“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets…but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hb 1.1-2)

For many years, God directed his people through the Prophets.  The people understood that the Prophets could hear God and declare God’s will and purposes to the people.   In fact, God would not do anything without first declaring it to the Prophets (Amos 3.7).

It is said of Samuel, that none of his words fell to the ground (1 Sam 3.19). This meant he spoke what he heard from God and didn’t exaggerate or embellish from his own perspective.  Consequently, what the people heard from Samuel, could be counted as from God and should be valued as such.  Over time the people paid less attention to what the Prophets had to say.

“…but in these last days God has spoken to us by his Son”.

But where God once used the Prophets to communicate to people, he has now spoken through his Son.  Where people only caught a partial image of his nature through the life and message of the Prophet, now we can see the fullness of his nature through the life and message of Jesus.  No longer do we hear about God through the way a Prophet repeats what God has said; now we are able to hear from God himself.

Jesus is the exact representation of God (Heb 1.3) and spoke what he heard from the Father:

• …for I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me (Jn 8.28)
• I can only say what I hear my Father say…. (Jn 5.19)
• …my teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. (Jn 7.16)

And the people perceived something very different when they heard Jesus speak.  Perhaps it goes back to the tangible sensations we’ve mentioned, but the people were clearly able to discern that Jesus spoke as one who had authority (Mk 1.22).  This was in complete contrast to what they had heard – or didn’t hear – from the religious leaders of the day.

The words and teachings of Jesus contained so much life that people were drawn to him.  They recognised; felt; believed within themselves, that his words were ‘flawless’ (Ps 12.6).    People may not have been able to articulate what was happening inside them, but there must have been a lot of burning hearts among the crowd because even as they heard Jesus speaking people put their faith in him (Jn 8.30).

In these days God has spoken through his Son.  Putting faith in him means more than believing what he says.  Putting our faith in him means that we believe him.