When God speaks, people should listen.

Passage: Hebrews 1:1-2

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,  

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. [1]

Introduction: Perhaps the most compelling part of television programming is the commercials. Advertisers have inserted “hidden persuaders” within interesting television advertisements. One of my favorite commercials was from E. F. Hutton. The commercial pictured people in a busy airport terminal. Two men talked amid the noisy chaos of bustling humanity. One man said to the other, “My broker is E. F. Hutton, and E. F. Hutton says, . . .” With the mention of the name, people froze in their tracks, stopped talking, and leaned in to hear what E. F. Hutton said. The commercial closed with the axiom, “When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen.”

The author of Hebrews starts with the idea that when God speaks, people should listen. In the first two verses alone, the author uses the words “spoke” (v. 1) and “spoken” (v. 2) in reference to God. God has spoken. People should listen. In fact, people should push aside every other voice to hear what God is saying. Let’s stop for a few moments and listen while God speaks through his Word.

I. God speaks in a progressive manner (vv. 1–2).

God spoke to people in ancient times.

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Heb. 1:1–2 NIV).

A. The emphasis in verse 1 is on how God spoke in ancient times.

I. The Lord spoke at “many times” and in “various ways.

II. ” The expression “many times” depicts God’s progressive revelation of himself through the years.

III. The Bible records God speaking to the patriarchs, to Moses, and to the apostles.

IV. God not only spoke at various times. He also spoke in “various ways.

V. ” God spoke in dreams and visions and through miracles, prophets, and priests.

B. God is speaking to people in the present time.

“In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Heb. 1:2 NIV).

I. When Jesus came to earth, God spoke his ultimate Word.

II. The opening statement of the book of Hebrews presents the uniqueness and the supremacy of Jesus Christ.

III.  In times past God’s speaking was not complete, but in these last days, God’s full, completed word is spoken through his Son.

II. God speaks in a crucial manner (Heb. 2:1–4).

A. God’s Word is an important word.

“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away” (Heb. 2:1 NIV).

I. God’s eternal message is so important that it cannot be ignored, dismissed, or forgotten.

II. The author pleads for close attention to God’s Word because of its great importance.

B. God’s Word is a certain word.

“For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?” (Heb. 2:2–3 NIV).

I. When God spoke in ancient days by angels, the words were certain.

a. When God told the angels to announce good news, good news came.

b. When God told the angels to announce judgment, judgment came.

c. God’s Word was certain.

II. Surely if the word through angels was certain, there would be a greater note of certainty with God’s Son.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Two: Greater than Angels (Hebrews 1:4–2:18)

The next time you sing “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” recall that the composer, Robert Robinson, was converted under the mighty preaching of George Whitefield, but that later he drifted from the Lord, He had been greatly used as a pastor, but neglect of spiritual things led him astray. In an attempt to find peace, he began to travel. During one of his journeys, he met a young woman who was evidently very spiritually minded.

“What do you think of this hymn I have been reading?” she asked Robinson, handing him the book. It was his own hymn! He tried to avoid her question but it was hopeless, for the Lord was speaking to him. Finally, he broke down and confessed who he was and how he had been living away from the Lord.

“But these ‘streams of mercy’ are still flowing,” the woman assured him; and through her encouragement, Robinson was restored to fellowship with the Lord.

III. God speaks in an Imploring manner (Heb. 3:7–8, 12–13).

Heb. 3:7–8

7          Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, [2]

Heb. 3:12–13

12       Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.  13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. [3]

A. God compassionately speaks to the people about having hard hearts.

“So, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert’ ” (Heb. 3:7–8 NIV).

I. The Holy Spirit exhorts through Psalm 95 not to develop a hard heart.

a. The psalmist reflects on the unhappy incidents recorded in Exodus 17:1–7 and Numbers 20.

b. These passages record how the Israelites developed a negative spirit in the wilderness about their leader, their diet, and the way they traveled.

c.  In English, the name given to the place of revolt was “Provocation.”

d. God was deeply grieved over Israel’s attitude; and because of this, the psalmist pled earnestly for the people not to develop a hard heart (v. 8).

B. God compassionately speaks to the people about having unbelieving hearts.

I. Listen to God’s warning:

“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God” (Heb. 3:12 NIV).

II. God’s Word has no “take it or leave it” clause.

a. God’s Word is not harsh; rather, we find in it tender compassion.

b. God wants believing hearts.

i. He earnestly appeals for belief.

 “Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Heb. 3:13 NIV).

ii. Sin’s deceitfulness prevents belief, so earnestly and tenderly Jesus speaks words of warning against refusing to open one’s life to the Lord.

IV.          God speaks in a powerful manner (Heb. 4:12–16).

                12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. [4]

God’s Word has the ability to show the inner life of a person.

A. God’s Word has the power of a double-edged sword.

“It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb. 4:12 NIV).

I. God’s Word has the power to effect the innermost part of a person.

a.  It makes us see ourselves as we are.

b. It condemns and convicts us until we acknowledge the seriousness of our sin.

B. God’s Word has the power to point us to Jesus Christ.

I. God calls attention to his Son: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest . . .” (Heb. 4:14 NIV).

a. Human beings are not left in condemnation.

b. Instead, God gives us a great high priest who knows our problems and can help with them.

c. Therefore, people can come boldly and confidently to the Lord to find help.

II. The power of God’s Word is to introduce people to the mercy found in Jesus Christ.

Conclusion:

A father once took his son camping deep in the mountains, far away from the city. That first night, the boy could not sleep. He kept hearing sounds—the wind in the trees, insects buzzing, branches cracking, owls calling. Every noise startled him.

Finally, his father whispered, “Be still for a moment and listen carefully.”

After a few minutes, the father said, “Do you hear that?”

The boy listened harder and finally heard the faint sound of a rushing stream nearby. The father smiled and said, “That water was there the whole time. But all the other noises kept you from noticing it.”

That is the world we live in. There are countless voices—news, entertainment, politics, social media, fears, opinions, temptations—all demanding our attention. It is a noisy world. But above every other voice, God is still speaking through His Word. The question is not whether God speaks; the question is whether we are listening.

The book of Hebrews reminds us that when God speaks, His voice is not just another opinion to consider—it is the voice we must obey.

Many voices are speaking in today’s world; it is a noisy world. In the letter to the Hebrews, God is speaking. And, when God speaks, you should listen.

Crabtree, T. T.. The Zondervan 2026 Pastor's Annual: An Idea and Resource Book (p. 108). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

[1]The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Heb 1:1–2.

[2]The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Heb 3:7–8.

[3]The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Heb 3:12–13.

[4]The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Heb 4:12–16.