Question:
Did God talk to any other peoples besides the Jews?
Answer:
The ultimate answer to this question will determine if God really cares for the souls of all people, or whether He just cares if Jews get saved. And the answer, of course, is that God wants all people to be saved — both Jews and Gentiles.
II Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.” God does not want anyone to perish in their sins, but that all would repent and get saved. I Timothy 2:3,4 says, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; WHO WILL HAVE ALL MEN TO BE SAVED, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
John 3:16 makes it clear that the Lord Jesus did not die for the Jews alone, but for everyone upon this earth. “For God so loved THE WORLD, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
God did send an angel to warn Cornelius that he needed to be saved. Acts 10:1-6 says, “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day AN ANGEL OF GOD COMING IN TO HIM, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.”
God also warned Laban not to harm Jacob. Genesis 31:24 says, “AND GOD CAME TO LABAN THE SYRIAN IN A DREAM BY NIGHT, AND SAID UNTO HIM, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.”
These are a couple of examples of God speaking to Gentiles. But we must not limit God’s speaking to just audibly.
For people to get saved, they must hear God’s Word. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH HIS WORD — THE WRITTEN WORD, as well. Romans 10:13-17 says, “For WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then FAITH COMETH BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.” The only place to get faith is from God’s Word.
Remember what the request of the rich man in hell was? Luke 16:19-31 says, “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest SEND HIM TO MY FATHER’S HOUSE: For I have five brethren; THAT HE MAY TESTIFY UNTO THEM, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, THEY HAVE MOSES AND THE PROPHETS; LET THEM HEAR THEM. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”
The rich man’s brothers did not have access to talk personally to Moses and the prophets (because they had gone to be with the Lord), but what he was referring to here was the Bible. His brothers had the Bible. God would speak to them through His Word. But they were not listening — just like their brother.
There are many people today who want to hear God speak audibly, instead of to read His Word. But listen to Peter. Peter lived before the time that the Word of God was complete. He got to hear and see the Lord Jesus. Peter got to hear a voice from heaven. Peter got to see the Lord transfigured. But Peter says that something is more sure than all of those things. II Peter 1:16-21 says, “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were EYEWITNESSES OF HIS MAJESTY. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And THIS VOICE WHICH CAME FROM HEAVEN WE HEARD, when we were with him in the holy mount. WE HAVE ALSO A MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY; WHEREUNTO YE DO WELL THAT YE TAKE HEED, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of THE SCRIPTURE is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
Peter said that something is more sure than seeing miraculous sights, and hearing voices from heaven — the Word of God. Why? Because all of those things are subject to private interpretation, and no one can go back and check them out. But the Word of God is different. It is written down what God said, and anyone can check out what He has said. Acts 17:11 says, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES DAILY, WHETHER THOSE THINGS WERE SO.”
God does speak to all men — through His Word — if only they were listening.