Most of us have said (or at least thought) at some point, "I wish God would just show up and speak." The truth is, he has—in two specific ways: scripture and Jesus. The Bible describes both of these expressions as "the Word," his message for each one of us.

God’s Word in Written Form

The Bible is the inspired word of God. We can go to it anytime and see and hear what God wants to communicate to us because "all Scripture is breathed out by God" (2 Tim 3:16). Throughout the Bible, the thing God wants to communicate to us most of all is Jesus and his work on the cross on our behalf. Prophecies foretell his mission and the gospels recount his life, death, and resurrection. The entire Bible—Old and New Testament—is all about Jesus (Luke 24:27; John 5:46).

God’s Word in Physical Form

John’s Gospel opens with, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (1:1–2, 14). Jesus is God’s Word, off the page and in the flesh. Sally Lloyd-Jones puts it this way in The Jesus Storybook Bible (emphasis added):

This messenger [Jesus] would be called God’s own Son. He would be called ‘The Word’ because he himself would be God’s Message. God’s Message translated into our own language. Everything God wanted to say to the whole world—in a person.

Through the Bible and Jesus, God has spoken to us. The message is our word of hope, our good news, and our salvation (Col. 1:5). For more on this topic, read chapter 2, "Revelation: God Speaks", from Pastor Mark's book, Doctrine.