"He Has Spoken through the Prophets"

Following our confession that the Holy Spirit is worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son, we confess that “he has spoken through the prophets.” This is a statement about the Holy Spirit and Holy Scripture, about the Spirit of God and the Word of God. 

That the Spirit speaks through the Scriptures is the testimony of the Scriptures themselves. In Acts 1:16, Peter addresses the gathered believers in Jerusalem concerning the treachery and death of Judas: “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David . . .” The Holy Spirit spoke through David and David himself knew it. He testifies at the end of his life: “the Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue” (2 Sam 23:2). 

The Apostle Paul gives the same testimony as David: “And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit” (1 Cor 2:13). Like David, Paul was aware that his words were Spirit-given. In fact, he writes Timothy that “all Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Tim 3:16). For this reason, because the Bible is Spirit-given, it is perfect, reviving the soul; it is sure, making wise the simple; it is right, rejoicing the heart; it is pure, enlightening the eyes; it is true and righteous altogether (Psalm 19:7-9).

The ministry of the Spirit, speaking through the Scriptures, makes the Bible a living and active word. Thus, when the author of Hebrews quotes Psalm 95, he introduces the quotation with these words: “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today, if you hear his voice . . .’” (Heb 3:7). 

When the Word of God is read and heard, the Holy Spirit is speaking. But not everyone has ears to hear. When the risen Lord Jesus addresses the seven churches in Revelation 2-3, he exhorts each church: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). The Spirit speaks through the Scriptures, but the Spirit must also give us ears to hear. Paul warns us, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor 2:14).

What do those with ears to hear, hear? We hear the voice of Jesus. The Spirit bears witness to the Son (John 15:26), so that we may recognize him, hear his call, and turn to him in repentance and faith. We are like sheep who recognize and follow the voice of our Shepherd. As Jesus says concerning his sheep, “A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers” (John 10:5) 

There are many voices, speaking to us through media and social media. But we don’t listen to the voice of strangers. We listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). By the Spirit we hear his voice in the Scriptures. 

This truth has practical consequences. He has spoken through the prophets, not through the podcasts. How do we know his voice if we so rarely hear it? My brothers and sisters, let us take up the Scriptures and let us read and hear and heed the Word of the Lord.