Though God had spoken directly to men in the past, to Adam, Noah, Abraham, to name a few, yet ‘no one has ever seen God, but the Only begotten, who is at the Father’s side …’ – (John 1:18) However, Moses did see God’s form but not his face! – (Exodus 33:20-23, Numbers 12:8) With the birth of the only begotten, God put a human face to the voice that had been speaking to men since creation. ‘In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son …’ – (Hebrews 1:2-3) ‘He is the image of the invisible God, the first born overall creation.’ – (Colossians 1:15) Therefore Jesus said, “I did not speak of my own accord … whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say”. – (John 12:49-50)
However, God speaks in various ways! We read in the old testament that whenever someone inquired of the Lord, He answered them through dreams, or Urim or prophets. – (Numbers 27:21, 1 Samuel 28:6) The reason why God speaks in various ways is because he wants us to be certain of his will, as ‘every matter must be established by two or three witnesses’ – (2 Corinthians 13:1, Deuteronomy 19:15) and that principle applies even to his word to us. For instance, the dream God gave Pharaoh was established when Joseph interpreted the dream for Pharaoh. – (Genesis 41:32). God still speaks to us through:
1. Dreams and visions: References to dreams and visions are throughout the Bible but seldom a prophet was called to interpret it because the message was unambiguous (not open to more than one interpretation). For instance, Abimelech, a Gentile, was warned in a dream against taking Sarah as his wife. – (Genesis 20:3-7) whereas Joseph in a dream was told by the angel of the Lord not to be afraid to take Mary home as his wife – (Matthew 1:20). However, some dreams are riddles and would require a prophet to interpret it. For instance, Daniel was called to interpret the dream and visions that king Nebuchadnezzar had and he said to the king, “The revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. As for me this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom but so that you may know the interpretation …” – (Daniel 2:27-29) God reveals himself to the prophets through dreams and visions. “When a prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams.” – (Numbers 12:6) It will abound in these last days because Scripture says: ‘In the last days, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.’ – (Acts 2:17)
2. Urim and Thumim: Very little is known about the Urim and Thummim but traditionally it has been translated as “lights and perfections”, or if taken allegorically, the phrase means “revelation and truth”. They were probably precious stones that were set on the breastpiece that Aaron, the highpriest, wore when he entered the presence of the Lord and were used for decision making. – (Exodus 28:30, Leviticus 8:8, Numbers 27:21) How exactly they worked, we are not sure! Probably they glowed in response to an inquiry. David frequently used it to find the will of the Lord – (1 Samuel 23:6,9, 30:7) but eventually he learnt to enquire of the Lord without it – (2 Samuel 2:1) The last time its service was sought was by Nehemiah the governor – (Ezra 2:63, Nehemiah 7:65) Interestingly, Moses never used it because he knew to enquire of the Lord directly. We no longer require the service of the Urim and Thumim under the new covenant, instead we have the revelation of the Word and the Spirit of truth to bear witness in our hearts. “When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.” – (John 16:13)
3. Prophets: Samuel was the last of the twelve judges and the first person to hold the office of the prophet and many since then ! Prophets have anointed kings – (1 Samuel 10:1, 16:13, 1 kings 19:15-16, 2 kings 9:1-2) but when kings corrupted themselves, the prophets served as God’s means of check and balance on the monarchy. Though subordinate to the king, they still confronted kings and rebuked them, as Samuel did Saul – (1 Samuel 13:13-14), Nathan did David – (2 Samuel 12:7-10) and the list goes on … The prophets in the new testament too serve as God’s spokesmen, as Agabus did when he predicted a severe famine over the entire Roman world – (Acts 11:27-28) and later predicted Paul’s impending arrest – (21:10-11). ‘Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.’ – (Amos 3:7) They also serves as a check and balance in the modern church, though they themselves are subordinate to the Apostles but together form the foundation of the Church. – (Ephesians 2:20)
God also speaks to us through our surroundings; the nature around us – (Romans 1:20) and that becomes the circumstantial evidence in addition to that which God has already spoken to us through dreams and visions, through angels, through his Word and Spirit; and through his prophets. May the Lord speak to us today, whichever way he chooses and establish his will in our lives. Amen.
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