Bible Studies for Life: February 12

Discerning the Voice of God: Does it Align with God’s Character? • Exodus 34:1-9

By Becky Brown

Discerning the voice of God continues to be our pursuit in these lessons.  Whether audible or not, the “voice” you hear will never disagree with or question the Word of God.  We learned that through our study of Eve’s choice in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 3, she was tempted by the voice of the serpent to doubt the word of her Creator. Forbidden fruit was consumed to the detriment of all of humanity.

As we studied the response to the first sermon of the Apostle Peter at Pentecost, we saw that the voice of God will always bring conviction from the Holy Spirit of what is right and wrong. In Acts 2:37, we read that the listeners that day were “pierced, stabbed, smitten” in conscience upon hearing the words spoken by Peter.

They were convicted by the Holy Spirit Who came to dwell inside believers that day. Three thousand of them responded in obedience to the movement of the Holy Spirit in their hearts.

Just like those listed in the Hebrews “Hall of Faith-ers,” the voice you hear will call you to trust in God by faith all the way to obedience. Any voice that calls you away from the Lord is counterfeit.

The same serpent in the Garden of Eden continues to draw the hearts of people away from, rather than toward, the calling of God.

This coming Sunday, we will see evidence of the voice of God in the life of Moses and the people of Israel. This passage of Scripture in Exodus 34 will show that to be true, the “voice” we hear must always be aligned with the character of God.

The Word of God, the conviction of the Holy Spirit, our trust and faith in God: all of these are certain assurances we can possess as we seek to hear and obey the voice of the Lord. The character of God is a sure way to help us as we seek guidance from the Lord.

In Exodus 34, we find Moses and the people of Israel camped at the foot of Mt. Sinai. Raised in Egypt in the palace of the Pharaoh and now at the age of 40, Moses had fled after he murdered an Egyptian. He spent his next 40 years in Midian herding sheep for his father-in-law, Jethro.

In Exodus three,  at the age of 80, Moses was called by God from the burning bush near that same mountain to be the leader to lead the people out of Egypt.

They had been freed from their bondage of slavery in Egypt after 400 years. They miraculously crossed the Red Sea and followed the cloud and fire to this location. God gave them a cloud by day to show them the way and a fire by night to give them light.

God provided manna and quail and water for them in the wilderness. God made covenant with them. He gave them the ten “words” on stone tablets. He taught them the proper way to worship.

He gave them the blueprints for building the Tabernacle. God had ordained the tribe of Levi and Moses and Aaron and his sons as priests and intercessors for the people. They were on their way to the land of Promise.

Before Moses could present the stone tablets from God to the people, they followed the mis-guidance of Aaron and made a golden calf the object of their worship. The tablets were destroyed by Moses and the people were dealt with by the Lord.

The plan of the Lord for the people would not be thwarted, even by their disobedience and determined rebellion against the Lord. He told Moses to climb the mountain and receive a new set of tablets containing the law. If I counted correctly, this was his seventh trip up Mt. Sinai as an octogenarian!

Moses stood and called upon the name of the Lord. The Lord answered. God proclaimed His own attributes to Moses. God is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and truth. God forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin. God punishes those who are guilty and who refuse to repent.

When Moses saw what he saw and heard what he heard, his response was to bow down and worship this Lord who called him friend. When the “voice” we hear agrees with the attributes of God, we can know that God has spoken.  

Brown is minister of missions at First Church, Richland.