There are numerous ways God speaks or communicates with His creation. His methods range from direct and dramatic interventions to more subtle, internal promptings. Let’s look at how God does this.
The Bible (Written Word)
We consider our Bible to be the inspired word of God. It can be the primary and most authoritative way God communicates to us. We see it as God-breathed, providing guidance, instruction, correction, and revelation of His character and will for humanity.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17)1NIV New International Version Translations – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Creation (Nature)
The natural world is a testament to God’s existence, power, and divine nature. The beauty, order, and complexity of the universe declare His glory, making His presence evident to all. Kind David eloquently stated, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day, they pour forth speech; night after night, they reveal knowledge. They have no speech; they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens, God has pitched a tent for the sun (Psalm 19:1-4).”
(Romans 1:20) – ” For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
The Holy Spirit
To every Christian, there is an inner witness, a still, small voice. We refer to this as the Holy Spirit, a part of our Triune God. The Holy Spirit is central to experiencing God’s communication. This can manifest as a simple inner prompting, a firm conviction, a sense of peace, or that “still, small voice” in one’s thoughts and heart. The Holy Spirit can lead us into truth, remind us of God’s teachings, and provide discernment for our daily decisions.
How does the Holy Spirit lead us into truth? By reaffirming God’s teachings and reminding us of what God has already revealed or is about to reveal. The Holy Spirit provides insight and foresight, which we can use in our daily decisions and for discernment. Finally, the Holy Spirit convicts hearts and minds.
(John 16:13) – “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”
Jesus Christ (The Word Incarnate)
Jesus is regarded as the ultimate manifestation of God’s communication. His life, teachings, death, and resurrection serve as the clearest revelation of God’s nature and His plan for saving humanity. God took on human form so that we could connect with His call and will for us. “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe” (Hebrews 1:1-2).
(John 1:14) – “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Dreams and Visions
Throughout history and in religious texts, God has communicated with individuals through dreams and visions, often conveying future events, warnings, or specific instructions. We call these Prophetic Insights.
- Dreams: There are at least 21 instances where God communicated through dreams explicitly mentioned in the Bible. Many of these figures are mentioned in Genesis (e.g., Jacob, Joseph, Pharaoh, and Abimelech), and six are referenced in Matthew (concerning Joseph, Mary, and the Wise Men regarding Jesus) and in Acts (concerning Peter). Other notable dreamers include Solomon and Nebuchadnezzar.
- Visions: The term “vision” is used frequently, with one reference source stating it appears 86 times in the Old Testament and 15 times in the New Testament. While not all of these are direct divine communications, many are. The book by Daniel alone uses the term “vision” 22 times. The book of Acts records at least 21 instances of visions and dreams. Key figures who received visions include Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Peter, Paul, and John (in Revelation).
(Numbers 12:6) – “He said, ‘Listen to my words: When there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, reveal myself to them in visions; I speak to them in dreams.’”
Angels
Messengers (Angels) are often depicted as divine messengers, delivering specific messages or warnings from God to His people. To find examples, we can look to the Gospel of Luke, where Gabriel announces two significant births.
- The Annunciation of John the Baptist’s Birth to Zechariah
(Luke 1:11; 13; 19) – “Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 2While not explicitly named “Gabriel” here initially, the angel identifies himself later. But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.’ The angel said, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.”
- The Annunciation of Jesus’ Birth to Mary
(Luke 1:26; 31-33) – “In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,”…..You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus..…He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
Direct Speech (Audible Voice)
While less common in modern times, biblical accounts include instances where God spoke directly and audibly to individuals.
- Old Testament
- Moses and the Burning Bush (Exodus 3:1-22): God appears to Moses in a burning bush that is not consumed by the fire and speaks to him, commissioning him to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. This is a powerful visual and auditory manifestation.
- Mount Sinai and the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19-20): God speaks to the entire nation of Israel from Mount Sinai, using thunder, lightning, and a loud trumpet blast, to give them the Ten Commandments. The people are terrified by the sound of God’s voice and ask Moses to intercede on their behalf.
- God speaking “face to face” with Moses (Numbers 12:6-8): “With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD.” This highlights a unique and direct communication that Moses had with God.
- Balaam and the Talking Donkey (Numbers 22:21-35): God uses a talking donkey to speak to Balaam, a prophet, when Balaam is going astray. This is a very unusual and undeniable example of God intervening through physical means.
- Samuel’s Call (1 Samuel 3:1-11) As a young boy, Samuel repeatedly hears a voice calling his name. He initially thinks it’s Eli, the priest, but Eli eventually realizes it’s the Lord speaking to Samuel. This demonstrates God’s direct call to individuals.
- New Testament
- Jesus’ Baptism (Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22): As Jesus is baptized, the heavens open, the Spirit descends like a dove, and a voice from heaven declares, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” This audible declaration is heard by those present.
- The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35): On the mountain of transfiguration, while Jesus is with Peter, James, and John, a bright cloud covers them, and a voice from the cloud says, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!“
- Paul’s Conversion (Acts 9:3-7; Acts 22:6-9; Acts 26:12-18): On the road to Damascus, Saul (later Paul) encounters a blinding light and hears a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” While those with him see the light, only Paul clearly hears the voice.
Other People
- Prophets and Teachers: God can use other individuals, such as prophets, pastors, friends, or even strangers, to deliver messages, provide encouragement, or offer wise counsel.
- Community and Fellowship: Through the collective wisdom and discernment of a faith community, believers can often perceive God’s leading.
Circumstances and Events
Divine Providence: God can communicate His will or redirect paths through life circumstances, both favorable and challenging. Events can serve as lessons, confirmations, or indicators of God’s direction. As an example: “Joseph said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done—the saving of many lives.‘” (Genesis 50:19-20) Joseph recognized that even though his brothers intended evil by selling him into slavery, God sovereignly worked through those difficult circumstances and events to bring about a greater good (saving many lives during the famine). This demonstrates how God can communicate His purpose and will through the unfolding of life’s events.
Conclusion
Here are a few more ways God is sometimes believed to communicate with humanity. Beyond just the initial creation, some believe God communicates through the ongoing intricate design, beauty, and consistent laws of the natural world, revealing His character and wisdom. God speaks to individuals through their inner conscience, providing a moral compass or a strong sense of right and wrong, or through a personal, internal prompting. This is a source of wisdom that leads to Revelation, humanity’s response to natural laws that align with common sense. Within history, specific, undeniable miracles or supernatural occurrences are often seen as direct, unmistakable communications from God. And for some, God’s communication can be profoundly experienced through the inspiration found in music, visual art, literature, or other creative expressions that evoke a sense of the divine.
Contemplations
- Given the diverse and profound ways God communicates as described in this study – from the authoritative written Word to the subtle promptings of the Holy Spirit, and from grand historical interventions to the intricate beauty of creation – what might be the implications for our spiritual growth and daily lives if we prioritize one method of hearing God over all others, and conversely, what benefits might we experience by actively cultivating a posture of listening across all these channels?
- Ideas to Explore: Consider how exclusively relying on only the written Word, while foundational, might lead to a rigid legalism or an inability to discern God’s specific, timely guidance in unique situations not explicitly detailed in scripture. What if a “still, small voice” is needed, or a providential circumstance is a sign, but we’ve trained ourselves to only look in one place?
- 1NIV New International Version Translations
- 2While not explicitly named “Gabriel” here initially, the angel identifies himself later.