Preaching in the New Testament (New Studies in Biblical Theology Book 42)

by (Preaching instructor) Jonathan Griffiths

Encounters with God in Scripture are often, in essence, encounters with his word. Even where a striking physical manifestation of God’s presence is given, the substance of a meeting is verbal in nature. This is the case in God’s meeting with Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3. Although the burning bush catches Moses’ attention (Exod. 3:3) and marks the fact that God is present, the essence of God’s presence in the encounter is not so much the bush itself but the word that God speaks. Once God has Moses’ attention, the substance of their encounter is a lengthy conversation (Exod. 3:7 – 4:17). The physical manifestation of God’s presence only draws attention to the central means by which God engages with Moses: that is, by speaking to him. The same is true for the prophet Elijah in his encounter with God in 1 Kings 19. Elijah is isolated and frightened, and in his goodness the Lord comes to him and makes his presence known to him. The encounter is dramatic, but once again God’s word stands at the very heart of it: