RESPECT THE SILENCE OF GOD

Scripture reading: Psalms 50:16-21

When God was silent; man didn’t respect his commandments.

Psalms 19:7-11 “THE LAW OF THE LORD is PERFECT, CONVERTING THE SOUL: THE TESTIMONY OF THE LORD is SURE, MAKING WISE THE SIMPLE. THE STATUES OF THE LORD are RIGHT, REJOICING THE HEART: THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD is PURE, ENLIGHTENING THE EYES. THE FEAR OF THE LORD is CLEAN, ENDURING FOR EVER: THE JUDGMENTS OF THE LORD are TRUE and RIGHTEOUS ALTOGETHER MORE TO BE DESIRED are they THAN GOLD, YEA, THAN MUCH FINE GOLD: SWEETER ALSO THAN HONEY AND THE HONEYCOMB. MOREOVER BY THEM IS THY SERVANT WARNED: and IN KEEPING OF THEM there is GREAT REWARD.”

Hebrews 4:12 “¹²For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Uncounted volumes have been written and thousands of sermons have been delivered about the words and commandments of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. But it seems in this age that we pay very little attention to the silence of God. Especially many in recent years seem to think that if God did not expressly forbid something such as instruments of music in His worship then it’s left to man’s discretion as to whether that practice is acceptable or not. Not so! That is a related but different study for another time perhaps.

We know that God speaks with immeasurable power and authority. We now that by His eternal Word all things that exist came into being; the planets moved into their respective orbits and man became a living soul. Natural laws that God put into place cannot be changed or altered by man and he defies them at the peril of his own destruction.

Yet God through his own Words chose to alter his laws at times to benefit his crowning creation, mankind. He spoke to his servant Moses from a bush that burned but was not consumed (Exodus 3:2). He caused the sea to part and allowed his children to go through on dry ground (Exodus 14:16). He caused water to flow from a rock when water was needed by Israel (Numbers 20:8-11). He caused the sun and moon to stand still and suspended the passage of time to allow Israel to defeat their enemies (Joshua 10:13).

We can be assured that when the time comes for God to remove His creation from existence and bring mankind to judgment that with a word He can speak this universe out of existence. Literally in a moment, a second, a flash of time too small for us to measure as the Apostle records:

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” I Corinthians 15:52

When God speaks, man stands in fear and awe. Israel, led by the cloud and pillar of fire out of their bondage, enjoying the benevolence of a merciful God but could not stand to hear his voice:

Exodus 20:18-19 “¹⁸And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. ¹⁹And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”

But it is not during the moments of God’s presence that men are rebellious, contentious, neglectful, unthankful and fearless, but during the times that God is silent. Observe what the Israelites, who heard God speak directly to them, did just a few days later:

Exodus 32:1 “¹And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.”

It is not during the time that God speaks, that God’s presence is manifested that man questions, rejects or disobeys God but rather during the periods of God’s silence; the periods of time that God is waiting in his mercy for man to repent, turn and worship him. It is during the long periods of time when God has been silent that men have allowed their faith to falter and grow weak. It is during these times that man has corrupted their religion and allowed themselves to drift, and have become:

“⁴Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; ⁵Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” II Timothy 3:4-5

Man, with the greatest of the ability that God has given him, has reasoned and searched the Bible, the Word of God, striving to understand and teach the commands found therein. But it is to our eternal sorrow as mankind that we have neglected to reflect upon the times that God is silent and the results that these intervals of silence will have on the eternal destiny of our souls.

God’s Silence Expresses His Wisdom and Divinity

God spake and the worlds were formed:

Genesis 1:3 “AND GOD SAID, LET THERE BE LIGHT AND THERE WAS LIGHT.”

Genesis 1:6 “AND GOD SAID, LET THERE BE A FIRMAMENT IN THE MIDST OF THE WATERS, AND LET IT DIVIDE THE WATERS FROM THE WATERS.”

All material things sprang into existence and then the voice of God became silent in nature. All natural law has been fixed from that day forward. But what has man done?

Men have denied, rejected, tried to refute and have even claimed to set such laws aside but God remains silent in the realm of nature. Man has even devised false sciences or to use the words of Paul in his warning to Timothy:

“O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:” I Timothy 6:20

The theory of evolution, the big bang and all of the other half baked notions hatched through man’s wisdom and babbled by self-important men indoctrinated by panels of their peers fail miserably in the face of God’s silence. It is this penetrating silence that causes the atheist, the deist and the agnostic to demand an answer from God. They cry for supernatural evidence which, when they fail to get it, deceive their followers with superstitions properly labeled by the Apostle just quoted as “SCIENCE FALSELY SO-CALLED.” God spoke once with power and authority, so why should he need to speak again? Men seeped in man’s wisdom have never disproved his power and authority and they never will. The unbroken silence of an almighty God has forced true scientists to admit that “matter cannot be created or destroyed” only changed from one form to another. We need but look about us to realize and understand that:

“THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD; AND THE FIRMAMENT SHOWETH HIS HANDYWORK.: Psalms 19:1

Why should God need to repeat such demonstrations of his power and prove himself again to an unbelieving generation? Such power does not need to be verified. No man has disproved the evidence of God’s power and authority and never will.

