Knowing God through His Word … Day by Day

Seven times in Revelation, in the letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor, Jesus commands: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22).

 The Spirit speaks through the Bible:  Are we listening? Do we pay attention to the Bible? Are we hearing what the Spirit says to the churches?

There are SO many places in the Bible that speak to us about the importance of listening.  Here are a few:

 “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, Hear Him!” (Matthew 17:5).(when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain, the Father spoke from heaven)

“For the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their heart and turn, So that I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear” (Matthew 13:15,16).  (Some people just refuse to hear)

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Matthew 11:15). Jesus presented the truth on a take-it-or-leave-it basis.  Anyone who has kids knows it is possible, even common,  for audible words to be ignored and simply “not heard”! As God’s children, are we listening to God? Are we willing hearers of the word of God?

“But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15). In this parable of the sower, Jesus said that good hearts will hear and obey the word:

He once told the crowd: “Hear Me, everyone, and understand” (Mark 7:14).

And on one occasion He told His disciples: “Let these words sink down into your ears“ (Luke 9:44).

Jesus also warned us: “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given” (Mark 4:24).

“My mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it” (Luke 8:21). He also said: “He who is of God hears God’s words“ (John 8:47); “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27); “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice“ (John 18:37). The family of God consists of those who listen to the Father!!

Paul warned Timothy that some people will turn their ears away from the truth: “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound  teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” (2 Timothy 4:2-4).

Jesus cried out repeatedly: “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear“ (Matthew 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9,23; 7:16; Luke 8:8; 14:35). And in Revelation 13:9, as the New Testament draws to a close, we read it again: “If anyone has an ear, let him hear.”