Recently, the Prophet has invited us to hear Him like the boy Joseph Smith did. I want to contextualize this by looking at how the scriptures invite us to hear God and how He has spoken to people in the past. I have picked up several learning points that I have divided into sections of this post.
A still small voice
It is likely that the account of the prophet Elijah was found on the brass plates. One of the most well-know stories about Elijah is found in 1 Kings 19:11-13
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a small .
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle
The last part, where Elijah wrapped his face, signifies God's presence. It was the still, small voice that came from the Lord. The Book of Mormon also talks about this still small voice.
And it came to pass when they heard this , and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul (Helaman 5:30)
And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a voice it did them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn. (3 Nephi 11:3)
The last one is from the Savior's visit to the Nephites. It is interesting to notice that there is quaking and burning, just like the Elijah account, but they are internal instead of external. The still, small voice causes the frame to quake and the heart to burn. Another possible allusion to Elijah is found in 1 Nephi 17:45.
ye have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were feeling, that ye could not feel his words; wherefore, he has spoken unto you like unto the voice of thunder, which did cause the earth to shake as if it were to divide asunder.
Compared to Elijah the events are reversed. God first tries with his still, small voice. But since they are "past feeling", he must resort to the thunder and earthquakes instead. The prophet Zenos, who Nephi quotes in 1 Nephi 19, seems to indicate that this marks the difference between the righteous and wicked.
For thus spake the prophet: The Lord God surely shall all the house of Israel at that day, some with his , because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and others with the and the lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by , and of , and by the opening of the , and by which shall be carried up.
The thunder and tempest also comes from God, but only those who hear his voice are able to withstand those things. The next section describes a people who didn't.
The fate of those who refuse to hear his voice
Another well-known account combining God's voice with thunder and lightning is Moses on Mount Sinai. There is a clear connection to Elijah. 1 Kings 19 and Exodus 20 both take place on Mount Horeb. Horeb is just another word for Sinai, or there may be two adjacent summits with two different names, as some scholars believe. In any case, 1 Kings 8:9 states that Moses got the commandments at Horeb and 1 Kings 19:8 states that Elijah was at Horeb when God manifested himself with a still, small voice. According to that verse, Horeb is the Mount of God. There are several other parallels. For instance, both Moses and Elijah fasted there for 40 days. Elijah cause the Jordan River to part in 1 Kings 2, like Moses the Red Sea. Moses' succcessor was Joshua, which means Yahweh saves, whereas Elijah's successor was Elisha meaning El (God) saves.
The Mount of God is easily associated with the temple and from a Latter-Day Saint perspective there is further connection in the fact that both Moses and Elijah appeared in the Kirtland temple in 1836 to restore Priesthood keys, just as they had appeared together on the Mount of Transfiguration.
When God speaks to Moses, it doesn't say that he does so in a still, small voice. To the contrary, we get the impression that it is the thundering and lightening signifying his presence. So in that context, it is surprising that God was not found in the storm, earthquake or fire when appearing to Elijah. I don't know the reason for this difference, when there are so many parallels. But in the story of Moses, it is not just about him, but also the whole people of Israel.
18 And all the people the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people it, they , and stood afar off.
19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God with us, lest we die. (Exodus 20)
The children of Israel were afraid and did not want to listen. This is why the psalmist refers to them when he writes
7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the of his hand. if ye will his ,
8 not your heart, as the , and as in the day of in the wilderness (Psalm 95)
I will get back to the part marked with green. "The provocation" and "day of temptation" are references to the children of Israel. The psalmist goes on to remind us that they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years instead of "entering into His rest" in the promised land. All because they did not hear his voice. As we just saw in Exodus 20, they did not want to hear his voice. They wanted Moses to take care of that part, he could just tell them later what God said. Similarly, if we do not seek to hear God's voice, hearing what the Prophet says will not help. The words of the Prophet are the words of God and to recognize them as such we must learn to hear Him. Then we can hear God's word and will through the prophet as well as directly and personally to us. This is why the prophet does not say "hear me", but rather "hear Him".
This quote from Psalm 95 has been discussed several times on this blog and is also referred to several times in all the other standard works, especially the bold part. Here are some examples from the Doctrine and Covenants.
And ye are called to bring to pass the of mine ; for mine elect my voice and not their
Hearken, O ye people of my church, and ye elders listen together, and hear my voice while it is called , and harden not your hearts (D&C 45:6)
And even so will I cause the wicked to be kept, that will not hear my voice but their hearts, and wo, wo, wo, is their doom. (D&C 38:6)
We need to hear his voice while it is called today. Tomorrow he may call us and invite us to his rest, but if we have not familiarized with his voice we don't recognize it and respond, and will not "enter in". Not because the gates have closed right in front of us, but because we are still wandering mindlessly around in the wilderness.