God’s silence is indicative of his wisdom. Wise men are men of few words and true science requires but little or no justification. Denying another’s statement does not prove any statement that we might make; neither does denying the infallibility of the Bible prove men’s theories about science. Since men cannot disprove God’s statements it is just and wise for God to remain silent. That silence simply provides undeniable proof of His wisdom and divinity.

God’s Silence is a Proof of the Infallibility of the Bible

Hebrews 1:1-2 “¹God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, ²Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;”

On the mount of transfiguration we remember that Peter; filled with the wisdom of men and suggesting what other men have since accomplished, decided that we should establish three denominations and worship Moses, Elijah and Jesus:

Matthew 17:4 “⁴Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.”

This bit of babbling by the Galilean fisherman led to the last instruction that God himself would give directly to mankind:

Matthew 17:5 “⁵While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”

Then the voice of God became silent and has remained so for almost 2000 years. We are to hear the voice of his Son, Jesus the Messiah. Christ, before His ascension during his period of teaching, preaching and training his disciples spake the commands of God by which mankind are to be directed for the balance of the existence of time. Then he told his disciples:

“²⁶But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26

Then following his ascension and return to the Father, except to specific people for a specific purpose, the voice of our saviour became silent as well.

The Holy Spirit came as promised:

“³And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. ⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:3-4

The commands of Christ were revealed to the apostles; his teachings were brought forth in their memories and to other New Testament writers as the Spirit gave them utterance. Then when the Apostle John laid down his pen at the conclusion of writing the book of Revelation on that Greek island of Patmos; the Holy Spirit also became silent.

In the will of the Son of God, this New Testament, we have the words, commands and teaching given by Christ and written by the direction of the Holy Spirit each in turn. It is an affront, a reflection on the infinite wisdom of the Godhead for men to claim or even seek a direct revelation or guidance by God, Christ or the Holy Spirit today. Such revelation, should one be given, would only cast doubt on the one already received. Yet men claim a special message from the Holy Spirit, a latter day revelation. Others contend that they have received guidance directly from the Holy Spirit. Some are even inclined to believe that God puts such directly into their hearts while others seem possessed with the illusion (and it is an illusion, a figment of their imagination) that a guardian angel is ever nearby to direct them in right or wrong. None of these contentions are based on faith because:

“SO THEN FAITH cometh BY HEARING AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD” Romans 10:17

and none of these contentions are supported by the sacred scripture. We wouldn’t accept them in a court of law. We would not accept them to support a material contract. We wouldn’t even accept them as evidence in any meaningful discussion.

To seek or claim a latter day revelation from God is to reject the one we already have. It to reject the Words of Jesus Christ the Son of God as recorded in the New Testament. In doing so, men deny the capability of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit to do what the New Testament was designed, advocated and fulfilled to do; reveal the mind, purpose and instruction of God to mankind.

God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are silent and have been silent for almost 2000 years, why? Because They have spoken. Having spoken with authority, there is no need for repetition or explanation. A modern day repetition would add nothing to the clearness of the New Testament scripture. Neither would it give additional information or increase man’s capability to understand the will of God because that that has already been given is complete:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” II Timothy 3:16-17

And the Apostle Paul warns us:

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. ⁹For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Colossians 2:8-9

The only reason left for men to contend for a latter day revelation is to escape that which has already been written. It is the silence of God that causes men to become careless and indifferent toward his word which has already been spoken. This is a condition that David prophesied would happen:

“BUT UNTO THE WICKED GOD SAITH, WHAT HAST THOU TO DO TO DECLARE MY STATUTES, OR that THOU SHOULDEST TAKE MY COVENANT IN THY MOUTH? SEE THOU HATEST INSTRUCTION, AND CASTETH MY WORDS BEHIND THEE.” Psalms 50:16-17

But hating God’s instruction and casting his words away or behind us will have a price. A price that mankind will not want to pay. David also spoke of these things:

“THESE things HAST THOU DONE, AND I KEPT SILENCE; THOU THOUGHTEST THAT I WAS ALTOGETHER such an one AS THYSELF: but I WILL REPROVE THEE, AND SET them IN ORDER BEFORE THINE EYES. NOW CONSIDER THIS, YE THAT FORGET GOD, LEST I TEAR you IN PIECES, AND there be NONE TO DELIVER.” Psalms 50:21-22

If God would speak to us directly today what would he say? Would he say “WELL DONE, THOU GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT” as the lord did to the man who received five talents in Matthew 25:21. Would these be his words when mankind has done differently than what God has commanded; when we have requested a special guidance and rejected that which he has already given?

