The Voice
V is for Voice
1. the sound or sounds uttered through the mouth of living creatures, especially of
human beings in speaking, shouting, singing, etc.
human beings in speaking, shouting, singing, etc.
2. the faculty or power of uttering sounds through the mouth by the controlled
expulsion of air; speech
expulsion of air; speech
3.
Synonyms – cry, sound, speech, statement,
tone, articulation, call, murmur, shout, song, roar
Synonyms – cry, sound, speech, statement,
tone, articulation, call, murmur, shout, song, roar
The first voices
I remember hearing are the voices of my parents in that small farm house in the
panhandle of Oklahoma. In Clinton,
Oklahoma, my two brothers’ voices were added to what I heard. Differences in the voices were clear to
me. One Christmas solo I heard, Star of the East, was sung with a wide
vibrato. I had never heard such singing
before. My Grandfather Suderman, Aunt
Bernice and Uncle Eli’s voices sang that same song with clear voices.
I remember hearing are the voices of my parents in that small farm house in the
panhandle of Oklahoma. In Clinton,
Oklahoma, my two brothers’ voices were added to what I heard. Differences in the voices were clear to
me. One Christmas solo I heard, Star of the East, was sung with a wide
vibrato. I had never heard such singing
before. My Grandfather Suderman, Aunt
Bernice and Uncle Eli’s voices sang that same song with clear voices.
Emory Gasaway,
our minister, baptized me when I was 8 years old. One of his sermons stayed
with me. He described a cliff in detail.
Everyone stood around that cliff.
Inching forward to cross the line, we could peer into the valley of a
huge burning fire. We knew that moving forward
could cause a tumble into everlasting fire.
I always wondered how close to the line I could come before I lost my
balance and lost my soul.
our minister, baptized me when I was 8 years old. One of his sermons stayed
with me. He described a cliff in detail.
Everyone stood around that cliff.
Inching forward to cross the line, we could peer into the valley of a
huge burning fire. We knew that moving forward
could cause a tumble into everlasting fire.
I always wondered how close to the line I could come before I lost my
balance and lost my soul.
After my Dad
died, I returned home one day and found the calendar picture of Dad holding a
harvest of grapes. I realized I had
forgotten my Father’s Voice. No matter
how I tried, the memory was gone. Now the memory of my Mother’s Voice is gone,
too. I can remember the things they
taught me, their words are still with me, but the sound of their voices are
gone.
died, I returned home one day and found the calendar picture of Dad holding a
harvest of grapes. I realized I had
forgotten my Father’s Voice. No matter
how I tried, the memory was gone. Now the memory of my Mother’s Voice is gone,
too. I can remember the things they
taught me, their words are still with me, but the sound of their voices are
gone.
My thoughts about
voices turned toward the Bible. The
written words are there, but not the sound of the voices. How long did Abram remember the voice that
told him to leave Ur of Chaldees? How interesting that Isaac knew the voice of
Jacob’s and not Esau’s, when he came for his birth right. Genesis 27:22
voices turned toward the Bible. The
written words are there, but not the sound of the voices. How long did Abram remember the voice that
told him to leave Ur of Chaldees? How interesting that Isaac knew the voice of
Jacob’s and not Esau’s, when he came for his birth right. Genesis 27:22
The promise of
God to Moses that if he obeys, I will not make you suffer illness, I am the
Lord who heals you, Exodus 15:26
God to Moses that if he obeys, I will not make you suffer illness, I am the
Lord who heals you, Exodus 15:26
And the Lord spoke to you from the heart of
the fire. You heard the sound of his words but didn’t see his form; there was
only a voice. Deuteronomy 4:12
the fire. You heard the sound of his words but didn’t see his form; there was
only a voice. Deuteronomy 4:12
Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone.
Obey his commands, listen to his voice,
and cling to him. Deuteronomy 13:4
Obey his commands, listen to his voice,
and cling to him. Deuteronomy 13:4
Which brings us to the
question what does God’s voice sound like?
How would we know it is God? Even more than our family, God’s voice is a
mystery to us. Yet the Bible describes
his voice in terse and stark terms. Knowing
His Voice may be more a recognition from the heart than from the sound. In today’s world the sound is turned up on TV,
Radio, Ipod, Ipad, earphones, computer, speakers – how could we even manage to
hear God’s Voice?
question what does God’s voice sound like?
How would we know it is God? Even more than our family, God’s voice is a
mystery to us. Yet the Bible describes
his voice in terse and stark terms. Knowing
His Voice may be more a recognition from the heart than from the sound. In today’s world the sound is turned up on TV,
Radio, Ipod, Ipad, earphones, computer, speakers – how could we even manage to
hear God’s Voice?
