The Voice of the Father

John 5:37-46

Most people enjoy watching a good magician and his act is based on tricks and illusions, you see the rabbit come out of the hat that was empty when he put it on his head, and wonder how did he pull that off.  In verse 37, Jesus tells us that God is not into tricks or illusions, that He has clearly witnessed to us that Jesus is His only Son, and then the shocking statement: “His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.  You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” (John 5: 37b – 40)  Because Jesus tells the truth, and He is “Truth” then the question must be asked, is Jesus telling only this group of people they have never seen and never heard the voice of God, or is that all people?

The letter to the Hebrew Christians in Chapter 1:1-3, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”  We must ask the question, was it God the Father who spoke to the prophets?  If so, then Jesus was only referring to the group of Jews who had gathered to hear him speak.  If we turn to 2 Peter 1:21, “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”  So it was the Holy Spirit that was speaking to these prophets, and what insight do we have of the Holy Spirit; Jesus said this about Him, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.  He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.  All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-15)

It is an interesting thing to ponder; “Has anyone seen or heard the Father,” if you believe you or I are the first to ask such a question, then you are very wrong.  In the gospel of John 14:8, Philip said to Jesus, “Lord show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” The reply from the Lord is in verses 9b-11-13, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.  How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?  The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.” 

You and I are just like those Jews that Jesus told they had never seen or heard the Father, and that the love of the Father was not in them.  They saw and heard Jesus but they refused to believe that He was the Christ, the Messiah.  You may identify more with Thomas or Philip, who believed in Him, but it was only later that they came to put their trust in Him for eternal life.  It is clear that when one enters into a personal relationship with Christ, our eyes and ears are open to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, and to have fellowship with our Lord.  But like the Jews that Jesus spoke to, they were much like the world we live in, it cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him.  You will also find that in John 14:17, the last part of that verse states; “You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

If you are not of the faith, and you read the Scripture looking for meaning to your life but they just do not make sense, will you stop reading and ask God to reveal His truth to you.  That will bless His heart, He loves you so much that He sent His only Son to buy you out of your rightful punishment, and He is waiting for you to submit to His love and ask for His forgiveness.  Let me give witness to this verse, I was not looking for Jesus when He used five men to guide me to Him, and it blessed my heart when I found this verse in John 15:16, You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”  The day Jesus came into my life I became a new creation, the old Bob was dead with his desire to suck life out of others, and now many years into my walk with Jesus, He has been faithful!  I’ve made wrong choices, and some of them have left deep scars on my life, but this I know: Jesus tells the truth, and Jesus said this; “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.”   

So in that day, the day you enter into Christ, you will hear Jesus and if you hear Jesus you hear the Father, because as the apostle Paul states, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice.