Why does God not talk directly/audibly to us as in the OT?

We have all the words we need from God in the King James Bible.

I generally agree, the Bible contains everything that we need to know in order to be saved and know God through Jesus Christ His Son. But it's not a container of all truth, just necessary spiritual truth. Day to day wisdom in how to live our lives and what choices (especially when both paths are morally acceptable and seemingly beneficial) to make is another type of thing altogether. I do think God gives guidance in these cases through His Holy Spirit and sometimes with an audible voice:

Isa_30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Whether the voice is in one's head or external, who can say? I've heard a quiet voice speaking to me a few times before.

If I want to perceive the voice of God, I read the Bible. If I want to hear the voice of God, I read the Bible out loud!

We have the indwelling Holy Spirit. God speaks Spirit to spirit. The Holy Spirit speaks to our spirit, and we become aware that God is saying something to us. We then interpret in our mind what we sense God is saying to us. I find that when I am discussing issues or asking questions with God, the exact verse or passage of Scripture comes to mind that coincides with what I am discussing or questioning. This has happened so many times, that I know that this is the way the Lord speaks to me. Other times it comes as a sort of conviction that something is either okay nor not okay. I think that has come through my 50 years of trial and error experience. The Scripture says that strong meat is for those through use and experience have learned to discern between good and evil.

I think I know the answer to this one, but I’m curious to see what you all think.

The God of the Old Testament was directly and personally involved in the daily lives of His people. And surely He is today, with us. However, one significant difference between then and now is that we do not hear God talking to us audibly.

No, I’m not talking about legitimately insane people who claim to “hear the voice of God.” Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and many other OT figures literally, actually, and AUDIBLY heard God speak directly and intimately with them on numerous occasions.

I want to understand more about why this doesn’t happen today.

And let me clarify: I know that many of us have heard the voice of God in a way that’s not audible. God has spoken to us in our lives and led us, and most of us have truly and really had that experience. My question is more about the audible voice of God that was recorded throughout the Old Testament. Jesus came to earth - God in human form - but we simply do not see that level of interaction today.

I hope this question makes sense. And I don’t doubt that God is active in our lives and speaks to us in other ways. Just curious about the difference between the OT and now.

Thank you for your insights.

I generally agree, the Bible contains everything that we need to know in order to be saved and know God through Jesus Christ His Son. But it's not a container of all truth, just necessary spiritual truth. Day to day wisdom in how to live our lives and what choices (especially when both paths are morally acceptable and seemingly beneficial) to make is another type of thing altogether. I do think God gives guidance in these cases through His Holy Spirit and sometimes with an audible voice:

Isa_30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Whether the voice is in one's head or external, who can say? I've heard a quiet voice speaking to me a few times before.

Day to day guidance and wisdom is found in the word of God.

Then what do you make of Isaiah 30:21, which IS the Word of God?

Christians are too quick to put God in a box when presented with things they do not understand. I have heard credible accounts of people being converted through dreams and visions in places where God's Word is not available, and then being taught by the Holy Spirit for years before ever meeting another Christian. In our mechanistic American Christianity so dominated by scientism, Christians tell me, "No, such things cannot happen." Well, God worked miracles once and He still does.

Don't put God in a box.

I’m not putting anyone in a box, just stating the Bible is enough.

Years ago maybe 40 or 50.. I asked Mom about the same question.. "Mom God speaks so and so He spoke to the guys in the OT why WHY wont He talk to me? " The wisdom of a mom a Christian mom.... Beck she said, shut-up and listen .

God is Shouting to us today.

He speaks in HIS Creation, He speaks from HIS word, He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. The question should be why can't you hear HIM speaking?

I believe that when this happened in the OT it was rare. And significant events in the lives of Abraham or Moses, etc as they were part of redemption history and needed to be supernatural events to mark them as clearly God intervening in the lives of these men.

We have examples in the NT also. And they too are rare and mark significant events related to redemption history, declaring Jesus as the Son of God and to be heard over Moses and the prophets, and there is Pauls conversion which marks a significant vessel to write much of the New Testament.

What I see in these patterns is that there is absolutely no indication that God will not speak audibly to someone or a whole group of witnesses if he so chooses today. But I would expect that to be a significant event marking it as some kind of prophesy fulfilment in the history of redemption or something. Like maybe something like that would happen when something in Revelation is being fulfilled, or one of the details of an OT prophecy that has a further end time fulfilment.

I wouldn't say that God doesn't do it today. Only that nothing has required Him to do so. We are in that stage in the redemptive time line where we are to be winning souls in the power of the Holy Spirit and God is speaking through us in the prophets voice, (or at least those of us surrendered to him, and filled with the Holy Spirit).

We know that there will be the voice of the Archangel when the trumpet sounds.

Maybe there will be a few more audible voice events.

One of the last ones, and maybe the last unless you include Jesus talking to Paul, was when God said, "This is my beloved Son, Hear Him" and He said this when Peter wanted to make a tabernacle for Moses and Elijah and Jesus, thus signifying that the time of the Law and the Prophets had been eclipsed by Jesus ministry and we are to Hear Him.

If there is another audible voice event it will be a few rare instances at most before the world ends and that would be no different than in the past. A very rare event marking significant developments in the Redemptive plan of God and the plan he foreordained to redeem mankind and wrap all things up and usher in the eternal kingdom of perfection and everlasting dwelling in righteousness.

Agreed , all things are possible for sure I can only say I’ve never heard or seen with my flesh.

Because you have not been told you are one of the two witnesses.

That is probably when something like that would happen. If that is how the two witnesses get called, and I am not saying that it is. If God were to speak audibly and lots of people heard it that would sort of seal the authentic call of the witness.

I am just making stuff up here. Thinking of examples of why an audible voice might be used that would match some OT event. It would have to be significant to Bible prophesy or something like that.

I don't believe people who say that God spoke to them audibly. Usually they don't really mean it when you ask them for more details. They end up saying something like. I know it was not audible to others but it was to me. That kind of rhetoric is irresponsible and dishonest. They should quit it.

The prosperity gospel teachers are known for these claims. Jesus visits them at the breakfast table and they can see him and he talks to them and they can record the voice but never do. Yeah... right.... sure.