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Logos2Go

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God speaks once; we hear it twice

The wonder of it all is that God speaks once.

That is infinitely better than him not speaking at all.

Once he has spoken, we can hear it twice. And the second time is just as good, if not better.

Perhaps the first time our hearts were not attentive enough, so we get another chance.

Perhaps the first time we just didn't hear clearly, so we can listen again.

Perhaps the first time -- if it is like all of those other "first times" of earthly experience -- perhaps that first time now seems far in the past; perhaps it has lost some of its glitter.

Well, the second time is fresher today.


Once he has spoken -- and he has; that is the wonder of it all -- we are forever filled with hearing. There is a lifetime of hearing.

A symphony of hearing.

That is why listening is far better than talking.

Logos2Go


Psalm 62.11 Once God has spoken; twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God.

1 Samuel 3.10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Hebrews 1.2 ...in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

Mark 4.23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. (This statement occurs 3 times in Matthew, 3 times in Mark, 2 times in Luke).

Job 42.5 I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You.

1 comments:

Daniel Leslie Peterson July 6, 2009 at 10:07 AM  

I am reminded of Psalm 19:1-4: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

I notice the fuller context of Psalm 62:11-12: “One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done.”

The “twice” highlights a second attribute of God, that he is loving (“hessed”). I like the implication that the second or last word will always emphasize God’s essential nature as Love. [This Hebrew device increasing the number by one for added emphasis can also be seen in Proverbs 6:16; 30:15, 18, 21, 24, 29.]

I think “once” and “twice” may indicate our own time-bound limits; New Testament Koine Greek has the aorist tense, about which our professor drilled into us: “action simply stated, without regard to time.” The aorist view is “God speaks.” (Period!) As you point out so well in this post, that is a wonderful gift, for we thus always have the opportunity to hear!

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