How Powerful Is God's Voice?

“With men saying and doing are two things, but it is not so with God” (Matthew Henry).

When I was a youth, there was a large park across the river from my house. When I was in the park with my friends and my mom wanted me home, she would bellow, “Alllllaaaan! Alllllaaaan!” After my friends would stop laughing, I knew it was time to run across the trestle and get home fast. My mother’s voice was that powerful.

The writer of Psalm 33 exhorts the world to express joy to the Lord with shouts, songs, and skillful strings. Why all the celebration? One reason is because of the creative power of God. “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm” (Psalm 33:8–9).

My mother’s voice was such that when I was summoned, I appeared. The voice of God has such power that the earth appeared, literally out of nowhere. The power of God’s voice should cause us to stand in awe of Him. And this is just His voice, not His hands.

Those of us who have endured hurricanes have seen the power of God in destruction. Psalm 29 ascribes glory and strength to the Lord because of the power of His voice to break trees, flash lightning, and cause earthquakes. He moves the nations and melts the earth (Psalm 46:6). David sets a frightening scenario in Psalm 29, yet ends with a comforting plea to God to use His power to strengthen and bring peace to His people.

The power of Jesus’ voice will someday raise the dead (John 5:25). A foretaste of the resurrection was given to Lazarus when Jesus cried, “Lazarus, come forth!” (John 11). The voice of God has the power to create. You’ve heard of the proverbial house of cards, a metaphor for a flimsy structure that collapses at the slightest breath. God does not build rickety structures; His breath gives and establishes life (Genesis 2:7).

It’s told that a physicist was lecturing about how our pear-shaped planet spins on its axis as it travels through space. An eastern mystic “corrected” him thus: “Sir, you are a very learned man, but the truth is that we are standing near the precipice of a flat disc that is supported by a tiger.” “And what,” replied the professor, “is supporting the tiger?” “An elephant,” was the confident reply. “Upon what is the elephant standing?” “A giant turtle.” “I see. And what next?” “Why, kind sir, after that, it is turtles all the way down!”

The patriarch Job had a much more believable, yet awesome, observation: “He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing” (Job 26:7). God has the power to uphold this 13,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000-pound earth that is traveling at 67,000 miles per hour without the need of turtles and tigers. He can keep the planets from banging into each other or flinging out into space. He can certainly control your life and keep His promises, no matter how out-of-control life seems: “But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are his’” (2 Timothy 2:19).

Oh, and speaking of voices (no pun intended), listen to this: “I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live” (Psalm 116:1–2). We may have tiny voices, but the mighty God hears us!

About the Author

Alan is Content Coordinator for Lifestyles Over 50 (Thrive Media) and contributor to the Allentown, PA, Morning Call. He is also an adult Sunday school teacher and Bible study leader. Passionate about reviving theology and church methodology, and being a senior citizen!