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Devotionals
God communicated with people through various unusual means throughout the Bible. Below are a few instances where God used something or someone other than Himself (or a standard prophet/angel messenger) to speak to people:
1) The Burning Bush - God spoke to Moses through a bush that burned but wasn't consumed (Exodus 3:2-4)
2) Balaam's Donkey - As we discussed, God gave human speech to this animal (Numbers 22:28-30)
3) The Urim and Thummim - These were objects kept in the high priest's breastplate used to determine God's will, though they didn't "speak" verbally (Exodus 28:30, 1 Samuel 28:6)
4) The Writing on the Wall - During Belshazzar's feast, a disembodied hand wrote a message from God (Daniel 5:5-28)
5) Lots - Used to determine God's will, particularly in the case of choosing Matthias to replace Judas (Acts 1:26)
6) A Voice from Heaven - Directly spoke at Jesus' baptism and transfiguration (Matthew 3:17, 17:5)
7) The Wind, Earthquake, and Fire - Though God wasn't in these phenomena when Elijah was on Mount Horeb, they preceded the "still small voice" of God (1 Kings 19:11-13)
Creation Itself (My personal favorite…how about “you”?) - While not speaking words, the Bible says creation "declares" God's glory (Psalm 19:1-3)
9) A Rooster - While not speaking God's message directly, Jesus prophesied that Peter would deny him three times before the rooster crowed, making it a divinely appointed signal (Mark 14:30, 72)
10) Dreams and Visions - God often used these to communicate (Joseph's dreams, Pharaoh's dreams interpreted by Joseph, Nebuchadnezzar's dreams, etc.)
Q: Which king was afflicted with worms and died because he didn't give glory to God?
A: Herod Agrippa I
Tidbit: After giving a speech, people shouted that his voice was "the voice of a god," and because he accepted their worship instead of giving glory to God, he was immediately struck down and eaten by worms.
Reference: Acts 12:21-23
Background: According to Acts 12:21-23, Herod Agrippa I was in Caesarea, where he gave a grand public speech wearing his royal robes. The people watching were so impressed by his appearance and oration that they began shouting "This is the voice of a god, not of a man!"
- Instead of rejecting this blasphemous praise, Herod accepted it, essentially allowing himself to be worshipped as divine.
- The text states that because he did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down immediately.
- He was "eaten by worms" (possibly referring to some kind of parasitic or medical condition) and died.
Theological Significance - Divine punishment for pride and failure to give glory to God.
Application: This account serves as a powerful example to the Church:
1) Of God's judgment on those who would elevate themselves to divine status,
2) Of God’s sovereignty over the Church’s enemies/oppressors.
*The end of one of the church's most prominent early persecutors, as this same Herod had previously killed James and imprisoned Peter.
References:
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