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Thoughts on God’s Communication

God communicates with his creation, specifically humans.  This is proved, theologically accurate and true.  For thousands of years people have known what God has wanted from them.  There have been true prophets who actually spoke for God.  Some of their works are in our Bible.  There have also been false prophets who spoke their own words or the words of a deceiving spirit.  Some of their stories are also in the Bible.  King Ahab, for example, was lured to his death in battle by a group of false prophets.

Today God is not silent.  There are four specific ways God can communicate with people today and they are:

1. Voice:  God has a voice.  From time to time he will speak so that people can hear it.  He does this sparingly with large spaces of silence between them.  The last time God the Father’s voice was heard in the Bible (not counting Revelation) was at the Transfiguration.  Some have said that God has not spoken in an audible voice for 2,000 years.  Yet God can.  God can also speak so that only specific individuals hear him.  This seems to be the way he spoke to Isaiah.  God’s voice we in Isaiah’s head, perhaps.  God also caused a donkey to speak.  One could argue that Balaam’s donkey was God speaking through the donkey, maybe.
2. Video and Pictures:  God speaks through dreams and visions.  A dream is a sleeping vision and a vision is a waking dream.  For the purpose of God communicating, they are the same.  Habakkuk saw a vision of Babylon invading Jerusalem, which is recorded in his book.  Joel 2:28 says that when God pours out his spirit, there will be prophets and young men will have visions and old men will have dreams.  The book of Revelation is a vision given to John.  When God gives a vision or a dream it is not confusing or so symbolic that it pulls people away from Christ.  Some will argue that Revelation is symbolic and confusing.  I would say that whatever it is, Christ is the center of the action.  Joseph and Daniel were used by God to interpret dreams in the Old Testament.
3. Moving of the Holy Spirit:  Since Pentecost, People have said that God speaks through their desires, plans, impulses and thoughts.  No precise words or pictures, just a guidance or a leading.  That would be the work of the Holy Spirit.  It certainly is a communication but I would not rely on every impulse coming from God.
4. The Bible.  99.99999999999% of the communication God has for you is through reading and studying the Bible.  The Holy Spirit illuminates and gives understanding and God speaks through his word.   If God did not speak, gave no visions or dreams and did not give impulse guidance we would have everything we need for faith and godliness in the Bible.  Read it, study it and know it.  Let God speak through his eternal, inerrant, holy word.

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