Three times God the Father audibly spoke during the life of His Son. One was after His baptism (Matthew 3:17 “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”) Another time is at the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus has with Him Peter, James, and John. Peter acting like he did most of the time, spoke. He mentioned building three tabernacles: one for Him, one for Moses and one for Elias. This was a good thought as far as Peter was concerned. He was thinking of honoring three great men of God. There was the Old Law giver, there was a great prophet and then there was the Son of God. Luke records these thoughts about Peter’s speaking “not knowing what he said” (Luke 9:33). Peter’s mind might have been kind. Peter’s mind might have been sincere, but it was not right. Notice what Matthew records about what happens next, “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matthew 17:5). Peter was told by the voice to listen to His Son. This therefore was God, the Father. The same caution can be circulated among those of us who are alive today. We need to listen to the voice of God.
The other time the voice of God was audible from heaven to earth is found in John 12. Jesus was preparing to die a horrible death. He knew the pain and suffering He was about to undergo. His humanity shows. John records “And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified” (John 12:23). He knew what was about to take place. In the same conservation, Jesus says, “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again” (John 12:27-28). God, the Father, is comforting His Son in His time of need. We all need to listen to the voice of God for comfort in the time of need.
Peter calls Jesus the “Chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4). The Hebrew writer calls Jesus, “that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant” (Hebrews 13:20). In John 10 Jesus used a shepherd and sheep as illustrations. Since Jesus is called the “Chief Shepherd” and the “Great Shepherd,” and we are referred to as sheep (1 Peter 2:25) let us notice in this passage what we are to do with the voice of the Shepherd.
“To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out” (John 10:3). Do we hear the voice of the Shepherd? He is calling! “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heaven laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He is calling not by some small still voice. He is calling not in some mysterious way. He is calling though the Gospel. “Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:14). But are we listening? If we do not study our Bible then how can we hear His call?
Not only are we to hear His voice, but we are to know His voice. “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice” (John 10:4). Not all know the voice of God when He speaks. When Samuel was a little boy, after he was given to serve God, by a godly mother. When called by God, he did not know His voice. God called Samuel twice before Eli realized that it was God. The voice of God had been silent so long before the people of God that they did not recognize His voice when He spoke. There are many today that would not know the voice of God from the voice of the devil. Hordes today know the voice of the devil. They listen to him carefully and often. If God spoke to them, and He does, they would not know it nor would they listen. There are many in the church in the same condition as the world. They think they know the voice of God. They think they know what the Bible says. They cannot tell you anything about the hope that lies within them. This is a violation of the scriptures. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). Do you know the voice of God? How often do you listen to His Word?
Jesus goes on and says in the context of John 10, “And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers” (John 10:5). A true sheep will follow the shepherds but a rogue sheep will not know the true shepherds voice. They have not listened to Him. These sheep can tell you what others are doing. They can tell you how denominational preachers preach. These rouge sheep listen to them and love to hear them preach. These rouge sheep do not know the voice of the True Shepherd but they do know the voice of the stranger. So the true sheep spend time with the True Shepherd and they know His voice. How much time do you spend with the Great Shepherd? This will indicate who you will follow.
This matter of whose voice we will listen to is of greatest eternal consequence. The devil does not want you to listen to the voice of The Chief Shepherd. He wants you to listen to anyone who has smooth words. He wants you to listen to those who have fair speeches. He wants you to listen to those who will deceive the heart of the simple. Romans 16:18 states, “For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the heart of the simple.” To whom are you listening? Is it the voice of a stranger or the voice of God? Let us begin now to know the voice of God and obey His voice.
Love Keith