I Kings 19:11-13 contains
a description of the voice of the Lord to Elijah – “Go out and stand before me on the mountain, the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood
there, the Lord passed
by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that
the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was
not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the
earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after
the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he
wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the
cave.
a description of the voice of the Lord to Elijah – “Go out and stand before me on the mountain, the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood
there, the Lord passed
by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that
the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was
not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the
earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after
the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he
wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the
cave.
Voice of God as described in the
Bible:
Bible:
Thunder > 2 Samuel 22:14 ~ Loud
voice > I Kings 8:55 ~ Echoes above the Sea > Psalm 29:3 ~ Majestic > Psalm 29:4 ~ The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars;
the Lord shatters the
cedars of Lebanon > Psalm 29:5 ~ strikes with bolts of lightning >
voice > I Kings 8:55 ~ Echoes above the Sea > Psalm 29:3 ~ Majestic > Psalm 29:4 ~ The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars;
the Lord shatters the
cedars of Lebanon > Psalm 29:5 ~ strikes with bolts of lightning >
Psalm 29:7 ~ makes the barren wilderness quake;
the Lord shakes the
wilderness of Kadesh > Psalm 29:8 ~ twists mighty oaks and strips the
forests bare > Psalm 29:9 ~ roared like a vast multitude of people. > Daniel 10:6 ~ like waves crashing against the shore >
Ezekiel 1:24 ~ The moving wings of the cherubim sounded like the voice of God Almighty and could
be heard even in the outer courtyard. > Ezekiel 10:5 ~ The Lord’s voice will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem, and the
heavens and the earth will shake > Joel 3:16 ~ For the Lord himself will
come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.
> I Thessalonians 4:16 ~ a loud voice like
a trumpet blast > Revelation 1:10
the Lord shakes the
wilderness of Kadesh > Psalm 29:8 ~ twists mighty oaks and strips the
forests bare > Psalm 29:9 ~ roared like a vast multitude of people. > Daniel 10:6 ~ like waves crashing against the shore >
Ezekiel 1:24 ~ The moving wings of the cherubim sounded like the voice of God Almighty and could
be heard even in the outer courtyard. > Ezekiel 10:5 ~ The Lord’s voice will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem, and the
heavens and the earth will shake > Joel 3:16 ~ For the Lord himself will
come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.
> I Thessalonians 4:16 ~ a loud voice like
a trumpet blast > Revelation 1:10
Is Jesus still calling? Yes. “Look! I stand
at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a
meal together as friends. Revelation
3:20. Today my husband looks at the open
front door. In his Fogged- Dementia/Mind
he told me that he keeps expecting someone really important to come through the
door. Someone who will visit with him
and I was filled with many thoughts. Is
my husband thinking more clearly than I know?
After I named the people who have come through the open door, friends
and family, he said, No. “Not any of those people. I am waiting for the Lord to come through the
door.” My husband is waiting for the voice of the Lord.
at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a
meal together as friends. Revelation
3:20. Today my husband looks at the open
front door. In his Fogged- Dementia/Mind
he told me that he keeps expecting someone really important to come through the
door. Someone who will visit with him
and I was filled with many thoughts. Is
my husband thinking more clearly than I know?
After I named the people who have come through the open door, friends
and family, he said, No. “Not any of those people. I am waiting for the Lord to come through the
door.” My husband is waiting for the voice of the Lord.
I wonder how the shepherds felt when they heard
the voices of the angels announcing the birth of Jesus. Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the
armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God
in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” Luke
2:13-14
the voices of the angels announcing the birth of Jesus. Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the
armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God
in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” Luke
2:13-14
Have you heard the voice of an angel, God’s messengers? Have you heard the nudge/voice of the Holy
Spirit? Or perhaps you have had the
experience of Balaam when his donkey rebuked him in a human voice. Numbers 22:21-28 and 2 Peter 2:16.
Spirit? Or perhaps you have had the
experience of Balaam when his donkey rebuked him in a human voice. Numbers 22:21-28 and 2 Peter 2:16.
The promise is – He is coming, Jesus is coming! We wait for the Word, alive or dead, we will
know. We will hear his Voice. Our hearts
will thrill like never before! “For the Lord himself will come down from
heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.
First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.” I
Thessalonians 4:16
know. We will hear his Voice. Our hearts
will thrill like never before! “For the Lord himself will come down from
heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.
First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.” I
Thessalonians 4:16
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