“For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction.” Job 33:14-16 KJV
Sometimes we think God is silent, but that’s not true. It’s just that we don’t always recognize when He’s speaking. Job 33 says God speaks once, then again, yet man does not perceive it. That’s a sobering thought. How many times have we prayed for God to speak while overlooking something He already said? How many times have we asked for a fresh word when we haven’t fully obeyed the last one?
Think about the persistence of God. He doesn’t speak once and give up. He speaks again and finds another way. He continues reaching for people even when they miss Him the first time.
The scripture says He speaks through dreams and visions in the night, during deep sleep. There’s something beautiful about that. Sometimes God waits until the noise settles down. He waits until the meetings are over, the conversations have ended, and the distractions are gone. Then, in the quiet places, He begins to deal with the things that matter most.
I’ve learned that God does some of His deepest work when everything else slows down. What feels like an interruption can actually be instruction. What feels like isolation becomes an invitation. In those moments, God has a way of getting our attention and bringing clarity to things we have struggled to understand.
Verse 16 says that He opens the ears of men and seals their instruction. God isn’t merely sharing information, He’s pressing something into the heart and leaving an imprint so that what He wants us to know isn’t easily forgotten.
The question isn’t whether God is speaking, the better question is whether we’re listening. In a world filled with constant noise, endless opinions, and perpetual distraction, it’s easy to miss the voice of God. Yet Scripture reminds us that He’s still speaking. He spoke to Samuel in the night (1 Samuel 3:1-10). He spoke to Elijah through a still small voice (1 Kings 19v12). He spoke to Joseph through dreams (Matthew 1v20). The Lord hasn’t changed. If we are willing to slow down, listen, and pay attention, we’ll discover that God has been speaking all along.
Today, resist the urge to rush and just sit with Him, quiet your heart and open your ears. The God who spoke once and twice in Job’s day is still speaking today. Will you recognize His voice when He does?
