Rockwall, TX (September 24, 2025) – Elsie recently joined the weekly Bible study group I attend. Her longer, foreign name is harder to say. She’s lived in the US for a dozen or so years and speaks nearly perfect English—especially for those familiar with a South African accent.
I enjoy listening to Elsie, especially her drawn-out affirmative, yeass. She articulates her words, and I mostly understand her. Sometimes I’ll ask her to repeat a word or explain one. Other times, I’ll just let her words pass by me, assuming I’ve caught her meaning.
To avoid confusion, we may sometimes evade conversations with those who have a foreign accent. Or we listen distractedly, knowing we won’t understand them well. Likewise, would-be believers might avoid speaking with God—as if he cannot or does not communicate clearly.
The fact is that God not only knows our language perfectly but speaks by mouth, which may sound strange to those with an ethereal image of him—spirit only. For sure, “God is spirit” (John 4:24*), yet he created man in his image. And the Son sent to earth to save us, “is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).
Throughout the Bible, men and women attested to hearing God speak, beginning with Adam and Eve in the garden in Eden (Genesis chapters 2 and 3). Afterward, God spoke selectively to the offspring of that first couple since few walked in his ways. God favored the righteous man Noah (Gen. 6:9) with clear, detailed instructions for survival in the flood that would destroy the wicked inhabitants of that day.
Abraham and others also heard God’s voice, but perhaps Moses exceeds them all in sheer volume of words, having received God’s laws and commandments. The most literal Bible versions say that God spoke clearly to Moses, “mouth-to-mouth,” though Moses saw only the form of God, not his face (Numbers 12:8).
Poor Moses had his hands full of rebellious, complaining people on their journey to the promised land. To help their belief, God allowed the multitude to gather at the foot of a mountain to hear him speak to them from a burning fire (Deuteronomy 4:10 – 12).
God later communicated through his prophets until the arrival of the Messiah whose coming they foretold. He then spoke openly. At Jesus’ public baptism, “a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased’” (Mark 1:11).
God spoke from a bright cloud after the disciple Peter wrongly equated Jesus with the prophets Moses and Elijah. Immediately, Peter, James, and John—terrified—fell on their faces when they heard God’s words of correction, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Matthew 17:4 – 6).
As the hour of his crucifixion approached, Jesus prayed, “Father, glorify your name.” A voice from heaven above answered, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” Some in the crowd said it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus explained, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine” (John 12:28 – 30).
“In these last days God has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:2), though it seems that not everyone hears him speak clearly. We might be confused, or let God’s words pass by us, assuming we won’t understand their meaning.
So, if you’ve tried to read the Bible before and it seemed like mere rumblings—all thunder and no rain—you should try again. And consider falling face-down before him. It’s an excellent posture for hearing from God.
*All scriptures ESV Bible
By Patti Richter. Patti writes and edits Christian faith articles and has co-authored Signs of His Presence: Experiencing God’s Comfort in Times of Suffering (March 2019). Read more of her essays at blueribbonnews.com/category/faith.
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Patti Richter, On Faith: God Still Speaks to Those Who Listen added by Melanie M on
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