The Voice Of One

The Voice of One (Luke 3:1-6, Psalm 29)

The Voice of One Surpasses (vs.3)

Upon the waters (in Hebrew = above the waters)

Genesis 1:6-8,

Job 41 talks of a leviathan that was a serpent that lived in water. This is obviously Satan (Job 41:34 “He beholdeth all high things: He is a king over all the children of pride.” ) He lives in water, but not on the earth (Isaiah 27:1 “In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword Shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, Even leviathan that crooked serpent; And he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.” ) God’s voice surpasses that of the voice of the prince of the power of the air!

Surpasses all other voice, is above all others voice

John 7:46 “The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.”

Matthew 7:29 “For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

God spoke and it was done.

The Voice of One Strikes (vs.3 b-4)

You can’t have thunder without lightning! His voice is likened unto a storm of lightning and thunder.

Powerful

a lightning strike’s temp is approximately 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit (5 times hotter than the sun).

The speed of a lightning strike is 270,000 mph while the visible flash of lightning appears to travel at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second)

Lightning strikes can deliver tremendous force, ranging from 300 million to 1 billion and 10,000 to 20,000 amps (household is 120 volts and 15 amps which equals to 2.5 million houses.

While not a physical force in the way of push or pull, the immense electrical energy and heat generated can split objects (Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”), cause explosions (1 Thessalonians 1:5 “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.” ), and create powerful ground currents.

Ground current - Ground current, a dangerous consequence of lightning strikes, refers to the electrical current that flows along the ground surface when lightning strikes a tree or other object. This current can travel considerable distances, posing a risk to anyone nearby.

Acts 2:37 “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

Acts 7:54 “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.”

Acts 9:5 “And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

The Voice of One is Splendid (vs.4)

Majesty inspires awe or reverence in the beholder (storm watching, storm chasing, etc)

Like a lion that roars and strikes fear into the other animals of the wild.

Matthew 17:5–6 “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.”

The Voice of One Shatters (vs.5)

Cedars of Lebanon in bible days could reach heights of 120 feet and a trunk circumference of up to 40 feet.

Breaketh - to be forcefully caused to separate into pieces or fragments.

Just like it was nothing, the voice of the Lord obliterated these cedars of Lebanon.

Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”

The gospel is able to change and to break the hardest of hearts. When the Lord’s voice is heard, it breaks far stouter hearts than the cedars of Lebanon.

Testimony of the son of Sam.

also known as the Son of Sam and the .44 Caliber Killer, is an American serial killer who pled guilty to perpetrating eight shootings in New York City between July 1976 and July 1977, which resulted in six fatalities. He confessed to all of them, and initially claimed to have been obeying the orders of a demon manifested in the form of a black dog belonging to his neighbor, "Sam".

