When my husband Dave is away, I miss him. When he calls me while he is gone, the sound of his voice soothes me. He might not say anything more significant than “How are you doing?”, but the sound of his voice is a comfort to me. During 2020, I was in the hospital for two weeks with Covid. Dave was not allowed to stay at the hospital with me, but the sound of his voice on the phone was reassuring and comforting.
We recognize the voices of those to whom we are close. I know each of my children’s voices because we have a close relationship, and have shared many experiences together.
Do you recognize your Heavenly Father’s voice? Do you listen for it? It is not an audible voice, but it thunders from the pages of scripture.
To hear His voice you must have a relationship with Him. Isaiah said that God’s people will know that “I am He who speaks: ‘Behold it is I’” (Isaiah 52:6). Jesus said that His sheep will hear His voice in John 10:16. He told the apostles in Matthew 10:20, “it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” The Hebrews writer says that in these last days He speaks through His Son (Heb. 1:1-2). Are you listening for His voice in the pages of scripture? It is revealed there so that anyone can hear it. He does not speak to us any other way.
The phrase “the voice of the Lord” appears several times in the Old Testament. Look up these passages and meditate on them: it makes for an interesting study!
The great king David described the Lord’s voice Psalm 29: Take a minute to read this short psalm. We can learn much about the voice of the Lord in this passage. We learn who the Lord is in verse 3, and that His glory “thunders.” In verse 10, He is King forever! We see what he does for us in verse 11, he gives us strength and peace!
David begins Psalm 29 by telling what our response should be toward God: “GIVE HIM” the glory due to His name; acknowledge His strength, and His beauty, with holy worship (vs 1-2). When we give Him His due, He gives us much more!
David then goes on to describe “the voice of the Lord” in verses 3-9.
His voice…
- “Is over many waters, (it) thunders” (verse 3). He is the supreme being; no one or thing is higher than He, He is superior to all others.
- “Is powerful, full of majesty” (verse 4). He is a benevolent king who reigns with power and royal majesty.
- “Breaks and splinters the cedars of Lebanon” (verse 5). The Hebrew word for “breaks” means to burst. David is using a vivid image to describe the power of the Lord’s voice. Think of the power of His voice in the creation: “God said”, and it was done! (Genesis 1)
- “Divides the flames” (verse 7). God’s voice distinguishes right from wrong. Hebrews 4:12 states, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit”
- “Shakes the wilderness” (verse 8). “Shakes” comes from the Hebrew word meaning to whirl, in a circular motion, like a dance.
God is involved in His creation, from the wilderness to the mountains. We see His finger in all living things. All these are temporal, yet the Hebrews writer says that we are part of a kingdom that cannot be shaken (i.e., an eternal kingdom).
“See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO HEAVEN.” Now this, “YET ONCE MORE,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.”
Hebrews 12:25-29
Finally in Psalm 29:9 His voice “makes the deer give birth.” God gives life! He renews His creation and renews us, if we listen to and obey His voice!
The sound of our Father’s voice…
- Comforts us – “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28)
- Gives us Hope – “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10)
- Assures us – “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5), “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:20)
Are you listening to His life-giving voice? He speaks through His Word!