New Salem Baptist Church

The Speaking of God and the Silence of God

Nov. 17, 2024

Read Hebrews 11:29-40.

This marvelous chapter on faith shows us what faith does and what it is founded upon.

What faith does is it brings assurance, conviction, and divine motivation to act. Because it brings these things into us, it lightens us, even lifts our sometimes heavy heart.

Paul, who the early church identified as the author, has been giving uplifting examples of faith to do just that – to lift our hearts in the midst of discouraging circumstances. The Hebrews had been experiencing persecution and needed these encouragements. We may not be under much persecution here in the U.S., but the vicissitudes of life can dissuade us from living positively and victoriously.

What faith is founded upon is the word of God. As I’ve taught, faith is not a feeling. It is predicated upon the promises of God.

After Abraham and Sarah, whom we considered last week, Paul goes on to talk about Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. Then we come to verse 29:

²⁹ By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. ^[1]

See that it not just the Patriarchs or what some may consider giants of the faith, like Moses or Gideon; but it’s “the people.” It’s all of God’s people! Of course, there were times when they lost their faith too. But presently he directs our attention to those who possessed it.

Remember that faith is predicated upon God’s speaking. Thus, the Israelites believed God and crossed the sea. Here is what God said through Moses to the people:

¹³ And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” ^[2]

The Israelites believed these words.

The Egyptians attempted to cross the Red Sea but they were all drowned. The Israelites had faith and crossed. The Egyptians had no faith and perished. Why didn’t the Egyptians have faith? Because they had no speaking from God! Pharaoh did but he refused to believe.

How marvelous is the speaking of God!

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. ^[3]

It was because of the faith of Joshua and all the Israelites that the walls of Jericho collapsed.

² And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. ³ You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. ⁴ Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. ⁵ And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.”^[4]

See again that the faith the Israelites had was based on what God had spoken.

³¹ By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. ^[5]

Rahab already knew who God was before the spies came. Rahab says:

“Yahweh, your God, he is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.”[6]

But then the spies told her:

¹⁷ The men said to her, “We will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear. ¹⁸ Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. ^[7]

She trusted in what these men of God told her and so she and her family were saved.

In Hebrews 11:32-34, Paul extends a list of great accomplishments appropriated because of faith:

· Some conquered whole kingdoms

· Enforced justice

· Shut the mouths of lions

· Quenched the power of fire (Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego)

· Escaped death

· Made strong

· Made mighty in battle

· Saw resurrection in this life ( a reference to Elisha raising the widow’s son from death, 2 Kings 4)

In this list also:

“…received what God had promised them.”[8]

Paul links faith to the promises of God yet again. When God speaks and we trust in what he says then amazing changes happen in us and even in our environment! For some men of God to “conquer kingdoms” means that God’s hand was against the kingdoms that they conquered.

We not may be attempting to conquer a kingdom, but there may be something that we are facing that we do need to conquer. If you find a promise dealing with whatever you are facing then trust in it. Then see the power of God work!

But God does not always speak. Look at the next few verses:

³⁵ ... Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. ³⁶ Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— ³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. ^[9]

As Paul says, those who were tortured knew, by faith, that they would rise again. But, see the contrast in these verse with those that came before. The ones that came before portrayed great victories in this life. And the Lord will give you the ability to overcome great adversity. He will bring to you positive experiences after some turmoil.

But we need to learn this from verses 35 – 38: Do not think that if you have faith God will always do something for you.

Do not think that if you have faith God will always do something for you.

Many times when we cry out to God he will answer us by his speaking. There is more than one way that God can speak to us.

[1] He may speak to us through circumstances.

On the front porch of his little country store in Illinois, a small businessman stood with his partner. Business was all gone, and the partner asked, "How much longer can we keep this going?"

The owner answered, "It looks as if our business has just about winked out." Then he continued, "You know, I wouldn’t mind so much if I could just do what I want to do. I want to study law. I wouldn’t mind so much if we could sell everything we’ve got and pay all our bills and have just enough left over to buy one book--Blackstone’s Commentary on English Law, but I guess I can’t."

