By Scott Guffin
Associate Professor and Executive Director of Christian Ministry, Samford University
GOD SPEAKS TO HIS PEOPLE
Exodus 3:1–6, 11–15; 4:28–31
I was recently speaking with a fellow believer who was struggling with doubts. Central to her issues was the fact that most of her life she has begged God to reveal Himself to her in some clear, undeniable way or to speak to her audibly — a request that in her estimation God has never answered in a positive fashion. I urged her to consider that God has indeed revealed Himself and that while He hasn’t spoken to her in an audible way (although He may have spoken to her through other believers), He has indeed spoken to her with loving and gracious clarity.
In his classic book “Knowing God,” evangelical theologian J.I. Packer notes, “God has spoken to man, and the Bible is His Word, given to us to make us wise unto salvation.”
What an amazing truth! While it may not be in the manner that this dear sister in Christ hoped for, God has spoken to us extensively through Scripture, revealing to us His character, His deeds, His ways, His righteous commands and the path to a saving relationship with Him through faith in Christ.
God initiates the conversation with us. (3:1–6)
In the Exodus 3 narrative, Moses is going about his business watching his father-in-law’s flocks when God addresses him through the famous burning bush episode. It is worth noting that God is always the initiator in our overall interaction with Him.
Scripture indicates in Psalm 139 and Jeremiah 1 that God knows us and is actively engaged with us even before our birth. In John 6:44, Jesus declares that God is the initiator in our coming to Him for salvation. God is always the preemptive actor, reaching out to us with His love, grace, mercy, compassion and kindness.
We must acknowledge God’s voice. (11–15)
The problem comes when we fail to acknowledge Him. In verses 11–15, we see Moses responding to God — albeit from a standpoint of question and objection — as he seeks to deflect God’s call to go back to Egypt to facilitate the release of the people of Israel.
In the end Moses obeys, but it is only after an intense back-and-forth with God.
Moses’ faithful wrestling with God is still better than God often receives from us, as we fail to acknowledge that He has spoken to us — and continues to do so — through His Word.
Our need to hear from God is one reason every Christian should be an ardent student of Scripture, seeking God’s face, voice and direction in its truths.
We must respond to what God says to us. (4:28–31)
Hearing and listening are not the same thing. We certainly hear from God as He speaks to us through His Word, but we can only listen by engaging — and sometimes even wrestling — with the text.
When we truly listen and receive what God is saying to us, it is then necessary for us to respond. In these verses, Moses tells Aaron everything God has said to him, and they set out to do what God has asked of them.
Today, however, we have no need for a burning bush to declare God’s intentions for our lives. It’s all there in the Bible, written in its pages for all Christians of all time to believe and obey. We will respond one way or another — either by rejecting Him or obeying Him. Which will you choose?
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