Beware of “the Voice of Strangers” - It Will Harm You! ~

[Bible Speaks]

Do You Listen to Strangers for Direction in Life? - You Must Beware of “the Voice of Strangers” - It Will Harm You! ~

(Isaiah 30:21) And your own ears will hear a word behind you saying: “This is the way. Walk in it, YOU people,” in case YOU people should go to the right or in case YOU should go to the left."

(Psalm 25:8) 8 Good and upright is Jehovah. That is why he instructs sinners in the way."

(Deuteronomy 5:32) And YOU people must take care to do just as Jehovah YOUR God has commanded YOU. YOU must not turn to the right or to the left."

(Joshua 1:7) “Only be courageous and very strong to take care to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn aside from it to the right or to the left, in order that you may act wisely everywhere you go."

(Proverbs 4:27) Do not incline to the right hand or to the left. Remove your foot from what is bad."

Understandably, the better we know Jehovah’s voice, or message, the better we can detect the voice of a stranger. The Bible points out how we develop such knowledge. It states: “Your own ears will hear a word behind you saying: ‘This is the way. Walk in it, you people.’” (Isaiah 30:21)

That “word” behind us comes from the Word of God. Every time we read God’s Word, we hear, as it were, the voice of our Great Shepherd, Jehovah. 

(Psalm 23:1) . . .Jehovah is my Shepherd. I shall lack nothing. . "

Hence, the more we study the Bible, the more familiar we become with God’s voice. That intimate knowledge in turn enables us to detect instantly the voice of strangers.

(Galatians 1:8) . . .However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to YOU as good news something beyond what we declared to YOU as good news, let him be accursed."

What does knowing Jehovah’s voice further involve? Besides hearing, it involves obeying. Note again Isaiah 30:21. God’s Word declares: “This is the way.” 

Yes, through a study of the Bible, we hear Jehovah’s directions. Next, he commands: “Walk in it.” Jehovah wants us to act on what we hear. Thus, by applying what we learn, we show that we have not simply heard Jehovah’s voice but also listened to it.

(Deuteronomy 28:1-2) . . .“And it must occur that if you will without fail listen to the voice of Jehovah your God by being careful to do all his commandments that I am commanding you today, Jehovah your God also will certainly put you high above all other nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings must come upon you and overtake you, because you keep listening to the voice of Jehovah your God"

Obeying Jehovah’s voice also means obeying Jesus’ voice, for Jehovah himself told us to do so. 

(Matthew 17:5) . . .While he was yet speaking, look! a bright cloud overshadowed them, and, look! a voice out of the cloud, saying: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved; listen to him.” 

What does Jesus, the Fine Shepherd, tell us to do? He teaches us to make disciples and to trust “the faithful and discreet slave.” 

(Matthew 24:45) . . .Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time?"

(Matthew 28:18-20) . . .And Jesus approached and spoke to them, saying: “All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded YOU. And, look! I am with YOU all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”

Obeying his voice means our eternal life.

(Acts 3:23) . . .Indeed, any soul that does not listen to that Prophet will be completely destroyed from among the people." www.jw.org