Jacob also alludes to Psalm 95.
5 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts.
6 Yea, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; for why will ye ? (Jacob 6)
"why will ye die" is further reference to the children of Israel. Jacob urges his people not to be like their forefathers, who refused to hear his voice and died in the wilderness as a consequence, instead of entering into his rest.
"My sheep hear my voice"
Back to the green marking in Psalm 95. There is a shepherd/sheep analogy often linked to hearing his voice.
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (John 10:16)
This is referenced and expanded on in 3 Nephi 15 and 16. One fold and one shepherd is a result of the gathering of Israel. Hearing his voice is a prerequisite. When the shepherd calls and we don't respond, there can be no gathering.
21 And he that will hear my voice shall be my ; and him shall ye receive into the church, and him will I also receive. (Mosiah 26:21)
Alma teaches this very clearly
37 O ye workers of iniquity; ye that are in the vain things of the world, ye that have professed to have known the ways of righteousness nevertheless have gone , as having no , notwithstanding a shepherd hath after you and is still calling after you, but ye will not unto his voice!...
57 And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow the voice of the , come ye out from the wicked, and be ye , and touch not their unclean things; and behold, their names shall be , that the names of the wicked shall not be numbered among the names of the righteous, that the word of God may be fulfilled, which saith: The names of the wicked shall not be mingled with the names of my people...
60 And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you into his fold (Alma 5)
We are called upon by the good shepherd who wants to gather us into his fold. The gathering consists of each sheep coming "out from the wicked" and being "separate". He has called and is still calling, so it is up to us to listen, hearken and follow his voice. It is for our own good. He will lead us to safety and good pasture. If we have not learned to recognize his voice, there can be no gathering. On the other hand, when we hearken to his voice and gather, we are ready for the next step: Seeing his face.
Hearing his voice leads to seeing his face
5 Now therefore, if ye will my voice indeed, and keep my , then ye shall be a unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
6 And ye shall be unto me a of , and an . These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord him.
8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will . And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.
9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick , that the people may when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.
10 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and them to day and to morrow, and let them their clothes,
11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the of all the people upon mount Sinai.
I have marked some with purple also to highlight another point: When the good shepherd calls and invites us into his fold, we respond to this invitation by entering into a covenant with him. The gathering of Israel is the gathering of a covenant people. At Horeb/Sinai, Israel promised to obey his voice ("all that the Lord hath spoken we will do"), but as we saw in chapter 20, at the end of the day, they did not even want to hear it. Too bad because this would have enabled them not only to hear him but also seeing him. The Lord comments on this in D&C 84
19 And this greater administereth the gospel and holdeth the of the of the kingdom, even the key of the of God.
20 Therefore, in the thereof, the power of is manifest.
21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the of the priesthood, the power of godliness is manifest unto men in the flesh;
22 For without this no can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.
23 Now this plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to his people that they might the face of God;
24 But they their hearts and could not endure his ; therefore, the Lord in his , for his was kindled against them, swore that they should not into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.
Hearing his voice is a preparatory step, often involving priesthood ordinances and covenants, that will enable us to one day see the face of God.
66 Behold, that which you hear is as the of one crying in the wilderness—in the wilderness, because you cannot see him—my voice, because my voice is ; my Spirit is truth; abideth and hath no end; and if it be in you it shall abound.
67 And if your eye be to my , your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light all things.
68 Therefore, yourselves that your become to God, and the days will come that you shall him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will. (D&C 88)
There might be subtle allusions to the Exodus here too. The "wilderness" and admonition to "sanctify yourselves" as the children of Israel were asked, are possible clues. All these references are pointing us to a story where there are lessons to be learned. The children of Israel refused the invitation to hear him. As a consequence, the higher priesthood was taken away from them and they wandered and eventually died in the wilderness without entering into his rest. Similarly, in the wilderness of our lives, the good shepherd calls us and invites us to him and his fold through covenants administered by the Mechizedek Priesthood that has been restored. If we learn from the mistakes of Israel of old and, as a latter-day people of Israel, hear his voice instead of hardening our hearts and sanctify ourselves, we will enter into his rest and behold his face. In this context, the Prophet's invitation to us today to "hear Him" is absolutely crucial.