Hearing His Voice #92

In these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son.

Hebrews 1:2

The writer of Hebrews talks a lot about God’s voice. The fathers and prophets of long ago are not depicted as crafting theology, but as hearing God—and in a way that is relevant to all times. And it is clear throughout the letter of Hebrews that all other encounters with God point to one ultimate expression of His voice: Jesus. The Son is the perfect picture of what the Father is saying.

We need an anchor for interpreting God’s voice, a lens through which we choose to see all else. That anchor, that lens, must be Jesus. Hebrews calls Him “the exact representation” of God the Father (1:3, NIV), which means that if we want to know what God is like, we simply need to look at Jesus. That suggests different things to different people, of course. Some imagine a stern expression on His face as they read His words; others imagine Him smiling; and still others see that vapid look so often depicted in the movies. His words come across with radically different implications, depending on which face one sees. But we know how Jesus responded to people who came to Him and to those who opposed Him. We know what He said about prayer, what He promised to His disciples, how He told them to love and serve, what attitudes He wants us to have, and more. The exact representation of God is described to us in the pages of the Gospels. God has spoken in that description.

He still does. The Son still speaks. He is a living Lord who dwells with us and within us, so we have no need to search for His words as if He were ancient history. But His words are in those books, they are still alive and active, and they still speak loudly. If we want to hear God, we can surely hear Him there.

Jesus, speak to me through the pages of Scripture. Let me see the expression of Your face and hear the tone of Your voice as I read. Make those words come alive in my heart.