On February 19, 1878, Thomas Edison was granted a patent for his cylinder phonograph, a machine with two diaphragm-and-needle units, one for recording and one for playback.  The diaphragms had embossing points held against tin foil wrapped around a metal cylinder, so that vibrations of sound would be indented onto the cylinder by a recording needle.  He tested the machine by speaking the nursery rhyme into the mouthpiece, “Mary had a little lamb,” and the machine then played his words back to him.

“Words from Above” in the Bible tell us that the voice of God has been heard many times throughout the history of the world, beginning with God speaking to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He told them to not eat or touch the fruit on the tree in the middle of the garden, but they failed to heed His voice.  The next time He walked in the garden, they hid themselves from the presence of the Lord among the trees of the garden.  They were ashamed of what they had done, and God punished them for what they had done, and most likely His voice played back in their minds many times after that day.

Within a few short generations, the sin that Adam and Eve introduced into the world resulted in the wickedness of man being great in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  God was grieved in His heart, but one man named Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.  So, God spoke to Noah and told him that He was planning to destroy the earth, and that Noah should build an ark to save himself, his family, and two of every living creature from a worldwide flood. God gave Noah specific instructions as to how to build the ark, to furnish it with food, and when to board the vessel. 

Later, God spoke to Abraham and asked him to leave his homeland to travel to a new land, and promised to make of him a great nation.  He also promised to bless him and make him a blessing, so that all the families of the earth could be blessed through him.  Abraham took his wife Sarah, his nephew Lot, and all that they possessed, and traveled to the land of Canaan, which God then promised to give to his future descendants. Years later, God spoke to Moses and asked him to lead the descendants of Abraham out of Egypt, where they had been slaves, to this promised land to occupy it as their own.  If we listen very carefully, God will speak to us today.

Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville.  Everyone is welcome to attend.  For information, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.