For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it. 15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, 16 Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction. 17 In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man, 18 He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.  Job 33:14-18 NKJV

Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, Elihu—Job’s miserable friends—all debated with Job about his plight, accusing Job of secret sin, self-righteousness, and pride; they were wrong. However, in the above text, Elihu was right about how God speaks. Even the wrong is right sometimes—a broken clock is right twice a day.

Job greatest test wasn’t his pain and suffering, it was: not knowing why he was suffering. Our greatest test in life may be learning to trust God’s goodness—learning to be ready to listen and hear with the third ear even though we don’t understand what’s happening to us and why things are going a certain way. Like Job, instead of complaining, we need to wait and hear what God is saying. God is good all the time!

God speaks to us in many ways. He spoke to Israel with thunder, lightening, the sound of a trumpet, and billowing smoke from Mount Sinai (Ex. 20:18-21). Yet, the Israelites refused to hear Him; in fact, they preferred to hear the voice of a man (Moses) rather than the voice of God. Notwithstanding, God speaks to His people in many ways: God speaks with a mighty voice (Ps. 68:33); and, as the sound of many waters (Rev. 1:15); and, as the sound of a trumpet (Rev. 1:10, 4:1). Certainly, as outlined in our Scripture text, God will speak one way or another—through animals, nature, the elements (Num. 22; Matt. 26); and, through a dream, a vision, or speak in your ears, including the third ear (John 16:13), the ear of the Spirit.

God’s voice isn’t always heard in the spectacular, but sometimes it comes in a most gentle, quite and subtle way (1 Kings 19:11-15). We often fail to perceive it. “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son . . .” via the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26; 16:13). And, when God speaks, He hastens His Word to perform it (Jer. 1:12).