Despite the fact that there is a growing tendency to want to be heard in life, there are Scriptural mandates that dictate that there is a proper time for the believer to be silent. Regardless of a person’s temperament or personality, he must wrestle with the fact that the withholding of words is not just for the introvert, but it is for the wise. While being silent may come easily for some (and with difficulty for others), the spiritual discipline of silence must be approached by all.
What does the Scripture say? At the end of the day, this is what truly matters. A close look will reveal that there are times in which a believer must be silent before both God and man.
Silence in the Gospels
It is important to set the tone for such a discussion with the example of Christ. When Christ enters into the discussion, it has an effect on a believer’s heart that leads to openness and an embracing of the truth. As even a new believer is generally well aware, Christ is the example, He is the model, and He is the goal. Thus, the believer ought to fix his eyes on Christ in all walks of life.
On the topic of silence, we can see that there was a time in which Christ exercised tremendous self-control – specifically, we can see this when He was approached by His opponents. Scripture says, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth” (KJV, Is. 53:7). This verse, which is found in the book of Isaiah, speaks of a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ, which can be traced to the events surrounding His crucifixion in the various Gospel accounts.
When Jesus was brought before Annas and Caiaphas, He was railed at and accused falsely. He was maligned and later brought before Pontius Pilate. As He stood before the Roman procurator, Jesus continued to be verbally abused – and later physically abused – by the people of the world. He was made to be a form of entertainment before Herod and later a spectacle to the onlookers when He hung upon the cross. More could be said about the harsh treatment that Jesus endured. However, do you know one of the defining marks of His reaction to the crimes? Silence!
Jesus chose to be silent during times of great affliction, difficulty, and suffering that came from the hands of others. Simply put, Jesus entrusted Himself to the Father. He displayed a quiet confidence and faith in His Father. The display of Christ paves the way for us to understand a different portion of Scripture.
Silence in the book of Joshua
Scripture says, “And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout” (Jos. 6:10). The context of this verse is a time in which the people of Israel were preparing to invade the city of Jericho. They had already crossed over the Jordan River, and God had already given Joshua commands concerning how to invade the city.
Joshua relayed the message of God to the people. He told them that they must march around the city once each day, for six days. On the seventh day, seven priests were to blow seven horns seven times, and then the people of Israel were to shout. After this occurred, God promised that the walls would fall. It was this message that Joshua relayed to the people, but not without further instruction. Joshua told the people that they must not make any shout or make any noise until the proper time (Jos. 6:10). They were to be silent until the appointed time.
This portion of Scripture serves as a marvelous illustration of the way in which there are times that God calls His people to be silent before their enemies. The people of Israel did exactly what Christ did as He stood before His enemies. The people of Israel entrusted themselves to God; they did not seek to take matters into their own hands. This brings us to our next verse.
Silence in the book of Ecclesiastes
Scripture says, “A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (Eccl. 3:7). Solomon noted here in the book of Ecclesiastes that there will be a time and season for the Christian to keep silent. Solomon was a man of wisdom, and knowing when to keep silent will require wisdom from those who seek to discipline themselves in this way.
When Job’s three friends saw the affliction that their friend went through, their initial response was that they kept silent when they saw the deep grief of Job (Job 2:13). In reality, this was a much better response to Job’s grief than what later ensued in the book of Job. The truth of this fact is brought to light by Job when he says, “O that ye would altogether hold your peace!…” (Job 13:5).
In Proverbs 10:19, we are told that when words abound, sin will be present, but with the one who refrains from speaking, wisdom is found. In Proverbs 11:12, we are told that the man who holds his peace is a man of understanding. In Proverbs 17:28, we are told that even a fool can appear wise by simply shutting his mouth when he ought to. James also touches upon a familiar chord when he instructs his readers that they are to be quick to listen and slow to speak.
The Bible presents us with times of silence and times of speaking. The Christian should exercise wisdom in taking heed to the Scriptural commands on this matter. If James were here today, he would have much instruction to give on taming the tongue, as we can see in his epistle.
Silence in the book of Zechariah
While the examples previously given consist of keeping silent before men, there is also a desperate need to learn the art of silence before the Lord. Scripture says, “Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation (Zech. 2:13). Verses such as Habakkuk 2:20 and Zephaniah 1:7 speak in a similar fashion.
While it may seem that he who is loudest is most spiritual, the Scriptures present a different picture. It is not wrong to say, “Hallelujah!”, in public; it is also not wrong to raise hands unto the Lord – in fact, such displays could honor the Lord when done with the right heart. However, there seems to be a growing trend to equate loudness with life and quietness with deadness. This belief must not catch on and consume the church. The reason for this is that God has called His people to silence before Him.
Silence before the Lord is a great display of trust and reverence. It is a wonderful display of the fear of God and honor.
In the book of Zechariah, God called His people to a time of silence before Him. He is also calling His people to times of silence before Him today. Do you know how to be silent before the Lord? There is a depth to which God would desire to take the Christian; silence before Him is along the path to deep intimacy.
Conclusion
What can be seen from all of this is that there are times for the people of God to be silent before both God and man. This short study was not exhaustive, but it gives a foundation for the Christian to stand upon. Scripture makes it clear that there are times in which the Christian must be silent before those who oppose him. The Bible also makes it clear that there are times in which practicing silence before the Lord honors Him and is actually worship unto the Lord.
Final prayer
Father, I thank You for the ways in which You have sought to teach me Your Word. I see that there are times in which You have called me to silence. I pray that You would give me wisdom on this matter and help me to see with greater clarity how to approach this topic. In Jesus’ name, Amen.