God’s Living Word

KEY VERSE: “God who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, bath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.” —Hebrews 1:1,2

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 1:1-5; 2:1-5, 9, 10

NOT many people believe that God has ever spoken to them. No doubt this is because they have not recognized the agencies through which he has communicated.

Moses, as a leading spokesman for God, tells us how God first talked to man, saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish [fill] the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living creature that moveth upon the earth.” (Gen. 1:28) Here we have the voice of God explaining that his purpose in the creation of man was that he might fill the earth with his offspring, and have dominion over the earth.

God’s voice was heard by Adam with respect to a forbidden tree. He was warned against partaking of it, and informed by God’s voice that if he partook he would surely die. (Gen. 2:17) Here again, the voice of God is heard to speak definitely and understandably. It revealed that the penalty for disobeying God would be death. Thousands of years later the voice of God concurred, through the Apostle Paul, saying, “The wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23) Soon another voice was heard in Eden, the voice of “that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan” (Rev. 20:2), and this voice said to mother Eve, “Ye shall not surely die.”—Gen. 3:4

The ensuing transgression of our first parents did not thwart the Creator’s purpose concerning his human creatures. Thousands of years later the Prophet Isaiah wrote, “Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited.”—Isa. 45:18

God spoke to Abraham and told him that it was his purpose to bless all the families of the earth. (Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:15-18) This promise was recorded in His Word for others to hear. If we receive these’ words and believe that God intends to bless all the families of the earth through the seed of Abraham, then we have heard the voice of God speaking to us, even as Abraham did.

More than two thousand years later, Jesus was born. Paul identifies Jesus as the “seed” of Abraham. His birth was hailed by angels as being “good tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people,” all the families of the earth.—Luke 2:10; Gal. 3:16

Our text declares that God has since spoken to us through this Son. Jesus explained that the words which he spoke were not his, but the Father’s. (John 8:28; 12:49; 17:8) Much was revealed by God speaking through him. In his conversation with the young rich man who asked what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus said, “Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” To his disciples he enjoined, “Take up the cross, and follow me.”—Matt. 19:21; Mark 10:21

This was the voice of God, explaining that those at this time who desire eternal life must sacrifice all their earthly possessions, and offer themselves to serve God as Jesus had. This means following him into death. Paul explained this point further when he wrote, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”—Rom. 12:1

Jesus explained that those who take this step will have treasure in heaven. Here was a new thought to Jesus’ apostles. God’s voice through the holy prophets spoke mainly of marvelous earthly blessings or treasures. It was not until Jesus came that a heavenly hope was made known to God’s people.

These hear God’s voice through Jesus saying, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10) They also hear him say, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Rev. 3:21) And again, “He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.”—Rev. 2:26

And how we rejoice to know, even as God’s voice has proclaimed, that all the families of the earth are to be blessed with restitution during that kingdom in which, if faithful, we will live and reign with Christ!

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