A God who speaks

We serve a God who speaks. In the opening chapters of our Bible we see this God speaking and bringing into being all that is. He speaks and day and night are created. He speaks and the sun, moon and myriad of stars take their places. He speaks and every creature from the lowly ant to the towering giraffe receive their being. Through speaking God shows Himself for who He is and what we observe is marvelous.

In Psalm 105 we are reminded of God speaking another way. This speech instead of being creative is used to curse. In verse 16 it records that God "summoned a famine on the land." In verse 31 God speaks and a swarm of flies come to plague the land of Egypt. In verse 34 God speaks and locusts come in such great number that they leave great devastation in the land. Again God's speech is something marvelous, showing Himself to both His people and the nations.

In Deuteronomy 18 we are introduced to yet another way God speaks to us. He speaks to us through His prophets. Moses was prominent among those voices, but in verses 15-18 he speaks of another prophet who would come after him. This prophet would have words put into his mouth by the Lord and he would faithfully speak them to the people. Moses says in verse 115 that the people are to listen to him.

And who is this prophet to which Moses points the people? It is none other than the Christ. Moses pointed the people to the ultimate voice of God - the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Even his command to listen to him is reminiscent of the same command spoken from heaven at Jesus' transfiguration. The Lord said, "This is my beloved Son, listen to Him."

And what is the message of THE Prophet? If we have to put a label on it we'd have to say it is a message of re-creation. As Isaiah foretold in his 45th chapter, verse 22, "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other." This voice calls out to mankind to turn from their wicked ways, and turn toward the Savior. He will wash away their iniquity and begin restoring in them the Father's original design.

Of this Prophet another word has gone out that needs to be heeded. In Isaiah 45:23 we read, "By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: "To my every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance." Indeed a word has gone out which will not return unfulfilled. Even as Paul said in Philippians 2 that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Our communicating God has sent out this powerful world and it is far better to bend the knee to a Savior, then to bend the knee to our Judge.

Praise the Lord we have a God who communicates, and whose word is powerful. May we every moment give heed to that word, may we daily meditate on its truth, and may we, believing in its power share it with all God brings to cross our path.