God has communicated with humanity in various ways throughout history. As an eternal, omnipotent being, God is capable of speaking to humans through any means He chooses. The primary ways God has spoken to people are through direct communication, prophets, dreams and visions, theophanies, and most fully through Jesus Christ.
Direct Communication from God
There are many examples in the Bible of God directly speaking to select individuals. God spoke directly to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8-19). He conversed directly with Cain after he murdered his brother Abel (Genesis 4:6-16). God spoke directly to Noah and gave him instructions to build the ark (Genesis 6:13-21).
Later in Genesis, God spoke to Abraham and made a covenant with him, promising to make Abraham the father of a great nation (Genesis 15:1-21). God gave direct guidance to Abraham’s son Isaac (Genesis 26:2-5), grandson Jacob (Genesis 28:10-15), and great-grandson Joseph (Genesis 37:5-11). Through direct communication, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and various laws for the nation of Israel (Exodus 19-23).
In the New Testament, God the Father spoke from heaven at Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:17) and at Jesus’ transfiguration (Matthew 17:5). There are also occasions where God communicated through angels, such as with Hagar (Genesis 16:7-14), Abraham (Genesis 22:11-18), Lot (Genesis 19:1-29), and Mary the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:26-38).
While God spoke directly with people at times, direct communication was not His primary method. Only specific people were recipients of God’s direct speech, and even they only heard His voice occasionally. The rarity of hearing God’s actual voice highlights the significance of when He did choose to speak directly.
God Speaking through Prophets
One of the most common ways God spoke to humans was through prophets. A prophet is someone who is divinely appointed to communicate God’s messages. The prophets served as God’s spokesmen, speaking His words to priests, kings, and the general public.
Many of the authors of Old Testament books were prophets, including Samuel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. God revealed His words to the prophets either directly or through visions and dreams. The prophets would then relay God’s messages to others through their speaking and writing.
The prophets conveyed God’s messages of instruction, correction, and comfort. They called people to repentance and warned them of God’s coming judgment against sin. They counseled kings and nations. They predicted future events related to God’s plans. They gave the people guidance for godly living.
During the time of Samuel, groups of prophets arose, such as in the cities of Gibeah, Ramah, and Bethel (1 Samuel 10:5, 10). Some of the prophets worked together in prophetic bands or schools. The prophets took disciples and passed on their teachings.
Many of the prophets recorded their divine messages in writing. These writings became books of prophecy that now make up a significant portion of the Old Testament. The prophets served as God’s voice to His people for centuries leading up to the coming of Christ.
God Speaking through Dreams and Visions
In addition to direct communication and prophets, God has spoken through dreams and visions. There are over 200 references to dreams or visions in the Bible. Here are some of the prominent people who received dreams or visions from God:
- Jacob – God spoke to him in a dream about his descendants and the land he would inherit (Genesis 28:12-15).
- Joseph – God gave Joseph the ability to interpret dreams and visions, which allowed him to rise to power in Egypt (Genesis 37, 40-41).
- Gideon – God directed Gideon to a military victory through dreams and visions (Judges 7).
- Solomon – God appeared to Solomon in a dream and promised him wisdom, riches, honor, and long life (1 Kings 3:5-15).
- Daniel – God gave Daniel the interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about the rising and falling of kingdoms (Daniel 2). He also had visions of future world empires and the end times.
- Joseph – The husband of Mary was told in a dream to take Mary as his wife and to name the child Jesus (Matthew 1:20-24).
Dreams and visions were a common way for God to reveal His plans, give direction, and communicate truth. They served as inspiring messages from heaven. Though dreams and visions were impactful experiences, they were usually given to select people to convey God’s words to a broader audience.
Theophanies of God
A theophany is a visible manifestation of God in the Bible. God has chosen at times to reveal Himself in visible form. Theophanies serve several purposes:
- They confirm God’s presence and interactions with humans.
- They display God’s glory and majesty.
- They visibly identify God’s will and ways.
Here are some examples of theophanies in Scripture:
- God as a burning bush – God spoke audibly to Moses from a burning bush that was not consumed, commissioning him to lead Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 3:1-4:17).
- God’s glory in a cloud – God’s presence and glory appeared visibly in a cloud throughout Israel’s wilderness wanderings. The cloud guided them by day and became a pillar of fire at night (Exodus 40:34-38).
- Thunder and lightning at Mount Sinai – As God gave Moses the Ten Commandments audibly, His presence was accompanied by thunder, lightning, smoke, and the sound of a trumpet (Exodus 19:16-19).
- God in theophanic angels – Angels often display aspects of God’s visible glory as they carry out His will on earth (Ezekiel 1, Revelation 1:12-18).
Theophanies were unique encounters that allowed people to see glimpses of God’s glory. Yet they were still intermediate steps leading to God’s full self-revelation through Christ.
God Speaking through Jesus Christ
God’s fullest communication with humanity came through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the perfect image and full revelation of God in bodily form (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). The author of Hebrews begins his letter by declaring, “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” (Hebrews 1:1-2).
Several key truths about how God spoke through Jesus include:
- Jesus is the word of God incarnate (John 1:1, 14).
- Jesus perfectly reveals God’s nature and will for salvation (John 14:9; Luke 19:10).
- Jesus spoke God’s words and did God’s works (John 8:28, 14:10).
- Jesus possesses all authority from God (Matthew 28:18).
- Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to guide His disciples after His ascension (John 14:26).
God’s communication through Jesus is superior to all previous means. Jesus is the ultimate prophet, yet more than a prophet because He is God in flesh. The book of Hebrews repeatedly highlights how Jesus surpasses all previous messengers from God. Through His life, death and resurrection, teaching, and sending of the Spirit, Jesus fully reveals God and His plan of salvation.
Applying God’s Revelation Today
God’s revelation through Jesus Christ and the New Testament authors completes the message He wants communicated to humanity (Jude 3). God fully spoke His words through His Son. As Hebrews 1:2 declares, “in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.”
We should not expect any further direct revelation from God today beyond what is recorded in Scripture. Any claims of new revelation or prophecies must be tested against the Bible. God warns about false prophets and highlights the sufficiency of His revealed truth (2 Peter 2:1; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; Revelation 22:18).
Our task is to respond in faith to God’s revelation in Christ. We know who God is, what He expects, and how we should live through His recorded words in the Bible. We commune with God through prayer and the leading of the Holy Spirit, but we do not receive any communication from Him that adds to His authoritative revelation.
Rather than seeking fresh revelation, our responsibility is to study God’s written Word diligently, gain understanding through sound teaching, and apply God’s timeless truths to our lives and world today. God’s past revelation equips us for salvation and godly service as we await Christ’s return (2 Timothy 3:14-17).
Conclusion
Throughout history, God graciously spoke to humanity through various means. His direct communication, prophets, dreams, visions, and theophanies all revealed aspects of who He is and His purposes. Yet Jesus Christ is God’s clearest revelation to mankind. Through reading God’s complete written Word, including His revelation in Christ, we can know Him personally and live in a way that pleases Him.