When men seriously reflect on what God might say, should He speak to us today, they will pray for Him to remain silent; until they can repent and accept what He said when He did speak. The words of God have been given; we have them in our possession; there is no need for divine revision or repetition.

God’s Silence Indicates His Infinite Mercy

God is exceedingly merciful, slow to wrath and longsuffering.

Although nothing escapes his divine eyes:

“FOR THE WAYS OF MAN are BEFORE THE EYES OF THE LORD, AND HE PONDERETH ALL HIS GOINGS.” Proverbs 5:21

God has endured the provocation of the ungodly and delayed his judgment of this world from day to day, and from year to year for almost 100 generations since the death of his Son. God is longsuffering to mankind and in silence He manifests His divine mercy as He waits for our repentance. This present life is provided to us as a season of prohibition, a period for reforming. It is not a period of silence in which God will allow His will to be altered but a period of silence in which He is waiting for us to conform to His way.

But do men honor God’s silence by their acceptance and obedience of His Word? No! Why? The Holy Spirit tells us through the pen of the wisest man of all time:

“¹¹Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” Ecclesiastes 8:11

How long this period of God’s silence will continue no one knows.

“³⁶But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Matthew 24:36

But end it will. It will be brought to an abrupt end in due time:

“⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” I Corinthians 15:52

What shall he say then to those who have taken His covenant out of God’s mouth, who have discarded the New Testament because they hated instruction and who have changed the Word of God into deception? What will he say to those who have said as Ezekiel describes:

“⁶They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. ⁷Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?” Ezekiel 13:6-7

It is this silence that is indicative of His divine mercy, for when He speaks, as David tells us that he will reprove the wicked and tear into pieces those that forget that Him. Then there will be none to deliver. (Psalms 50:21-22). Is it any wonder that there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth as Jesus tells us through the pen of Matthew in Matthew 8:12 when God comes:

“⁸In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:” II Thessalonians 1:8

It is God’s desire to remain silent. Why should we wish it otherwise? If men will not heed that which He has already spoken, what assurance does God have that men will hear a new revelation? In fact, Jesus tells us that as mankind in general we won’t. In Jesus’ description of the Hadean world, the rich man asks Abraham to allow Lazarus return to his brothers as a messenger to warn them of the torment that he is suffering. What was Abraham’s response?

“³¹And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Luke 16:31

God’s commands have been given and the destiny of mankind has been sealed. Alterations are not to be accepted. Neither are alterations to be expected in these divine directions. What God has written, God has written; what God has spoken, God has spoken. What faith or hope could a believer have if those words were suddenly changed? With what certainty could one plan for eternity if it were not for the fact that:

“¹⁷Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17

There is no need for another revelation!

It is then the silence of God that indicates the nature of His infinite compassion and mercy toward mankind and which fuels our faith and hope in His eternal promises.

God’s Silence Is The Prelude to His Judgment

Just as the king of Israel, the leader of God’s people cried in his wretched torment when he rejected God’s warnings so will mankind. They will be just as Saul when he caused the witch from Endor to disturb the prophet Samuel in his soul’s rest because:

“…GOD IS DEPARTED FROM ME, AND ANSWERETH ME NO MORE,...” I Samuel 28:15.

God has departed from most of this world and answers them no more.

When our present days of probation are over; when unbelieving mankind and the contentious worshiper of God awaken to the dreadful realization that the merciful God “HAS DEPARTED AND ANSWERETH NO MORE.” They will cry and plead just as Jesus’ has described and they will hear the judgment of the Son of God:

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:22-23

On that fateful day where will you stand, my friend? The silence of God is an expression of His infinite wisdom, a proof of His divinity. It is indicative of His infinite wisdom in religion, of His infinite compassion and mercy and will be the evidence of His final judgment. It is during the present silence of our God in our earthly journey that we are subjects of this divine mercy. The ending of this silence will be the judgment and the assignment of you and I to our eternal destiny. Are you ready?

God has spoken, His penmen have written. All of His revelation pertinent to the needs of man for all time can be found in His word recorded for our learning. No further verification is necessary. If such were given, it is reasonable to believe that he would speak to the heathen and not to those who are surrounded by innumerable copies of the Bible. His silence does not warrant man’s introduction of creeds, doctrines or opinions. God, through His Son Jesus Christ has said:

“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4:23

“I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” John 8:24

“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3

“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32

“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16:16

Have you done these things? Then you must while the silence of God prevails; because you are not ready for Him to speak.

Or have you once been a child of his and “CAST MY WORDS BEHIND” you and rebelled against the words that God has spoken. Whatever your need may be please come while God’s silence and His mercy continues.