April 20th, 2010 by Kristi Stephens

I have a small voice.  I have trouble getting the attention of a large group of people.  When I speak in public or lead Bible studies I have to concentrate on speaking loud enough to be heard.  Sometimes I wonder if I still sound like a child on the phone… and then hear a voicemail message and the fear is confirmed. ;)  My voice just does not command attention and convey authority.

In Revelation 1, Jesus’ voice is just the opposite.

In 1:10, John remarks that he heard “a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet.”

In Exodus, the sound of a trumpet was heard before God would speak to Moses and/or the Israelites.  (see Exodus 19 and 20).  In the battle against Jericho, God commanded the Israelites to attack the huge city walls in faith… at the sound of their shouts and the sounding of the trumpets, He would knock the walls down.  (see Joshua 6).  Trumpets would be sounded before the ark of the covenant. (2 Samuel 6, 1 Chronicles 15).

Over and over again trumpets are associated with the presence of God, with God’s victory over His enemies and salvation of His people, with the arrival of the Day of the Lord.  The sound of the trumpet most definitely meant: PAY ATTENTION.

In these opening paragraphs of Revelation His voice gives us a taste of what is to come: God is present, active, and preparing to reclaim what is rightfully His!

In 1:15 he adds, “His voice was like the sound of many waters.”

Notice Ezekiel 43:2:

Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing toward the east; and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory.

This description of Jesus’ voice is the first of many parallels we will see between the Jesus of Revelation and descriptions of God given in the Old Testament.

If you’ve ever wondered deep down, “was Jesus really God?”… I think Revelation clears the issue up completely.  He really was.  He really is.

And when He speaks, listen.

Revelation just keeps getting better as we go on!  I hope you will consider subscribing in a readeror by email so you don’t miss a thing!

Art used (with permission) by Pat Marvenko Smith, copyright 1992. To order prints visit her “Revelation Illustrated” site,  http://revelationillustrated.com.