GOD IS NOT SILENT

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“But you have said in my hearing—I heard the very words— ‘I am pure, I have done no wrong; I am clean and free from sin. Yet God has found fault with me; He considers me His enemy. He fastens my feet in shackles; He keeps close watch on all my paths.’ “

“But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than any mortal. Why do you complain to him that he responds to no one’s words? For God does speak — now one way, now another — though no one perceives it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds, He may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride, to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword.”

Job 33:8-18

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Through the Book of Job, we have read Job raise complaint numerous times about the seeming silence of God during his affliction. Job longed to have a conversation with God – to be in His presence so that he could make the case that his suffering was unjust and unfair, especially in light of him being blameless. In this scenario, Job sees himself convincing God to change his circumstances and restore him to the good life he had before disaster had struck.

But no matter how many times Job called out to God in the midst of his hardship, it seemed to him that God didn’t answer.

Have you ever been there? I know I have a time or two.

So is God silent? Does He ever choose to not answer us when we call on Him?

The answer is yes.

Go back to the Old Testament and the Israelites who never could break out of what I call the Old Testament (or Old Covenant) cycle. It went like this:

1. The people of Israel would choose to sin in the sight of God, violating His commands and expectations.

2. God would send warning to His people telling them to turn from their sins or face consequences.

3. The people would not heed God’s warning and would keep on sinning.

4. God would send His promised consequences on the Israelites.

5. The Israelites, in the midst of hardship, would cry out to God for His deliverance, repenting of their sinfulness and vowing to not anger Him again.

6. God would restore the Israelites but they wouldn’t keep their promises (go back to number 1).

This happened over and over and over in the Old Testament so you could probably imagine that there were times when God was less than happy with His people Israel. And as we ponder this cycle, maybe there’s a warning for you and me here. For how many times have we been in this same cycle in our own lives? Maybe you’re even in the midst of it now as you read this.

Scriptures tell us of two incidents where God chose to not answer Israel when they cried out to Him.

In Deuteronomy, Chapter 1, we read about Israel’s refusal to enter into Canaan at the first attempt, afraid after a report from the spies who were sent to survey the land that God had promised His people. And although Moses told the Israelites that God was going to go before them to fight and ensure they received the land He promised, the people refused to enter and trust the God who had delivered them from the Pharaoh’s clutches in Egypt and led them through the desert wilderness to that moment and time.

And so God was angered by the lack of faith displayed by His people and promised that generation of Israelites that they would not get to enter the land ever with the exception of Joshua and Caleb who were the only ones to stand in faith. Even Moses was told he would not enter.

The people confessed they had sinned and thought God would change His mind about them not entering Canaan so they chose to go to battle despite the Lord telling them that He would not be with them and they would suffer defeat. The result was predictable. For the scriptures tell us that the Amorites soundly defeated Israel forcing them to retreat to Kadesh. We read where the Israelites then “wept before the Lord” but He “paid no attention” to their weeping and “turned a deaf ear” to them (verses 26-46).

The second occasion can be found in Isaiah, Chapter 1, as the prophet Isaiah speaks to the people of Judah and Jerusalem:

Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah! “The multitude of your sacrifices—what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations — I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening (verses 10-15).

Here, Isaiah is comparing the rulers of Judah and Jerusalem with the past rulers of Sodom and Gomorrah, two sin-filled cities that were completely destroyed by God. The warning is clear. Turn from your wicked ways or else God will turn from you, hiding His eyes and not listening to offered prayers. Indeed, God informed His people that He was a jealous God and would have no other gods before Him (Exodus 20:3-4) and yet the people didn’t listen to Him. And so in turn, they found God not listening either.

Yes, Israel often didn’t listen to God and I’m convinced didn’t listen for God either. In the midst of their sinfulness, it was their own desires and wants that they chose to turn an ear to, tuning out the voice of God who tried to bring them to obedience and trust in Him. It wasn’t that God wasn’t speaking. It was that Israel wasn’t listening.

As Elihu continued his discourse in Job, Chapter 33, we receive a great reminder about God and His voice through the young man’s words. For Elihu says this as he speaks to Job:

“Why do you complain to him that he responds to no one’s words? For God does speak — now one way, now another — though no one perceives it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds, He may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride, to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword.”

God does speak. Trust in that. He speaks to us all the time and in many ways. The problem is that we aren’t listening. I’m reminded of a contemporary Christian song by the duo, Out of the Grey, titled “He Is Not Silent”. The lyrics go like this:

We wander through this world in disbelief
Shake our heads at every tear
Searching endlessly for some relief
Has He left us dying here?

But we've forgotten all His words
Pretend we never heard
We take our hearts and turn away

But He is not silent; He is not whispering
We are not quiet; We are not listening
He sends a lifeline; We keep resisting Him
He is not silent; We are not listening
No, we are not listening

Yes, God is always speaking to us, whether through His Holy Word (the reason why we need to read our Bibles daily), through prayer, through the Holy Spirit, through dreams and visions, and sometimes even through other people (like Elihu or Isaiah or any other number of men and women we read about in the scriptures). He is ever trying to communicate with us to lead us and guide us, to turn us from wrongdoing and keep us from pride, to preserve us from the pit, and keep us from perishing.

Friends, know and trust that God is not silent. He wants to talk to you and me in special ways.

Don’t you think it’s time we start listening?

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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