In 2 Peter, chapter one, we have a man who heard God speak directly from heaven urging us to pay attention to God’s Word. That man is Peter.

“For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. [17] For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” [18] we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. [19] And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, [20] knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. [21] For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:16-21)

Matthew 17:1-9 tells us that Peter was one of three disciples that Jesus invited up to the mount of Transfiguration. While they are up there Jesus is transfigured. The word that is used is our word for metamorphosis. Jesus’s face shown like the sun and his clothes became white as light.

Moses and Elijah, representing the Old Testament Law and Prophets, appeared.

Peter loved it. He wanted to stay there. He offered to build three shelters. Why he thought Jesus, Moses and Elijah needed shelters is anyone’s guess.

What happened next knocked Peter and the other disciples to their feet. A cloud enveloped them and a voice came out of the cloud.

The voice said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

Then it is all over, seemingly very quickly. While Peter, James and John are still cowering on the ground, Jesus comes over and touches them and says, “Rise and have no fear.” It’s worth noting that the voice from heaven says, “Listen to Jesus,” and the first thing Jesus says is, “Rise and have no fear.” It is worth listening to Jesus for the simple fact that he tells us, “Have no fear.”

As they are descending Jesus tells them not to tell anyone about this until after he has risen from the dead.

As Peter says in this passage, this was not some cleverly designed myth. This really happened. Peter, James and John were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ majesty. They heard the voice from heaven.

Peter heard God speak from heaven. It knocked them to the ground.

Peter had also witnessed many of Jesus’ miracles and was a witness of the resurrection.

So one might think that he would then want us to experience that as well, but he doesn’t. Instead, he urges us to pay attention to Scripture: “And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, [20] knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. [21] For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Scripture is not God speaking directly from heaven as on the Mt. of Transfiguration. Scripture is men speaking from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

We call this the doctrine of inspiration. The Bible is not just an ordinary human book because it was inspired by God.

2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

There are many clever myths out there that are fascinating to read. God wants us to read and pay attention to his Word.

One of the best reasons that we are to pay attention to God’s Word is that it tells us over and over again, “Have no fear.”

The same Jesus who was transfigured on that mountain came down from the mountain and went to Jerusalem where he suffered and died for our sins and rose victorious from the dead. Because of what Jesus did we can live confidently knowing that our sins are forgiven.

I think it would be great to hear God’s voice from heaven. But Peter, one who did hear God’s voice from heaven, would rather have us pay attention to the inspired Word of God in the Bible.