HIS VOICE AS THE SOUND OF MANY WATERS

John commences his gospel with the words, ‘In the beginning was the Word’ and introduces us to the One who reveals God to men. He is the Word; words are the resulting sounds using the powers of the voice. Here is a unique voice - ‘his voice’. John knew this voice, as on so many occasions the Lord had used it to teach the words that unfolded the mysteries of God to men.

It is not surprising then that in his gospel John records for us ‘the sound’ of the Lord’s voice and its many effects on those who heard it. First, it is the Creator’s voice, ‘all things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made’. Then, the many instances of personal conversa­tions: the word of revelation to Nathaniel, ‘When thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee’; to the servants, a voice of trans­formation, ‘Fill the waterpots with water’; to the woman of Samaria, one of invitation, ‘Give me to drink’; the voice of necessity to Nicodemus, ‘Ye must be born again’; and so it goes on. We mark such variety, such sensitivity and yet lack­ing no power or precision. His voice constantly pierces the darkness and reveals the heart.

So, as to its power, John will note that distance doesn’t hinder it and at the exact time that Jesus said, ‘Thy son liveth’, is the exact time he was healed, John 4. 52, 53. At the pool of Bethesda, thirty-eight years of invalidity is dispersed in the word, ‘Rise’, and at the tomb of Lazarus it is but a word and ‘he that was dead came forth’ out of the tomb, John 11. 43, 44. Those sent to arrest Him returned empty-handed, saying, ‘Never man spake like this man’, and they got it right, John 7. 46!

For John it all comes flooding back, this voice, ‘as the sound of many waters’, declares its irresistible power and supremacy over all other voices. It has a melodious mix of many sounds, all in unison that likens it to the roar of many cataracts. Comfortingly, we know that before His voice brings in the consummation of all things, we shall hear His voice as ‘the voice of my beloved’, saying, ‘Rise up, my love … and come away’ S. of S. 2. 8, 10.