THEY HEARD NOT THE VOICE – Acts 22:9
Acts 22:9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
Paul is sharing the testimony of how Christ met him on the road to Damascus. Paul is sharing that when Christ came down to speak to him, that the men around him knew that something was going on that was Holy, but they did not actually hear the voice of God themselves. These men were only feet away from Paul, yet Paul had a conversation with Christ and these men did not hear Christ speak.
Paul had a powerful testimony of how God met him and totally changed his life. People knew that Paul was different just by looking at him and seeing the evidences of the changed life. However, no one actually heard the words of Christ; they only know the words that Christ spoke to Paul because Paul has shared them with us through scriptures.
Christ was speaking to Paul because it was Paul who God needed and God desired changed. If God wanted to speak to one of the men who were with Paul, HE could have and would have. Just because Christ only spoke to Paul does not mean that the message that Christ shared with Paul was reserved only for Paul. Christ expected and Paul did share this message with others.
When Samuel was a little boy, we are told that God came to him and spoke to him in an audible voice. Eli who was in the same house who was a judge did not hear God speaking to Samuel that night. The next day, Eli asked Samuel to share with him the word of the Lord. Eli may not have heard the voice of God, but the message was delivered to him as Samuel shared with Eli what the Lord had revealed to him the night before.
Throughout scripture we see example after example of God speaking to one person and that person was to share the message with those around them. From Moses, to the judges, and to the prophets, God often speaks to one with the intent that they share the message with others. Just because you did not hear what someone else claims God has shown to them, it does not mean that the message is not valid.
When someone claims that they have heard from God, there are two things you need to do. First, you need to examine your heart to make sure that there is nothing wrong in your heart that is prohibiting you from hearing the voice of God. Second, you need to examine the message along with the scriptures to make sure that the message shared is in accordance with the principles of God.
God may have to speak to other people in your life to get your attention if your heart is not right towards him. God could have spoken to Eli, HE could have made Eli hear, but God instead chose to use a young boy in the life of Eli to demonstrate to Eli that Eli needed to make some major changes in his life. Eli was in a position of leadership, but he had allowed the things of this world to distract him from pursuing a perfect relationship with God.
God may be speaking to you, but because your life is crowded with the things of this world, you have failed to properly hear the voice of God. You need to add temperance to your life and to say no to the things of this world so that you can learn to hear the still small voice of God. If you claim to serve God but crowd your life with the things of this world, then you are setting yourself up for failure and frustration. Clear your life of the distractions of this world.