David Berkowitz, and I am a prison inmate who was incarcerated in 1977. I have been sentenced to prison for 365 consecutive years. My criminal case is well known and was called the Son of Sam Shootings. Ever since I was a small child, my life seemed to be filled with torment. I would often have seizures in which I would roll on the floor. Sometimes furniture would get knocked over. When these attacks came, it felt as if something was entering me. I continually worried and frightened my parents because I behaved so strangely. At times, I would go the entire day without talking to them. I would stay in my room talking to myself. My parents could not reach me, not even with all of their love. Many times I saw them break down and cry because they saw that I was such a tormented person. I also felt powerful urges to step in front of moving cars or throw myself in front of subway trains. At times, those urges were so strong that my body actually trembled. I remember that it was a tremendous struggle for me to hold on to my sanity. In 1975, however, I met some guys at a party who were, I later found out, heavily involved in the occult. I had always been fascinated with witchcraft, satanism, and occult things since I was a child. When I was growing up, I watched countless horror and satanic movies. Now I was age 22 and this evil force was still reaching out to me. Everywhere I went, there seemed to be a sign or a symbol pointing me to Satan. I felt as if something were trying to take control of my life. I began to read the Satanic Bible by the late Anton LaVey who founded the Church of Satan in San Francisco in 1966. I began, innocently, to practice various occult rituals and incantations. I am utterly convinced that something satanic had entered into my mind and that, looking back at all that happened, I realize that I had been slowly deceived. I did not know that bad things were going to result from all this. Yet over the months, the things that were wicked no longer seemed to be such. I was headed down the road to destruction and I did not know it. Maybe I was at a point where I just didn’t care anymore. Eventually, I crossed that invisible line of no return. After years of mental torment, behavioral problems, deep inner struggles and my own rebellious ways, I became the criminal that, at the time, it seemed as if it was my destiny to become. In 1978, I was sentenced to about 365 consecutive years, virtually burying me alive behind prison walls. When I first entered the prison system, I was placed in isolation. I was then sent to a psychiatric hospital because I was declared temporarily insane. Eventually I was sent to other prisons, including the infamous Attica. Ten years into my prison sentence and feeling despondent and without hope, another inmate came up to me one day as I was walking the prison yard on a cold winter’s night. He introduced himself and began to tell me that Jesus Christ loved me and wanted to forgive me. Although I knew he meant well, I mocked him because I did not think that God would ever forgive me or that He would want anything to do with me. Still this man persisted and we became friends. His name was Rick, and we would walk the yard together. Little by little, he would share with me about his life and what he believed Jesus had done for him. He kept reminding me that no matter what a person did, Christ stood ready to forgive if that individual would be willing to turn from the bad things they were doing and would put their full faith and trust in Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross by dying for our sins. He gave me a Gideon’s Pocket Testament and asked me to read the Psalms. I did. Every night I would read from them. And it was at this time that the Lord was quietly melting my stone-cold heart. One night, I was reading Psalm 34. I came upon the 6th verse, which says, "This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles." It was at that moment, in 1987, that I began to pour out my heart to God. Everything seemed to hit me at once. The guilt from what I did... the disgust at what I had become... late that night in my cold cell, I got down on my knees and I began to cry out to Jesus Christ. I told Him that I was sick and tired of doing evil. I asked Jesus to forgive me for all my sins. I spent a good while on my knees praying to Him. When I got up, it felt as if a very heavy but invisible chain that had been around me for so many years was broken. A peace flooded over me. I did not understand what was happening. But in my heart I just knew that my life, somehow, was going to be different. Many years have gone by since I had that first talk with the Lord. So many good things have happened in my life since. Jesus Christ has allowed me to start an outreach ministry right here in the prison, where I have been given permission by prison officials to work in the Special Needs Unit where men who have various emotional and coping problems are housed. I can pray with them as we read our Bibles together. I get the chance to show them a lot of brotherly love and compassion. I have also worked as the Chaplain’s clerk and I also have a letter writing ministry. You see, I am not sharing this message to simply tell you an interesting story. Rather, I want you to taste the goodness of God in my life, a man who was once a devil worshiper and a murderer, to show you that Jesus Christ is about forgiveness, hope and change. I was involved in the occult and I got burned. I became a cruel killer and threw away my life as well as destroyed the lives of others. Now I have discovered that Christ is my answer and my hope. He broke the chains of mental confusion and depression that had me bound. Today I have placed my life in His hands. I only wish I knew Jesus before all these crimes happened - they would not have happened.

The Voice of One Splits (vs.7)

Divideth - to strike with a sharp tool to cut.

The clouds from the storm are cut or hewed so as to make openings or paths for the lightning.

The Lord’s voice cleaves the clouds and cuts out paths for the flames of fire.

Matthew 24:27–30 “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

Revelation 19:11–16 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

How easy would it be for the Lord to burn us up here, but he holds back the lightning so we can live!

The Voice of One Shakes (vs.8)

Shaketh - to move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways; often as a sign of fear or anguish.

The wilderness - the places most desolate, where it seems there is no presence of God

When no sound of man was heard, the voice of God is heard. Solitary and barren places shake and shatter at the voice of God (James 2:19 “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” )

Acts 16:25–31 “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

Acts 24:24–25 “And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”

The Voice of One is Surreal (vs.9)

Hinds to calve - makes deer to be terrified and tremble so that they run to hide in the forest.

Genesis 3:7–10 “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

Because we heard God speak to us, we speak of his glory!

John the Baptist was the voice of one. Christ declared him as a “burning and a shining light.” Is the world hearing your voice, or the voice of one?