It’s the great fact of history. God has not left us alone. The same God who, with His words, called light, space, time, life, and matter into existence, also made humanity. Later, Adam and Eve would sin. But before that, God regularly communed with them. The great God of the universe, the One who created all things by the power of His words, walked and talked with His two humans. God spoke, and He listened.
God’s communication did not end with Adam’s sin. He also spoke to succeeding generations. For instance, He spoke to Noah and later to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God renamed Jacob, “Israel.” Through the Children of Israel and its prophets, God spoke to the world, and those words still speak to us today. Israel failed God, but God never failed Israel.
Through the prophets, God spoke momentous things and also things deeply personal. He gave impassioned warnings. He spoke of His own heartbreak at Israel’s callousness toward Him. He lamented the pain they brought upon themselves and their children. He told them about the future — about their near future and about the far future, including things we see happening today.
Hebrews 1:1-3 says, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:”
In His greatest act of communication, God expressed Himself… with Himself. John 1 calls Jesus “the Word.” It says, “The Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). That truth is made possible by God’s triune nature. Jesus is with God, and at the same time, Jesus is God.
Verses 2-4 say, “He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
God has spoken. And His greatest utterance was Himself. Revelation 19:13 says, “His name is called The Word of God.”
And He still speaks. As in Matthew 11:28-30, so today, Jesus says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
If you have not come to Him, His arms are open. Maybe you first came to Him many years ago. You have long known His great salvation. The verse above is also for you. It’s a busy world and a busy time. Metaphorically, the air is full of irritating mosquitos and the water full of killer sharks. You’re busy keeping big and small problems at bay. But don’t forget Him and His invitation. His yoke is easy and His burden light. Turn to Him with whatever burdens you. Experience His loving presence all over again. Listen to His words of comfort. Understand anew His steadfast, unchanging faithfulness. He’s here now. He not only speaks, but He listens.
