Who said that?

Sometimes in my times of reading Scriptures i will have this sort of experience like i did today. Two different Scriptures that i do not expect to line up together, do. For instance...

In Exodus 5 the scene is Moses and Aaron are pleading their case that God had spoken to them and Pharaoh was to oh-oh let their people go! HUH! Yeah yeah yeah yeah! (Sorry, i had to.) Pharaoh's response?

"Who is the LORD that i should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go." And Moses and Aaron respond with, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us..." (5:2-3)

Later on, the enslavers of the Israelite slaves state, "Thus says Pharaoh, 'i will not give you straw,'" which perfectly mimicks Moses and Aaron saying "Thus says the LORD," in verse 1 of the chapter.

Later on in John chapter 2 i read the part where Jesus forms a whip and "cleanses the temple" of the traders that are lodged in there. The people ask Jesus for a sign, a miracle, proving that He has this sort of authority. He tells them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." (verse 18) In verse 21 and 22 it says:

But He was speaking about the temple of His body. When therefore He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Notice how they believed the Scripture and the word he had spoken.

In both passages, Old Testament and New, there is an emphasis on knowing God's voice. In Exodus since Pharaoh doesn't recognize God's voice, not only does he fail to heed it, he does not believe, and then even imitates and places himself as God to the people. That's just how far it seems one can go when they do not fear God and come to know Him intimately... a process which God initiates. In verse three of Exodus 5 Moses and Aaron said, "God met with us" not the other way around, "we met with God." The intimacy offered by God is available because of His initiation, always. Even today.

Secondly, the Scriptures are foundational. But they are the foundation to truly knowing Him, and His voice. Knowing His voice then illuminates the Scriptures. Which then, in turn causes us to better know His voice, which...

There are tons of voices trying to imitate God, just like Pharaoh's imitation. Advertising hits us from every angle with slogans that are often making sure i know that their products will offer me everything from peace to hope to the girl(s) of my dream(s) (already got that thank you very much!). Other humans voice their persuasive opinions and we fall for them out of fear. Then there are those "voices in our head," temptations, gut instincts, greeds, fears, jealousies, etc., that torment us.

Here is a blog entry of a friend that understands Christianity and advertising better than anyone i know, and quite possibly better than anyone. No lie.

Somewhere in all of that is the "still, small voice" of God. We would do well to learn how to "believe the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken" as best as we can each day, in every situation. No matter what the cost.