Does God Still Speak Audibly?
During a recent Question and Answer night in our college ministry, one student wanted to know if we can expect God to speak to us with an audible voice. It’s a good question, and here is what I said.
Can we hear God’s voice audibly? The short answer is possibly, but…
Possibly
This is one of those questions that I simply don’t feel entitled to answer with a blanket yes or no. Is God able to communicate to us through a supernatural, disembodied voice? I see no reason why not. In fact, we have several examples of something very much like that in the Bible:
In Exodus 3:14, Moses hears God’s voice speak to him from the burning bush.
In 1 Samuel 3:4, God calls out to Samuel in an audible voice that Samuel mistakes for Eli.
In 1 Kings 19:9-18, God speaks multiple times to Elijah as he hides in a cave.
In Acts 9:4, Jesus speaks to Saul on the road to Damascus.
In each of these cases, God speaks audibly and without a messenger.
But…
Though it is clearly within God’s power to communicate this way, there is a ‘but’ that follows. God CAN speak to us this way, BUT we should not rely on the hope of direct communication for the growth and validation of our faith. We have several reasons from Scripture why God may not speak audibly to us, and why we should continue to trust His Word anyway.
First, we do have a Word from God. Second Timothy 3:16 instructs us that “all Scripture is inspired by God.” Since we have this Word from God, we do not need to depend on an additional, audible Word from God in order to establish our faith.
Second, this Word is ALL the Word we need from God. Hebrews 1:2 tells us that “In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son.” Additionally, 2 Peter 1:3 teaches us that in Jesus, God “has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” The Word we have from God is entirely sufficient for life and godliness.
Third, if God did speak to us audibly, He would certainly not contradict His Word. “God is not a man, that He might lie, or a son of man, that He might change His mind,” Numbers 23:19 tells us.
Given these reasons, we ought to seek to know God’s Word, given to us in the Bible. We should seek to know it intimately. God may speak to us audibly if He wishes, but He has spoken clearly already through this Word.
If we will primarily seek to know God through His written Word, then…
If God does not speak audibly, we will still grow in faith through the reading and understanding of His Word.
If God does speak audibly, we will recognize His voice:
“The gatekeeper opens [the gate] for [the Shepherd], and the sheep hear His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out … My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:3, 27.
So could God speak to His people with an audible voice? Certainly He could. Should we expect it? In most cases, probably not. The best pastoral advice if you seek to hear from God is summed up by Justin Peters:
“Want to hear God speak to you? Read your Bible. Want to hear God speak to you audibly? Read it out loud!”
