[Darris McNeely] I've learned something from the book of Revelation that I really never focused on in all the times that I've gone through it, reading it for my own personal experience, and also teaching it to students at Ambassador Bible College. This year going through it, it has struck me. The noise, the thunder, the lightning, the earthquakes, the loud voices. The noise that is in the book of Revelation, from the throne of God, from the angelic beings, from the plagues, and all that are poured out, from the voices that emanate out of the temple, loud voices.\

Let me give you an example. In the very first chapter, John, is on the island of Patmos, when he begins to receive the vision. And in verse 10, he says, "I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and I heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet." And then the voice said, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last."

This is his first introduction to the resurrected Christ, in the story flow of the book of Revelation. Only 10 verses in, "But he hears that voice and it's behind him," it says, "and it's loud as of a trumpet." And so in verse 12, he says, "I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands." And he begins to describe this image of the resurrected Christ standing in the midst of seven lampstands, one like the Son of Man, and this fantastic image of the resurrected Christ there. John's reaction down in verse 17, is, "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me saying, 'Do not be afraid, I am the first and the last.'" But it's the introduction, hearing that voice, and he had to turn, and make that turn, and he heard this loud voice like a trumpet. This begins to... This is the voice of God. It's the voice of the Son of God, that he begins to receive this revelation from. Follow that through the rest of the book of Revelation. There are loud voices everywhere. And these commands issue forth, John responds to them. He sees this. He has all of these visions. And as I said, there are mighty thunderings. There are like mighty waters and earthquakes later on.

Thinking about this, there's great activity in the presence of God. There's a lot going on. And that's part of the message of the book of Revelation. And so much of it is introduced with this loud voice. It's not done in a corner. It's not done in a sense, softly. There are big things that are happening. And as I've thought this through and looking at it, I thoroughly enjoy reading and teaching the book of Revelation. I like prophecy. There's a lot of prophecy there. We all know the images and the beasts and everything else, the mark of the beast and false prophets, two witnesses, and all these aspects of the book of Revelation.

But this year, I've been struck by the fact of the voices, the noise, as God's purpose unfolds, as it is revealed. And I wonder... And I'm thinking, what do we learn from that? It's more than just a big display. If that's how God responds, if that's how God acts, what's our response? Is it loud? Is it forceful? Is it with conviction? Is it with courage?

As we respond to that loud voice, John had to stay with that noise all through the book of Revelation. And we have that book as a result of that. He responded in faith. And I think that there's a lesson there, and it's brought out in so many other places here to look at and to understand as we develop a relationship with God as we respond to Him. God talks with a loud voice, in a sense. He does big things. And we should respond in faith and with a life that is loud, clear, convincing, and convicted of the purpose of the plan of God that we see in a book like Revelation, like we see throughout the Bible. Responding to that loud voice is a very important key of faith, and confidence in the way of life that we ought to live.

That's BT Daily. Join us next time.