John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

We have established the need for relationship with God. We have established setting aside self-interest. The next step should be hearing God. What does the bible say about hearing God?

The Lord spoke to Abram. Just before this pronouncement, there was no indication of any contact, speech, events or relationship between God and man. This was many generations after the Tower of Babel and the confusion of languages. We know nothing about how Abram would have heard or recognized that it was the Lord. We do not even know if it was an audible voice. Somehow Abram heard and obeyed and for that he became to father of faith to three major religions.

Let us move forward to Moses, the burning bush, and an exchange of dialogue between God and Moses. Moses was living and working with his wife, the daughter of a Median priest. They worshipped the God of Abraham and they lived beneath the mountain of God. Moses had some idea of this God and seeing the burning bush he turned aside from his duties to investigate. In this we see an individual who is hearing God in the midst of a miracle. Something caught his attention. This is still an individual hearing God. God has chosen to speak to Moses. Why hasn’t God spoken to the masses?

Exodus 20:18-19 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

The masses were afraid to hear God. They were not ready to hear God.