Communication (2)

God communicates with people

Through his creation

Psalm 19:1–4 ASV

The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language; Their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

See also Ro 1:20

Through the Scriptures

2 Peter 1:20–21 ASV

knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation. For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.

See also Je 36:2; Eze 1:3; Zec 7:12; 2 Ti 3:16

Through his Son

Jn 1:18; Heb 1:1–3

See also Jn 1:14; Col 1:15; Col 2:9

Through the human conscience

Jn 8:9; Ro 2:14–15

Through the providential ordering of life

Ac 14:16–17; Ac 17:26–27

Through angelic appearances

Jdg 6:11–12; Jdg 13:3; Zec 1:9; Mt 1:20; Lk 1:11–13; Lk 1:28; Lk 2:9–11; Ac 8:26; Re 1:1

Through dreams

1 Ki 3:5; Da 7:1; Mt 2:13

Through visions

Is 1:1; Eze 11:24–25; Da 8:1; Ob 1–21; Ac 10:3; Ac 10:9–17

Through a donkey

Numbers 22:27–31 ASV

And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff. And Jehovah opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me, I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed thee. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden all thy life long unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? and he said, Nay. Then Jehovah opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.

Through miracles

Jn 11:25; Jn 11:43–44; Ac 2:22 The miracles of Jesus Christ were not merely wonderful occurrences; they were also signs that conveyed spiritual truth.

God has communicated directly with individuals

Exodus 3:2–6 ASV

And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when Jehovah saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

See also Ex 33:9; Ex 33:21; 1 Ki 19:12–13

Jesus Christ and communication

Jesus Christ communicated his Father’s will

John 12:49 ASV

For I spake not from myself; but the Father that sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

See also Jn 14:9–10; Jn 14:24; Jn 15:15; Jn 17:8

Jesus Christ used parables in order to communicate with some but not with others

Mk 4:10–12; Is 6:9–10; Jn 9:39

The Holy Spirit and communication

John 16:15 ASV

All things whatsoever the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he taketh of mine, and shall declare it unto you.

See also Jn 14:26; Jn 15:26; Jn 16:8; Jn 16:13; Ro 8:16; Ga 4:6; 1 Jn 3:24

Christians are to communicate the good news to other people

Luke 24:46–48 ASV

and he said unto them, Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Ye are witnesses of these things.

See also Mt 10:7; Mt 28:19–20; Mk 6:12; Mk 16:15; Mk 16:20; Ac 1:8; Ac 4:20; Ac 20:27; Ac 26:17–20; Ro 10:14–15; 1 Th 1:8

The failure of communication

Inadequate perception of the truth

Mark 8:16–21 ASV

And they reasoned one with another, saying, We have no bread. And Jesus perceiving it saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? do ye not yet perceive, neither understand? have ye your heart hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces took ye up? And they say unto him, Seven. And he said unto them, Do ye not yet understand?

See also Mk 4:13; Jn 1:10; Jn 8:27; Jn 10:6; Jn 13:22; Jn 14:9; Jn 16:18

Wilful rejection of the truth

Ephesians 4:18 ASV

being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart;

See also Jn 8:44; Jn 8:47; Ro 1:21–25; Heb 3:12–13