The Word of God is powerful and alive. For it is the voice that roars from heaven. And upon the scales that measure the weight of “life imparted” by each and every word, each individual scripture has its own particular contribution to make.

     For every word is the voice of truth and reason, being the truth that not only “sets free”, but “sets free indeed” (John 8:36). At the same time, every word “made flesh”, not only “gives life”, but “gives life abundantly.” (John 10:10).

    For the Word of God is “the clarion voice” of all truth made known and imparted (Spirit). And “the battle cry” of every heart that responds to that truth so received (life). For, in and of themselves, every word of the living Word of God is both Spirit, AND life. (John 6:63).

     And in life, are there not MANY voices that we need to contend with and choose between? Just like the voice of the two trees for the first Adam. Being the very same choice we all need to make as a daily lifestyle occupation. Which is the daily choice of “the two trees” that is the daily choice between the voice of the “high road”, being the voice of the spirit, representing the tree of life, and the voice of the “low road”, being the voice of the flesh, representing the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

     For isn't the foundation of living authentically — which is to BE a son (or a daughter) — the foundation of learning to hear only one voice? And to then live and walk according to the leading of that one voice? “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14). Which is the voice that thunders. And the voice that is upon many waters, being the many waters of His many sons. For is the voice of the LORD not powerful? And is the voice of the LORD not full of majesty”? (Psalms 29:3-4).

     And just like there are many different vocal elements to any voice — being pitch, pace, pause, tone, volume, accent, emphasis, intonation — so is it, likewise, the same with the substance, the quality, and the character of the voice of the living truth of God. And has God not said that My sheep KNOW My voice? “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they FOLLOW Me.” (John 10:27). Which means that those who are His sheep are, therefore, able to hear and know ALL the various facets and timbres that make His voice the one that “sounds like many waters”.

     And when it comes to those who follow Him, are those who “follow Him” not called “a disciple”? (John 12:26). Which, if it is “His sheep” who follow Him, as it says, then by definition this makes His sheep “disciples”. And His sheep then, therefore, also not those who are “saved only”. For not all who are saved are also disciples.

     And, likewise, if it is His sheep, as it says, that “hear Him”, and His sheep are disciples, then it stands to reason that it is only His disciples who then hear Him. Meaning, in this instance, as the One who’s voice is as the sound of “many waters”, that His voice is not the voice that is the sound of the water of “Jesus as Saviour”, but the voice that is the sound of the water of “Jesus as Lord”.

     Which, for those who are in Christ AS LORD, is the “freedom indeed” of the tongue of ultimate truth and sound reason, of soundness of mind (2 Timothy 1:7), the voice of all things noble, pure, lovely and admirable (Philippians 4:8), and the voice of all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).

     For, of the trumpet call of truth that is “the sovereign voice of God” made audible to the heart, being a voice distinguishable over the crossfire and hubbub of all other voices, the “voice of the living truth”, like any voice, has its own number of vocal elements.

     For some scriptures are “the voice and nature of pure love”. Of others, they are “the voice and nature of peace”, being the fruit of love. Whilst others are “of war”, being what is necessary to preserve the name and truth and the honour of love. Also, there are others still, that are “of judgment and wrath” for the significant wrongdoing and cowardice of not standing up for love. And still, from time to time, there are those whose roots sink in deep, with teeth both ragged and sharp, that of their very nature, simply will not, and cannot, ever let go.

     These are those root scriptures, those primary trust anchors, which just as the household of God has been built upon “the foundation” of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as “the cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20), these scriptures serve as “the foundation” of WISDOM upon which our OWN house in Christ is built; that function as “the foundation” of UNDERSTANDING by which the tabernacle of God, IN EACH OF US, is established; and “the foundation” of KNOWLEDGE by which all the rooms of our house are FILLED with all precious and pleasant riches. (Proverbs 24:3).

     On occasion, too, there are also those scriptures that, by definition, behave quite simply like searing sandpaper, scratching tirelessly at the comfort of the spirit, and plaguing the substrate and fabric of the soul. Because of their nature and way, they leave you thoroughly unsettled, almost haunted and troubled, with many an unanswered question. Being those scriptures that, for a time, we will only know IN PART (1 Corinthians 13:9), with the rest of their vocal elements remaining, IN PART, quite simply veiled and unfathomable.

     For me personally, one such instance in particular, has for ages been the gnawing scripture, “For many are called, but few are chosen”. (Matthew 24:14). For a very, very long time, this scripture in particular, left me thoroughly chafed, emotionally, and deeply unsettled, spiritually. And whilst perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18), the mere notion of not being chosen for some reason, or any reason for that matter, by my Father, fills me with immense dread and unease, and a gnawing sense of having been set aside and left out because “I didn’t make the grade”.

     And then, over and above these many nuances to the eloquent and sonorous voice of our great God, there is also the inflection to “His voice of truth” that only becomes audible when the voice of one scripture is "paired" or "yoked' with another. For just like with music, being the yoking of many individual instruments together into a “singular production”, with its best expression being a “grand symphony orchestra”, the yoking of scriptures often produces, unto the ear of the heart, the most beautiful voice of all. Which is why the entire Bible, from beginning to end, is the “symphony orchestra of truth” that makes the very best music of all.

     And as the ears of our hearts adjust to the various pitches and melodies of the acoustics of the LORD’s beautiful voice, being the voice that roars from heaven (Revelation 14:2) as the sound of many waters (Revelation 1:15), not only can one scripture, through such a yoking with another, have its hidden voice suddenly unlocked, but by virtue of the unique constellation of attributes of their yoking, they can now suddenly speak and give utterance with the beautiful marvel that is a brand new voice that has previously never been heard before.

     And so, in the process of building this house, “one precept at a time, here a little, there a little” (Isaiah 18:10), a once hidden truth that was previously concealed behind the veil of obscurity, subsequently breaks its banks of obfuscation, and becomes one with the beautiful and crystal clear river of life. And in that moment of release, what was previously scratchy and unfathomable, and what was once a voice “entirely indigestible”, becomes now not only a priceless meal for the spirit of man to digest, but a beautiful voice both heard and understood by the heart. For is it not written that “when Your words came, I ate them? Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight?” (Jeremiah 15:16).

     And through two scriptures, who through their yoking, now flow “into one” as the river of life, being the river that is as “bright as crystal” (Revelation 22:1), one such example of the great release of life so imparted, where a previously veiled scripture becomes unlocked by the yoking of specific scriptures, is that of Isaiah 6:8 with Matthew 24:14. “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me’”. (Isaiah 6:8).

     As the loud voice of God of “Isaiah 6:8” reaches across the passage of time and space, a particular consideration arises. Who is God directing this petition at? In order to answer this question, we need to first know what the nature of His petition is. The comment “Who will go for Us?” speaks of “doing” something for God. And doing something speaks of tendering a service, specifically a service unto the will and purposes of God. Thereafter, the second part of the scripture that next follows, being, “Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me”, demonstrates that God simply verbalises His request, and then simply waits for someone — anyone — to respond.