to be holy (Leviticus 11:45). Why does God want this? Because God cannot co-exist with sin. His holiness would simply wipe the sin out. This is why God wouldn’t even allow Moses to see His face because he would have died (Exodus 33:20). So that’s why Moses went on behalf of the Israelites to receive God’s commandments to give to the people. He was more righteous than any of the other Israelites.
How God Spoke to People in the Old Testament
The most surprising part of this account for me was God’s response to this situation. According to Deuteronomy 18:17-18,
The LORD said to me: ‘What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.’
Rather than trying to speak with the people directly, God promised that He would give his words to a prophet who would speak on his behalf.
If you continue reading, you can even see that God helps them distinguish if a prophet is from Him. Or if someone is simply speaking on their own in the name of God. It says in verse 22 that “if what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously”. If God has to give such a warning, it shows there will likely be those who claim to receive words from God. But, in reality, they haven’t. However, I was still left with one burning question. How does God speak to us at this time, and how can we hear His voice?
How to Know If God is Speaking Now
When we look at the Bible, we can see many records of the words that God spoke through the prophets. In fact, most of the books of the prophets begin in a very similar way. It says which prophet received the vision from God and how (ref. Isaiah 1:1, Jeremiah 1:1-4, Ezekiel 1:1-2).
In the New Testament, we also have the words of Jesus, which were given to him from God.
So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.”
John 8:28
Jesus’ words were recorded from the time of his first coming nearly 2,000 years ago. Is this not the word that God also wanted to deliver to us? We know that all scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). And we also know that nothing has been recorded that God did not inspire people to write down. We have the Bible that contains all of the words of God. So, rather than asking how we can hear God’s voice, we should ask a different question.
Are we really listening to God’s voice these days?
Am I Making an Effort to Hear God’s Voice?
It can be very easy to fall into the habit of tuning out things around us when we think they’re saying the same things again and again, like a nagging parent. So one must wonder, are we doing the same thing to God? The Bible is always there for us to read. But how much time and dedication are we spending listening to God’s voice that has been spoken through His word?
There have been many times in my life where I would simply skim through familiar passages and leave it at that. However, that also made me feel like there was a bit of distance between God and myself. After deciding to dig into the Bible on a deeper level, I realized something new. Only by truly listening to God through His words in the Bible, will you be able to hear His voice. And from there you will be able to understand His heart. It is the same in any relationship, really. If there is no time or dedication given, then the relationship will naturally begin to fall apart.
So now, rather than waiting to hear a booming voice from the clouds, I pick up my Bible. I read it thoroughly and attentively, and that’s the way I’ve been able to hear God’s voice loud and clear these days. I hope everyone will also be able to make a genuine effort to listen to God’s voice and understand His true heart that is recorded in the Bible.
Written by Lily
Read more about these journies of faith and listening to God’s call!
How I Left the Church and Still Found God
Be sure to check out our Instagram for weekly verses, prayers and encouragement!
Subscribe to As It Is in Heaven!
If you’d like to stay up to date on our newest posts, make sure to subscribe below!
2 Replies to “Have You Heard God’s Voice Lately?”