Read Deuteronomy 5:23–31
Just before this passage Moses met with the Lord and the people were afraid and so they came up with a new idea. This idea was that the people would listen to Moses as God's prophet, as the one who speaks forth from God, and then they would obey Moses and follow him as he gave the Lord's commands and in doing so they asked the Lord to no longer speak with them.
Before this it seems to be that God spoke to his people individually about things for their lives but after this we see God speaking to people on behalf of the entire nation of Israel through his prophets. When I read this I wonder “Why couldn't the people stand to be in God's presence?” He wasn't always in the storm in the cloud. He's also the whisper talking to them, instructing them, directing them, giving them dreams and visions. but the people asked the Lord to not meet with them any longer and the Lord allowed that to happen, he even called it good.
The intent of the people was that the Israelites would listen to the prophet who spoke with God who met with God and this sounds wonderful. But what really happened is that the prophets would be faithful and tell the people God’s word but the people wouldn't listen to them more often than not until they fell into great sin and then God brought them back tto him through signs and wonders like he did with Elijah.
I believe this is what caused the needed rhythm of prophets in the Old Testament was the people rejecting the Lord as his own prophet speaking forth for himself. They wanted a person to do it. They could more easily handle a person, they could more easily relate to a person that sounds good, but they could also more easily reject a person. Instead of rejecting God they JUST rejected his words from his prophets until the Lord drew them back.
After the Israelites asked for a prophet the Lord began to speak through people to others rather than speaking to the people himself. This rhythm wasn’t working at keeping people holy and faithful and so God did something new.
When Jesus was baptized, all of a sudden the Lord speaks again to ordinary people, not just his prophets. Through Jesus the rhythm of God speaking through prophets is broken because Jesus, who is God, interacted with people. God spoke to people directly all throughout his life on earth and then Jesus ascended to heaven after his death on the cross and subsequent resurrection and he gave all believers the Holy Spirit.
God the Holy Spirit now lives inside believers and so now we live in this new rhythm, which is actually the original rhythm turned up to 11. Now God speaks to individuals like it was in the beginning and now instead of having to rely on prophets hearing from God and communicating God’s word to us, you can hear from the Lord ourselves and he will lovingly lead you, guide you, correct you, change us, and help you to learn to obey all of his commands that he has given to you. God the Holy Spirit lives inside every believer, and we are to listen to him and follow him because he is God.
1 Thessalonians 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit.
Do not reject the spirit of God who is speaking to you. As you live your life, continue to take time to rest and know that HE is God and practice listening for and obeying the still small voice of God that seeks to lead and guide you. The Holy Spirit will help you and lead you and guide you, if you do not reject him. As you follow the Holy Spirit, you do not need someone hearing from God to correct you, God himself will correct you, as he speaks forth for himself.
Have a blessed week and may you become more like our Lord Jesus Christ.
