Are You Listening to God?
Charles Maples, Sr.
The Inspired writer of Hebrews tells us that “God…has spoken to us…” and that “…we ought to GIVE MORE EARNEST HEED to the things which we have heard..!” (Hebrews 1:1f & 2:1f) Jesus promised His apostles that the Holy Spirit would “…guide (them) into ALL TRUTH.” ( Jn. 16:13ff) We are assured by the apostle Paul that by the Inspired Scriptures we are “completely furnished unto every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16f)
In addition to these, and an abundance of other Scriptures, our God wishes to SPEAK UNTO US everything that is needed (See Deut. 29:29) to prepare us that we might be with Him in Heaven when this life is over. In addition to that, we are assured that “…when (we) read it, we may understand” all that we need to know. (Eph. 4:3-4)
We read the words of Jesus in John 8:31,32, that “If (we) continue in His Word, (we can be his) disciples, indeed,” (and that we can) “know the Truth, and the Truth will make (us) free!” Then when we read in Matthew 7:13-14 that only “few will go in thereat (that is, Heaven), we might ask, “What’s The Problem?” Whereas God has given His “Only begotten Son,” that our sins might be forgiven (See Jn. 3:16; Heb. 2:9; Eph. 1:7, etc.), then why will only “few” be Eternally Saved?
THE ANSWER is really implied in a very sad statement made by God in Jeremiah 16:12, wherein God says, “NO ONE LISTENS TO ME!” On one occasion, when God plead with Israel to seek for “the Old Paths…walk therein…” their response was, “we will not walk therein!” He then urged, “…listen to the sound of the trumpet (His warnings!)…” They replied, “…we will not listen!” (Jer. 6:16f) Can you imagine such a calloused way to REPLY TO GOD, WHO “Gives us life, and breath, and all things?”
In a very sad sound of exasperation, the God of heaven said, further in that same book of Jeremiah (16:12), “And you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, each one walks according to the imagination of his own evil heart, so that NO ONE LISTENS TO ME!”
WHY SHOULDN’T EVERYONE “LISTEN” TO GOD? Any skilled craftsman; carpenter, machinist, etc., who “creates” something, expects that “something” to serve the purpose for which he made it. In His Book, it is Jehovah God who is speaking to those creations whom He was pleased to Make in “His own image!” The Psalmist says of us [guided by the Holy Spirit], “It is He who made us, and not we ourselves.”(Ps. 100:3) It is “in Him that we live and move and have our very being!” (Acts 17:28) Then, keep in mind that ALL that He says to us is FOR OUR OWN GOOD; not the good of Him who speaks!
BUT OF WHOM WAS HE SPEAKING in Jer. 16:12? He was not speaking of the Atheist, who says, “there is no God” (Psa 14:1). This was not said to/of those who thought there were “many gods and many lords” (I Cor. 8:5) This was not said to/of the Humanist, who says there is no higher power than SELF!
GOD WAS THERE SPEAKING OF HIS OWN PEOPLE, ISRAEL! And we might respond, “What A Tragedy! How could they be so calloused, when God had done so much for them?” But, when we bring this principle to its practical application, on a present-day, and individual basis, HOW TRAGICALLY applicable it is of many of His people TODAY! – “the Israel of God!” (Gal. 6:16) Many are NOT LISTENING TO HIM!
When God says, “Seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Do we “…give the more earnest heed?” (Heb. 2:1) How many things in our lives come BEFORE HIM & HIS CAUSE? When He says, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Do we “LISTEN?” When our Maker says, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, THIS IS THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN!” (Ecc. 12:13), DO WE PAY ATTENTION??
When God, Almighty; our Father; urges, “…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2), do we “listen to Him?” When He challenges, “Test all things; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil”(I Thess. 5:21-22). Do we “pay attention?” When He pleads, “Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (I Cor. 15:58). Do we “listen to Him?”
Inspiration tells us that Christ “left us an example, that we should walk in His steps…” (I Pet. 2:21), and that “He who says he abides in Him, ought himself also to WALK JUST AS HE WALKED.” (I Jn. 2:6) But Jesus says, “…I came down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent me.” (Jn. 6:38) And again, “…I ALWAYS do those things that please Him.” (Jn. 8:29) Jesus ALWAYS “listened;” paid attention; to His Father! THAT is our EXAMPLE! Are we “listening” to Him?
Remember, whether we “listen” to Him while here, will make the difference as to what we will HEAR from Him at the Judgment! – whether it will be “come ye blessed,” or “depart from Me!” (Matt. 25:34, 41) Abel listened to God; his brother, Cain, did not! Just consider the different results! Are we “LISTENING?” Or, are we among those of whom God said, “No one listens to me?” HEAR HIM, in a solemn warning in Hebrews 12:25 (which is an extension of that in verses one and two!), “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, MUCH MORE SHALL WE NOT ESCAPE if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven…!”
“God .. has spoken unto us through His Son.” (Heb. 1:1-2) and He says, “HEAR YE HIM,” (Matt.17:5) God, the Father has given unto the Son, “all authority” (Matt. 28:18), therefore, to “hear Him” is to hear His Father. He says, “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature, he who believes and is baptized shall be saved, he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mk. 16:15-16) – ARE YOU LISTENING?
Yes, it is sad to know that people in Jeremiah’s day were refusing to “Listen” to God! But it is much more so today; when we know that His “Only begotten Son” HAS DIED in our stead! AND, yes, He did that for “the whole world,” (cf. I Jn. 2:2), but note that John says, “He is the propitiation for OUR SINS..” and if we want the benefits of that blood we are urged that we must “WALK IN THE LIGHT, AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT!” (I Jn. 1:7), and we can do that ONLY IF WE “LISTEN TO HIM!” “The Light” is His Word! – Ps.119:105. ARE YOU/AM I “LISTENING?”