The Voice of the Lord: Part I

In the Old Testament, the whole point of putting hope in the Messiah was that Israel knew that they (and we) needed a Messiah. Without a Messiah all would be lost.

Today there are probably many who won't admit their need for a Savior. Some either believe they are already healthy and doing well, thank you very much. Others simply cannot admit how lost they are, because they see no other hope than their own ability. If we see no hope, then how could we dare to admit how lost we are. It is this kind of situation that leaves so many people in denial of their great need. There are many who are stuck in addiction, or in depression, or in abusive relationships, or in some other impossible situation. Such people often live in denial of how bad things are because they simply have no hope.

But when the people of Israel knew they were lost, God revealed that a Messiah would come. They could, and should, put their hope in the Messiah. Jesus is that Messiah, and God took action to assure us that Jesus is the one. God did it in one of those rare moments when people could actually hear a voice speaking audible words--though some still doubted.

There are two times when God's spoke audibly during Jesus' ministry. In the interest of keeping this somewhat brief, will write about them in my next two blogs. They will clarify not only that Jesus is the Messiah, but how that makes a difference. For now, I just want to point out that the biblical writers really wanted people to pay attention to the voice of God. Jeremiah complained that Israel just wasn't listening to the voice of God. They treated the word of God as if it were ancient literature cast in stone, as if God couldn't say anything new to them. Jeremiah complained that they weren't listening to what God was saying today. In short, they were cutting people off from the hope, which God had right then for the people with urgent needs. Jeremiah called them to listen to what God was saying right now.

The Psalms picked that theme up, too. In the Psalms when God speaks, the hearing of God's voice changes everything, shakes everything up, and brings about good things. A great example is Psalm 29! I will list it, below to help show my point. But for now, let me end the first of three blogs on the voice of the Lord by asking these questions:

1. How aware are you of the need for God to act as Savior for the world?

2. How aware are you of the need for God to act as Savior in your world (for your family or your life)?

3. How ready are you to pay attention if God actually speaks to your need?

Psalm 29
(I'm using the "Message" paraphrase by Eugene Peterson, because I think it brings the poetry alive in our own cultural language, as Psalms are meant to be heard.)

^1-2 Bravo, God, bravo! Gods and all angels shout, "Encore!"
In awe before the glory,
in awe before God's visible power.
Stand at attention!
Dress your best to honor him!

³ God thunders across the waters,
Brilliant, his voice and his face, streaming brightness—
God, across the flood waters.

⁴ God's thunder tympanic,
God's thunder symphonic.

⁵ God's thunder smashes cedars,
God topples the northern cedars.

⁶ The mountain ranges skip like spring colts,
The high ridges jump like wild kid goats.

^7-8 God's thunder spits fire.
God thunders, the wilderness quakes;
He makes the desert of Kadesh shake.

⁹ God's thunder sets the oak trees dancing
A wild dance, whirling; the pelting rain strips their branches.
We fall to our knees—we call out, "Glory!"

¹⁰ Above the floodwaters is God's throne
from which his power flows,
from which he rules the world.

¹¹ God makes his people strong.
God gives his people peace.