Does God still speak today?

                                            

For most that read this question they would say “of course God still speaks to us today”. To most this is a silly question, but I would like to analyze it for a moment.

I’m asking the question in light of the Bible. When we read the phrase, “The word of the Lord came to me saying…”, That phrase was authoritative. The men that heard that phrase knew the Lord was speaking to them, and recorded what they heard.

These men were Leaders, Judges, Prophets, Kings, Apostles of Jesus, and other Disciples.

            

But, it is important we ask the question, Is God speaking to us in the same manner now that He spoke back then?

Certain men in scripture heard God speak audibly to them like we speak to one another. Many believe God speaks audibly to them today. How do they know it’s God, and not some other force or spirit leading them astray?

God through Moses gives this litmus test in Deuteronomy 18:18-22 he says, “I will raise a Prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And whosoever will not listen to my words, I will require it of him. But the Prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods that same prophet shall die. And if you say in your heart, “How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?” – when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true (emphasis added), that is a word the Lord HAS NOT SPOKEN; the prophet has spoken presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him.

Any word that God has genuinely spoken through his servants will/must come to pass – every time! God never speaks an idle word.

God told Jeremiah I will be with your mouth, and that He put His words in the mouth of the Prophet (Jeremiah 1:9).

In Isaiah 6:7 we see an angel from heaven taking a hot coal with tongs from the heavenly altar touching the lips of Isaiah signifying his sins had been forgiven. This was Isaiah’s ordination for his prophetic office – meaning Isaiah was now fit to be God’s mouthpiece.

These three men and many others in scripture received direction revelation from God. What they declared was 100 percent correct, because they were spokesman for God. The words they spoke were always God’s words – never their own.

Jesus said in John 6:38 said, “For I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.”

Jesus in John 12:50b said that, “What I say therefore I say as the Father has told me.”

So, in the light of the aforementioned, how should we respond to someone now when they say” the Holy Spirit told me…”

That person with or without knowing it is declaring that they are receiving direct revelation from God; just the like prophets of old. This is a frightening thing when we consider God’s revelation/canon is finished. There is nothing left to be revealed by God. We have  a completed text from Genesis to Revelation. What more needs to be said?

Those that are claiming to have a word from the Lord are in essence saying that God is still speaking like He did in the Old and New Testaments. This means since we have a closed canon/bible, there are currently extra-biblical revelations going on; people are claiming to speak in the name of the Lord when He IS NOT speaking to them at all. This makes those that claimed to be speaking false prophets (2 Peter 2:1).

Point blank, the writer does not believe God is dispensing new revelation through anyone, because we have a closed, completed canon of scripture.

Think about it, what more information is there to reveal when the last book of the Bible (The Revelation) clearly describes what will happen in the future and for all of eternity?

Concluding, does God still speak to us? Yes through his holy revealed Word. I believe He can also speak to us inaudibly in our spirits. Consider John 14:26, “But the Helper the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

The Spirit will only teach us the words of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit guides us in all truth because He is Truth (John 16:12-13). Contrary to that is not the Spirit of Christ, but the spirit of the antichrist (I John 4:3; 2 John 7).

A third way God speaks to us audibly is through the wise godly counsel of fellow believers (Psalm 119:24; Proverbs 1:5; 11:14; 15:22).

So, if someone approaches you and claims to have a word from the Lord, I would be very careful (the writer is extremely skeptical of this), examine carefully what they say against revealed scripture and see if the thing uttered comes to pass (I Thess 5:21; I John 4:1).

One last passage in Amos 3:7, “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.” Since all are not prophets of God, God could not have spoken to every person directly in that fashion.

When God spoke to the man of God, the prophet prophesied to the people.

All the prophets are dead. Hebrews says in these last days God has spoken to us by His Son the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb 1:2).

Jesus exceeds all the prophets for He is their creator and redeemer.

We in the church do prophesy today, not new revelation directly from God, but canonical revelation directly from God through his prophets of old who recorded God’s words – Holy Scripture.