Who Can Hear the Voice of God?

Author: Pastor Darren DeLoach

Matthew 4:4—Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

An interesting note, one of the often-inquired aspects of the Christian faith is “who can hear the voice of God?” The great irony is that no direct line of theology teaches specifically on the subject. Scholars will merge the various studies of pneumatology (Holy Spirit), soteriology (salvation), paterology (God the Father), and even delve into the humanistic philosophical reaches of phenomenology (religious phenomenon) in an attempt to explain exactly who can hear the voice of God. Primarily, we are told that God speaks to us through our study of the Bible. Depending on your particular denominational bend, the source of God’s voice can also include our consciences, life’s circumstances, or the exhortations of others as long as these are directives by the Holy Spirit. Yet again, who can be the hearer seems to be largely ignored.

How can something so fundamental as who has an ear for God’s voice be such a difficult subject to find answers to?

The obvious answer is that it’s actually pretty obvious.

Matthew 4:4—Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

These are the words of Jesus as He confronts Satan in the wilderness while He is in the midst of a forty-day fast. In context, this is a powerful referral to Moses charging the Hebrews to perpetually teach how God and He alone brought them through their wilderness. Lost in the sparring of words between these celestial powerhouses is that Jesus informs us all as to exactly when God speaks and to whom.

In Matthew’s quote of Jesus, he states that “every word that comes from the mouth of God” is the spiritual nutrient that is more important than any physical substance. The key phrase is “comes from,” which in Greek is the singular word ekporeuomai. It literally means “come forth or to proceed,” and just as important is that it is in the future tense. That means the verbs following always function in the same way for the future as it does for the present.

In other words, God is constantly speaking.

Think of that, right now, God, the Creator of all things, actively participates in His creation by sustaining it with His words. He is speaking. By virtue of His being the genesis of all things seen and unseen, through all mechanisms, He has reserved the right to talk to His most prized creation, you and me.

If God is so chatty, why is it so hard for us to hear Him? As with many things that God intended to be easy for us, we made it complicated through the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden. In the Book of Genesis, we learn that once God created all, He formed humankind from the earth. God breathed life into Adam and then later formed a female counterpart from Adam named Eve. In this true utopian state, God walked with mankind, and just as importantly, God talked openly with both Adam and Eve. There was no sin in the world; without sin, God’s voice echoed through the garden, and we could hear every utterance. No hindrances, no positioning, no rituals, just the free-flowing conversation with the Almighty.

Then, of course, that old foe, Satan, rears his ugly head and tempts man. Sin now runs rampant through all creation and ravages humanity, impeding our ability to hear. Yet, God still speaks.

Then the answer to whom can hear Him talking must surely be reserved for those forgiven of sin. Yes, there are dozens of things written in the Bible that support the fact that God’s children should indeed be capable of hearing the voice of their Savior.

Among the many:

John 8:47—Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.

John 10:27—My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Romans 8:14—For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

As strong as an argument that can be made that only His children can hear His voice, the Bible also reveals that God speaks to many individuals who aren’t yet or never were believers.

Abram, Balaam, and Rabshakeh all heard the literal voice of God, yet none were believers.

To settle the question of who can hear His voice, we once again refer to the words of Jesus as captured in Matthew’s letter.

‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

Who did Jesus say needed the Word of God and forgo dependency on earthly things? The answer is in the word anthrōpos, or MANKIND, ALL OF MANKIND.

He speaks to those in His fold because that is how He guards them, feeds them, leads them, and teaches them. He is also constantly speaking to the hearts of those far away from Him as His Will is that ALL come to know Him...Romans 10:17—“faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

Reflection

Father, thank you for continually speaking to us. May the ears of those that know you be opened to Your leading, may our eyes be cognizant of Your actions, and our hearts be open to Your commands. May You speak to the hearts of those that don’t yet know you so that they may allow Your Spirit to water that seed of faith that You placed there for this very moment. Amen.