Tag: terrifies

38.w. “Should not a people inquire of their God?”

 

 

Genesis 40:8  They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”

 Job 33:15-16   In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings,

 Isaiah 8:19    And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?

 Daniel 2:11   The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

 Daniel 2:28     but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these:

 Amos 3:7     “For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

On their replying that they had dreamed, and there was no one to interpret the dream, Joseph reminded them first of all that “interpretations are God’s,” come from God, are His gift; at the same time he bade them tell him their dreams, from a consciousness, no doubt, that he was endowed with this divine gift.

Joseph’s request implies that the consciousness of his Divine calling to be a prophet had begun to dawn upon him, and that he was now speaking from an inward conviction, doubtless produced within his mind by Elohim, that he could unfold the true significance of the dreams.

The unbelieving Egyptians were prone to seek counsel in difficulties, from diviners of different descriptions, whose foolish and sinful ceremonies applied worldly effort to that only God can provide. Those who have shut their hearts and minds to things of God will justly be left in darkness seeking worldly answers. They follow the delusions of their heart and mind rather than putting their confidence in God. 

It is not only in the interpretation of dreams whereby people seek worldly answers.  They seek them in every aspect of their lives. They give no thought to God or have any confidence in God’s power, might, and unlimitedness. No, they only give thought to worldly advice. Sadly enough Christians neglect God’s power as well.  This should never be. We should be ever-growing in our understanding and reliance on God – not what the world has to offer.

He opens the ears of men

Genesis 20:1   From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.” Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people? Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.

Genesis 31:24    But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”

Genesis 37:5    Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.

Genesis 40:8    They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”

Matthew 1:20    But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,

Matthew 2:12-13    And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Matthew 27:19     Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”

Job 33:15     In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings, that he may turn man aside from his deed and conceal pride from a man; he keeps back his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword.

A great perspective How does God speak from IBLP:

Our creative God is not limited to one form of communication. He is all-powerful; He is omnipresent; He is sovereign. The Bible is filled with accounts of God speaking to individuals, to families, and to nations. In the past He spoke in many different ways, and that is true today as well.

God speaks to all men through creation “Romans 1:20  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” Psalms 19:1   The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. and in the past, God has communicated in various ways, including angels, His chosen spokesmen (prophets), dreams, visions, miracles, and even through a donkey that He enabled to speak as a man speaks!

When Jesus was on the earth, God spoke to us through Him, and when Jesus returned to the Father, the Holy Spirit was sent to lead us into all truth—to be our “communicator” from God.

If you are a believer, the Holy Spirit dwells within you, but it is still necessary to nurture your relationship with your heavenly Father in order to learn how to be attentive to His voice. As you grow in faith and mature as a believer, you will learn to hear God speak. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).

The Bible is an absolutely essential part of your walk with God. You must not neglect His Word. It is one way that He speaks to you personally, powerfully—today. God’s Word is alive and can be active in our lives.

Honoring and obeying God’s Word is a key to hearing God’s voice. Through obedience, we demonstrate our love for God, and failure to obey is a reflection of a rebellious heart. If we resist His Word, our fellowship with God will be limited. Jesus said, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”  “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. If you are not hearing God’s voice, examine your heart.

If you reject what the Bible says, then it is likely that you will be unable to hear God speak, because of your unbelief.

God Often Speaks in a “Still, Small Voice” – “Through others” – “Through circumstances” – “Through His word” – “Through Dreams” – “Through the Holy Spirit” – “Through Creation” – “Through Jesus Christ” – “Through Prayer”

There is no shortcut to learning to recognize God’s voice, just as there is no shortcut to mature from infancy to adulthood—it takes time. Do you want to hear God’s voice? Then spend time with Him. The more you are with Him, the better you will know His voice.

Delusional

Psalms 62:4  They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse.  For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.  Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.  Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,  and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.

Job 33:14  For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings, that he may turn man aside from his deed and conceal pride from a man;

2 Chronicles 33:10  The LORD spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no attention.

Proverbs 1:24   Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,

Proverbs 1:29   Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,

Isaiah 6:9   And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’

Mark 8:17  And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?  Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?

Luke 24:25   And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!

John 3:19   And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

Foolish, hardened hearts, ears that do not hear, not remembering, not seeing, not perceiving, not understanding, hating knowledge, choosing to not fear God, refusing to listen, paying no attention, and putting trust in riches are all given in today’s scriptures.  They describe the heart of man and we must be mindful of the natural inclination of our heart and mind.  We are instructed to desire God with all our heart, mind, and soul.  We are instructed to love Him more than things of this world.  We are instructed to confess sin.  We are instructed to repent/turn away from sin.  We are instructed to humbly serve Him, honor Him, follow Him, listen to Him, and obey Him.  We are instructed to give generously.  We are instructed to be in unity.  We are instructed to put others first.  We are instructed to pray.  We are instructed to cling to, rely on, and trust in Him alone.  We are instructed to cherish His word and to meditate on it night and day.  We are instructed to be set apart and be an example.  We are instructed to make disciples.  We are instructed to not be angry.  We are instructed to encourage the weak, help the poor, give to the needy.  We are instructed to keep our eyes on Him.  We are instructed to listen to Him speak to our heart. We are instructed to keep our eyes focused on Him and eternity.  We are instructed to be kind.  We are instructed to not have trust in our power or our riches or the might of others.  I fear we look at these instructions as recommendations that can or can not be lived in our lives.  I fear we think more about God’s grace, love, and mercy and forget about His wrath.  I fear we don’t do what is instructed because we choose to live outside of the knowledge and understanding of them.  I fear our christian walk has been diluted to thinking that nothing more is expected of us rather than going to church on Sunday.  I fear so many are delusional, lukewarm, and living apart from what God has instructed for those who are called to Him.  For certain we need to examine our heart and mind and life in light of His word, and the instruction, promises, and warnings contained in it.  We have a choice to serve Him with our whole heart, mind, and soul.  We have a choice to honor, follow and obey Him.  We have a choice to place Him first in our life.  We have a choice to be used by Him.  Choose to commit to a humbly live serving, honoring, following, obeying Him.  Choose to read His word, meditate on it, believe it and proclaim it.

Open Ear Warnings

“then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings,”

Psalms 40:6  In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.

Psalms 51:16   For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

1 Samuel 15:22    And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

Isaiah 1:11   “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.

Jeremiah 7:21  Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh.  For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices.  But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’

Hosea 6:6    For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Matthew 9:13   Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 12:7   And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.

Hebrews 10:5  Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;  in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.  Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”  When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law),  then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second.  And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.  But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,

John 7:15  The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”  So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.  If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.

Isaiah 50:4  The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.  The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.

Proverbs 15:23    To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!

God opens the ear of man and terrifies them with warnings!  He does this so that we freely choose to listen, follow, and obey Him.  How many times are we trying to make ourself right before God but in the end it is only right in our own eyes.  God wants willful obedience from us, not our attempts to cover up or atone for the things we are doing in disregard of Him.  Why is it so hard to deny self and live for Him?  We choose to open His word and read it.  We choose to stay close to Him.  We choose to listen to His leading.  We choose to follow His path and purpose for our life.  We choose to serve Him.  We choose to obey Him.  We choose to honor and glorify Him.  What choice are you making today?