2 Peter 1:18 KJV
[18] “And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.”
Peter, James, and John were eyewitnesses on the Mount of Transfiguration. They had the privilege of seeing Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, each in a glorified state. This must have been an amazing experience on the holy mountain that day. We know that it had a lasting impact, because Peter is still talking about it in this Epistle.
He reminds us that it was not only what they saw that got their attention, but also what they heard. They heard the voice of the Almighty as He spoke out of the heavens. Can you imagine being there on that day and hearing the audible voice of God? This would forever ring in the ears of those disciples. They never got over what they saw or heard.
We should never take for granted what we have been privileged to see and hear. The Bible teaches us that to whom much is given, much is required. Think about how blessed we are to live in America and hear the Word of God. We are able to go to church and worship the Lord freely. We have seen others come to know Christ and grow spiritually. God has been good to His children!
As I think about Peter hearing the Lord’s voice on the mountain, I envision it to have been a thundering voice that made the entire mountain range tremble that day. However, when God spoke to Elijah, it was in a still, small voice. Elijah heard it just as clearly as if it had been a thundering voice. The voice of God is powerful regardless of the volume. His voice is the final authority!
I am glad that His still, small voice speaks to us today. It is through the Holy Spirit that He talks to His children in this way. We know that He speaks through His Word, but He also speaks to us from within. The Spirit takes the Word of God and makes it personal to us. When He speaks, He needs no introduction. Many years ago, I heard a story about an old preacher who told of a man who asked him a question about hearing God speak to him. He said to the preacher, “Are you saying that you have never heard the Lord’s voice audibly?” The preacher replied, “No, I have not, because when He speaks to me, it’s much louder than that. He speaks to me through His Word.” What a good answer to reflect on. We will see in the next devotional that Peter felt the same way as the old preacher did.