Can’t You Hear, Can’t You Hear The Thunder?
June 20th, 2006 | Published in Blog Thoughts | 5 Comments
An impressive storm system swept through our area last night. The skies darkened. We could hear the rumble of thunder in the distance. I was halfway into cooking the tri-tip on the grill when the heavens opened and rain began to pour. Rain, thunder and flashes of lightning – some a little too close – impressive displays of power.
The Bible often describes the voice of God as the sound of thunder. In fact when the children of Israel heard the thundering voice of God (presumably for the first time) they were afraid. They begged Moses
Exodus 20:18-21 (NCV) When the people heard the thunder and the trumpet, and when they saw the lightning and the smoke rising from the mountain, they shook with fear and stood far away from the mountain. Then they said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak to us, or we will die." Then Moses said to the people, "Don’t be afraid, because God has come to test you. He wants you to respect him so you will not sin." The people stood far away from the mountain while Moses went near the dark cloud where God was.
Thunder and lightning also served as a warning for disobedience and a call to repentance. When the same children of Israel asked for a king Samuel said:
1 Samuel 12:16-20 (NCV) "Now stand still and see the great thing the LORD will do before your eyes. It is now the time of the wheat harvest. I will pray for the LORD to send thunder and rain. Then you will know what an evil thing you did against the LORD when you asked for a king." Then Samuel prayed to the LORD, and that same day the LORD sent thunder and rain. So the people were very afraid of the LORD and Samuel. They said to Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God for us, your servants! Don’t let us die! We’ve added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king." Samuel answered, "Don’t be afraid. It’s true that you did wrong, but don’t turn away from the LORD. Serve the LORD with all your heart.
My favorite event that incorporates thunder is the worship scene of Revelation 19. The vivid portrayal of the praises of God’s people sounding like the noise of flooding water and of loud thunder.
Revelation 19:4-6 (NCV) Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures bowed down and worshiped God, who sits on the throne. They said: "Amen, Hallelujah!" Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you who serve him and all you who honor him, both small and great!" Then I heard what sounded like a great many people, like the noise of flooding water, and like the noise of loud thunder. The people were saying: "Hallelujah! Our Lord God, the Almighty, rules.”
Think about the futility and ridiculous effort to worship God passively. Yes, I know there are appropriate times of contemplative meditation of silence before the Lord. We’ve got that side figured out, patented, marketed and for sale on eworship.com!
How can the sound of God’s people declaring “Amen, Hallelujah!” be anything but the sound of flooding water or loud rain?
How can the voices of a great many people saying “Hallelujah! Our Lord God, the Almighty, reigns” be anything but the sound of flooding water and like the noise of loud thunder?
I need to be reminded, I need to hear the words that come from the throne: “Praise our God, all you who serve him and all you who honor him, both small and great!”
Yes, Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! Our Lord God, the Almighty, reigns! Can you hear the thunder?
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June 20th, 2006 at 7:18 am (#)
Amen, Randy! Nothing is more impressive than a West Texas electrical storm. “Awesome” in all the fullness of its meaning is the one word to describe it.
June 20th, 2006 at 8:52 am (#)
I’ve heard it a time or two in my life … worship that thunders … and there is nothing with which to compare!
Thunder in Central Florida, though, is the most “thunderous” I’ve ever heard. It is the lightning strike capital of the world (so says somebody, but I believe it) and the thunder can not only be deafening over and over, it can come in the same moment as the lightning, which is awesome and scary at the same time. The only place thunder has ever frightened me is Central Florida.
Sounds like you had one of those kind of storms.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:22 am (#)
Imagine what that sound would have been like if you came from a land down under…(and thank you SO much for putting that song into my head for what I’m sure will be the remainder of the day.)
I think we like to talk more about God’s voice being in the gentle breeze than we do about the thunder in it. Me, I like the thunder voice.
June 20th, 2006 at 5:11 pm (#)
We had a Missionary from Zimbabwe preach on Sunday, he had an incerdible presentation that included video and audio of the worship there. I am telling you, these people, who have NOTHING, they DID sing like thunder. Goosebumps all around. I cannot imagine what it sounds like to be there in person. I am getting tears in my eyes at just the memory of their voices. The people WERE saying Hallelujah….and it WAS like thunder.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:50 pm (#)
I’m reading Peterson’s “Reversed Thunder” about Revelation. He calls our worship thunder back to God. A good read.