Focus: Seven Voices of God

Text: Rev.10:3

"And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, SEVEN THUNDERS uttered their voices."

We have here the angel with the little book, a mighty angel from the place of God's presence. He is riding on the clouds as a chariot and has a rainbow around his head. In his face you can see the radiance of the sun and his feet are steeped in fire. From his thunderous voice comes seven thunders. In Joel, we read that the "LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel" (Joel 3:16). In Psalm 104, the LORD is the one "who maketh the cloud his chariot." Ezekiel tells of the rainbow of God's glory and presence - "as the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain…" Everything about this mighty angel shows that he is coming straight from the presence of God who rides on the clouds as a chariot, whose voice roars, and whose appearance is as the rainbow.

In Psalm 29 we have the seven thunderous voices of God.

1. God controls the waters

"The VOICE of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters." The seas are under God's control. All the forces in the waters surrender to the authority of YHVH. Jesus and Peter walked on the water. He rebuked storms and restored calm to the raging waters.

2. God utters words of power

"The VOICE of the LORD is powerful." Luke tells us of Christ, "And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power" (Lk. 4:32). God speaks no mere words. Power attends to His words at all times and in all places. 

3. God utters words of excellence

"The VOICE of the LORD is full of majesty." There is charm in His words. He speaks goodly words. Luke says that the people "wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth" (Lk.4:22).

4. God controls the forests

"The VOICE of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon." Huge and mighty trees bow to the voice of God. He strips them bare. He tears them to pieces. Nothing can stand the strength of God's voice. He showed Moses the tree that healed the water and made it drinkable, and on the tree of Golgotha Jesus Christ died to save us.

5. God contains the fire

"The VOICE of the LORD divideth the flames of fire." God is in charge of the force of fire. He rules over all the elements of the universe. The three friends of Daniel can testify of how God's presence subdued the strength of fire. The fire was burning, but it had no effect on them. God says we may go through the fire, but it will not consume us.

6. God controls the wilderness

"The VOICE of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh." All lands, inhabited or not inhabited, belong to the Lord. He is the maker and master of all things.

7. God controls the animal kingdom and beyond

"The VOICE of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory." The voice of God shakes things and places, strips bare the forests, divides or tears things apart, and makes the deer to give birth. He is perfectly in charge of all things.

The voice of Yahweh roars and thunders. You can hear and feel the impact of it. God runs things in this world. Trust Him. Be confident in the God you serve. You have no reason to be afraid.

There is another voice of God that has no thunder in it. The Scripture says, "And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire A STILL SMALL VOICE" (1Kgs.19:12). It is the still small voice that spoke to Elijah. It came after the earthquake and the fire.

The thunderous voice of God can be heard with all the noises in the world, but this 'still small voice' cannot be heard even with the smallest noise. You must still every noise is your soul to hear it. It is a silent voice, yet very atomic. It is the whisper of the Spirit.

God can make noise and He can also speak silently. I charge you with the words of Scripture, to be still, and know the power of your God. God's voice can shake up things around you, and His voice can also harmonize things in your life. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter