How God Speaks to Us

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son… (Hebrews 1:1–2 ESV)

Hearing God’s voice begins by knowing how He speaks to us. This devotional will briefly explain one of the most important biblical truths for hearing God’s voice today.

Hebrews 1:1-2 says God spoke in many ways but has spoken by His Son in these last days. There are a few essential points to note here. First, the Lord states that He speaks to us in different ways or channels. Second, irrespective of the method He uses, it is the same God speaking the same Word, so the various ways are simply forms of expression or channels of communication of His Word. Third, He divides the methods of speaking in two: in many ways and by His Son

The many ways in this verse represent the various methods God used in the Old Testament to speak to the prophets. For instance, He spoke to Moses with an audible human-like voice but used dreams to speak to Daniel. The common factor is that the Spirit of God was speaking to these men using different methods. Please note that scripture was not one of the primary methods by which He spoke to them. On the contrary, He communicated to them and used them to write scriptures.

Though He spoke in many ways through the prophets, He has spoken to us by His Son, that is, Jesus the Word incarnate. In saying this, He elevates by His Son above the many ways. But Jesus as a human being was just a form of revelation and expression of the Word. When He left the earth, He left another form of expression of Himself: a Book(the Bible) containing the totality of His revelation as written literature. The Word as a Person or a Book speaks the language human beings understand the best: using concrete and unchanging physical entities that appeal to the physical senses.

So though God continues to speak to us in different ways today(“the prophetic”), the scriptures remain the highest and surest form by which He speaks.