You should know by now that I am going to say the Bible. The scriptures are helpful to teach, rebuke, correct, and train in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). God speaks through the Bible. The more you read it, the more you will learn. You will catch new things each time you read.
Dreams
God also speaks using dreams. For example, Joseph dreamed his family would one day bow down to him (Gen 37). That dream came to pass when he became second in command to Pharaoh in Egypt. He also interpreted dreams for two prisoners and Pharaoh.
Daniel was also a dreamer (Dan 7) who lived in Babylon during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. The king had a disturbing dream and looked for someone to interpret it. Daniel was a Jewish exile whom God gave the interpretation (Dan. 4).
In the New Testament, Joseph, Mary’s husband, was visited by an angel in a dream (Matt 1:18-24), was warned in a dream to flee to Egypt (Matt 2:13), and was told to leave Egypt in a dream (Matt 2:20).
These are only a few examples; several other dreams are mentioned in both the Old and the New Testaments.
Visions and an Audible Voice
Visions are like dreams, but the person is not asleep. They are seen in the mind’s eye. Daniel is a great book to read concerning dreams and visions. Ezekiel chapter one is a vision of four living creatures, wheels with eyes, and the throne they carried. The apostle Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia begging him to come to visit (Acts 16:6-10).
An Audible Voice.
Samuel 3 tells of when Samuel, still a boy, first hears the Lord speak:
(Please note that due to copyright law, I have switched to the World English Bible)
4 Yahweh called Samuel. He said, “Here I am.”
5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.”
He said, “I didn’t call. Lie down again.”
He went and lay down. 6 Yahweh called yet again, “Samuel!”
Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.”
He answered, “I didn’t call, my son. Lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel didn’t yet know Yahweh, neither was Yahweh’s word yet revealed to him. 8 Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.”
Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down. It shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.” (1 Sam 3: 4-10 WEB)
Samuel heard an audible voice that he assumed was Eli. However, Eli realized he was hearing the voice of God.
Creation Speaks! So Do Angels and Signs
Psalms 19: 1-4 states:
The heavens declare the glory of God.
The expanse shows his handiwork.
Day after day they pour out speach,
and night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speach nor language,
where their voice is not heard.
Their voice has gone out through all the earth,
their words to the end of the world.
God speaks through signs and angels. When the angel appeared to the shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus, he also said there would be a sign:
The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good nes of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” (Luke 2:10-12 WEB)
Baby Jesus laying in a manger, an open feeding trough for livestock, is the sign.
In Conclusion
As you can see, there are many different ways God speaks. This series will discuss how to hear, mature, and what to do with what you hear!
Until next time under the palm, be blessed!
