Hebrews 4:7

again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

When someone quotes the bible do we hear the Lord speaking to us?

When we read a bible quote, do we hear the Lord speaking to us?

Here in Hebrews the idea of hearing His voice is dependent on the word if. It is not a sure thing. If is an unknown event that can be influenced by experience. If we have never heard Him before, we might not recognize it as Him if we do hear something. Then there is the issue of expectation. If we have heard Him before we might expect to hear Him again. The danger there is in being insistent.

When we harden our hearts even before we read the bible or hear a sermon doesn’t that inhibit our listening in the spirit? When we allow our focus to be on these troubled times, that might be a distraction making it difficult to hear clearly.

We are told to go to our prayer closet for privacy, away from noises and distractions but bible study is not prayer. It is a form of worship, isn’t it?

Psalm 100:4

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Our attitude can affect our attention and our ability to listen clearly.

Matthew 5:23-24 English Standard Version

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Do any of these passages quoted here today speak to anyone?

Do not be convicted if they do not. The message might be for someone else. That is an “if”.

Romans 16:26

but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—

What is the difference between a command and the law?

Exodus 20 English Standard Version

The Ten Commandments

1 And God spoke all these words, saying,

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Focus on verses 1 thru 5 and we miss the essence behind commandments, showing love, which is hinted at in verse 6..

The law is but a mirror for our soul in showing us just how unfaithful we have been to keep His commands and express our love for Him.

Psalm 119:165

Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.

Israel stumbled over and over again. Their failure to be faithful to keep His commandments fills the Old Testament pages.

Now in the New Covenant we discover that obedience of faith replaces obedience of law. We must remember that He who is righteous abide with us and obedience of faith is found in our personal relationship with our Lord and Savior. He speaks to us by faith and can only be heard in the Spirit.

Romans 10:17

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Are you hearing me or are you hearing Him?