At that moment a strange-looking wagon came up the road. The driver drove it up close to the store porch, then looked at the owner and said, "I’m trying to move my family out west, and I’m out of money. I’ve got a good barrel here that I could sell for fifty cents."

The businessman’s eyes went along the wagon and came to the wife looking at him pleadingly, her face thin and emaciated. He slipped his hand into his pocket and took out, according to him, "the last fifty cents I had" and said, "I reckon I could use a good barrel."

All day long the barrel sat on the porch of that store. The partner kept chiding the owner about it. Late in the evening the businessman walked out and looked down into the barrel. He saw something in the bottom of it, papers that he hadn’t noticed before. His long arms went down into the barrel and, as he fumbled around, he hit something solid. He pulled out a book and stood dumbfounded: it was Blackstone’s Commentary on English Law.

That businessman was Abraham Lincoln. He took that as a sign that he should pursue a career in law. Of course, he became a lawyer and then our greatest President! God uses our circumstances to direct us. If you belong to him, then he is directing you in the best path for you.

[2] When you pray to Him, God may give you a dream. Not every dream we have is from the Lord. Most may be our subconscious mind expressing itself. But even a casual reading of the Bible reveals that God has often spoken through dreams.

[3] God speaks through the counsel of those who know him. When a brother or sister counsel you, this may be God speaking to you through his servant. We need to listen and be teachable because sometimes what they have to say may not sit well with us, yet its what we need to hear!

[4] God most assuredly speaks to us through the Bible. When you are facing trouble, seek an answer in the Scriptures.

But sometimes when we cry out to God what we get is silence.

I mentioned last week that I’ve been reading a book on the history of the Muslim invasion of Europe and Asia Minor which lasted 1,200 years – from the late 600’s to the late 1800’s. It was a brutal and rapacious invasion. It was by the sword. The invaders were merciless. Since Europe was Christian during those centuries, when the Islamic forces would surround a city the people would fast and pray. But many times, even most times, God answered with complete silence. The cities were conquered, the men beheaded, the women raped then sold into slavery, the children sold into slavery. This happened thousands of times!

God did not rescue them. God did not rescue Stephen from being stoned to death. God gave Stephen silence, but he did give him a vision of Christ standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:56).

God’s silence is greater than his miracles. Which do you prefer to have – God’s miracles or his silence? We prefer the miracles. But we must receive his silence along with his miracles.

To bear up during God’s silence requires more faith than to wait for the miracle. Even the faith during God’s silence is founded upon something God has spoken previously, usually in the Scriptures, such as his love for his own people, or the reward that awaits us, and the resurrection to life.

[Application and Conclusion]

The examples of faith in this chapter have to do with either attaining great things for the Lord or enduring under severe testing. These ought to be our goals, too. But if we are honest, the needs that we face as individuals and families press upon us as much as our desire to please the Lord in serving him, maybe moreso. We have needs of shelter, transportation, health, food, and relationship. The principles of faith apply to our needs as much as to our service.

Have you prayed to God about a certain matter and you feel as if your prayers are bouncing off a steel ceiling, never reaching God? I’ve had this feeling. We can get that feeling because God is silent and answers are not forthcoming. Yet, we must have faith in these situations. We trust in what God had spoken previously, mainly, that he loves us and he will not withhold that which is good for us. Thus, if we haven’t received our request, we know by faith that it is either not the right time or the thing requested is not what is best for us.

We persevere, trusting God in his silence.

So what do we do? Whether God has spoken or whether he is silent we do the same thing. If he has spoken about a matter we trust in his words. I mentioned last week that we need to fill our mind with what he promised. The more we are exposed to a specific promise, the more we will trust him for it. Therefore, proclaim it ten times, twenty times, even thirty times per day.

If God is silent then we trust in what he has revealed about Himself and his heart toward those who belong to him. During testimony time last week, I shared two statements of faith that I use that have helped me when doubts begin to creep in. At least one person here liked them, so I’ll share them again.

The favor of God is upon me because of his goodness and graciousness through Christ.

and,

I am resting in the arms of my loving God.

If you belong to the Lord Jesus then these statements are certainly true. They may help you endure the silence!