Misinterpretation of the Voice of God
I. When we read the history of our Blessed Lord's first coming into the world, and thoroughly realise who He was that came, it is almost impossible not at times to feel that it must have been a very severe trial for the men of that generation to believe on Him. It was no advantage, but a stern sifting of soul, to have looked on Christ face to face. Why did God so disguise Himself? Why did He not make it easier to recognise Him? Observe: (1) that to have surrounded our Blessed Lord with such a visible glory as should have made unbelief impossible would have been to violate the whole order of the universe; it would have overturned the whole principle of God's dealings with men. What is that principle? It is to try men and to prove them. If God is to show Himself to any generation of men, and yet not stop their probation, He must put a veil over His face. (2) There is no reason to think that any wonder in heaven above or earth beneath, however startling, could have altogether prevented unbelief. Here comes in the text. The men of our Lord's day wanted proof. What proof could there be greater than a voice from heaven? The voice from heaven swelled forth upon the air, the startled multitude caught the sound, but few recognised it to be God's. Any explanation to the many was better than to bow the knee and worship. And so, while yet the Almighty accents lingered upon the hushed air, the people that stood by said that "it thundered."
II. The whole history of the Christian Church, from the beginning to the end, does but exemplify over and over again this same truth. From the first Advent to the last, upon all the mighty verities of God's revelation, the multitude have been divided. While a few have recognised the Divine Voice and the Divine Hand, the mass have seen nothing, heard nothing. This is true, (1) of the coming of Christ to judge the world, (2) of the Church as the kingdom of Christ, (3) of the Sacraments. From the days of Cain and Abel there have ever been the two classes the humble receivers of God's Word, the self-conceited opposers of it; the men who throw themselves into God's way to be saved, and the men who would save themselves in their own way. The world will cry to the last "It only thundered," while God's elect are whispering with anxious hearts, rejoicingly yet tremblingly, "An Angel spake."
Bishop Woodford, Sermons on Subjects from the New Testament,p. 43.
References: John 12:29; John 12:30. S. Cox, Expositions,2nd series, p. 325.John 12:30. E. Jenkins, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxix., p. 308. John 12:31. S. Cox, Expositions,2nd series, p. 337; Homilist,new series, vol. i., p. 311.