Silence and Solitude

A Biblical Study

By Joe Silva

 

Silence/Silent

 

 

What is the purpose of this study?  This study has been written to:

Ø     Learn about our individual relationship with the Father.

Ø     Establish, develop, rekindle or strengthen our personal connection with God through an understanding and application of God’s word.

Ø     Commune (live with, communicate, give and receive) with God in a natural setting.

Ø     Establish, develop, rekindle or strengthen the relationships between believers as fellow travelers God has joined together for this portion of our journey.

 


Silence and Solitude

A Biblical Study

By Joe Silva

 

Silence/Silent

 

We have several examples of times when we are to be silent, or at least quiet before the Lord.  Consider the following biblical passages.

 

Deut 27:9-10

9 Then Moses and the priests, who are Levites, said to all Israel, "Be silent, O Israel, and listen!  You have now become the people of the LORD your God. 10 Obey the LORD your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today." NIV

Listen:  Verb.  In Hebrew, shama`, "to hear, hearken, listen, obey, publish." (3)

 

Job 13:5

5 If only you would be altogether silent!  For you, that would be wisdom. NIV

As silence is an evidence of wisdom, so it is a means of it, as it gives time to think and hear.  (1)

 

Prov 17:28

28 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue. NIV

It is better to say nothing than to speak with the purpose of, or that which tends to dishonor God or bring grief on our brethren.  [Paraphrased] (1)

 

Lam 3:25

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

NIV

It is good (it is our duty, and will be our unspeakable comfort and satisfaction) to hope and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord.  (1)


 

Eccl 3:1-8

1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:  2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. NIV

It is a great part of Christian prudence to know when to speak and when to hold our peace.  (1)

 

Ezek 3:24-27

24 Then the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet. He spoke to me and said: "Go, shut yourself inside your house. 25 And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people. 26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, though they are a rebellious house. 27 But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says.' Whoever will listen let him listen, and whoever will refuse let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house. NIV

This is an example of God telling His prophet to be silent until He allows him to speak, and instructing him then, to speak only what God tells him to say.  (4)

 

Hab 2:19-20

19 Woe to him who says to wood, `Come to life!' Or to lifeless stone, `Wake up!' Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it. 20 But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him." NIV

The Chaldeans were idol worshippers whom the Isrealites contended with.  The Isrealites often adapted the local culture into their own.  This is spoken to the Chaldeans to show them that our God is truely alive whereas their gods were made of dead material.  (4)


 

Mark 3:4

4 Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent.  NIV

They had to remain silent, for they knew they could not answer.  So often, we answer in haste, depending on our own judgment.  Although these men had inappropriate designs for Jesus, they remained silent in order to preserve themselves.  (4)

 

Acts 15:12

12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. NIV

The congregation was captivated, and I imagine were growing excited to learn of the possibilities in serving our great God!  (4)

 

Lam 3:25-29

25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.  28 Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him. 29 Let him bury his face in the dust- there may yet be hope. NIV

Quietly and patiently to bear what afflictions God will please to lay upon us. And if God tame us when young, by his word or by his rod, it is an unspeakable advantage. That he keep his soul in subjection to God, because God hath humbled him by his rod.  (2)


 

 

Solitude

 

 

 

We don’t want to REMAIN alone, OR silent.  However, we have biblical guidance that God can, and will work wonders in our SOLITUDE and he can and will speak to us in moments of SILENCE.

 

It is when God has our full attention that we hear Him most clearly.  When we are distracted by the cares of this world, we depend on our own instinct and intelligence rather than on the power of God.  We can be distracted by doing the work of God as well.  When we work in a ministry we can become focused on the procedures rather than the results.

 

We have many more examples of worshipping together, rather than alone, such as Psalms 33 and Psalms 47.  We don’t want to leave the impression that we are alone in our walk, or in our struggles.  However, God is so much more interested in individuality rather than in our combined identities.  (4)

 

A look at some examples of God working wondrous things in the lives of His people reveals

ü     That Samson was alone when he killed the lion in            Judges 14:5-9

ü     David was alone when he killed the lion and the bear while tending his father’s flock in 1st Samuel 17:34-36

ü     David walked out and killed the giant Goliath alone in 1st Samuel 17:45-46

ü     Jesus prayed alone in Mark 14:32-35

ü     Jonah was alone in the belly of a whale in Jonah, Chapter 2

ü     Moses was alone at the burning bush when he received his call from God in Exodus 3:1-4

ü     Moses was alone when the ten commandments were received in Exodus, chapter 19

ü     Abram (Abraham) was called out of his own people to follow after God, eventually becoming the father of a great nation in Gen 12:1

ü     Lot and his family were the lone righteous in Sodom in Genisis, chapter 19

ü     Jesus was alone on the cross – even God couldn’t look upon him (“My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”) in Matt 27:46

 

Gen 32:22-30

22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."

But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

27 The man asked him, "What is your name?"

"Jacob," he answered.

28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

29 Jacob said, "Please tell me your name."

But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there.

30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared." NIV

He desired to be private, and was left alone, that he might again spread his cares and fears before God in prayer.  (2)

 

Mark 4:33-34

33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

NIV

When we get alone with God, without the distractions of everyday life, He can reveal his Word to our hearts and minds.  (4)

 

Mark 9:2-4

2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

NIV

Look at the opportunities being alone with God has to offer!  We will see things not readily available to the human understanding.  (4)

 


 

Prayer

 

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  Matt 6:6-8

 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.  Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.   Prov 3:5-7

 

Using God’s Word, from Psalms, and with this encouragement from Proverbs pray this prayer during your times of solitude:

 

(1) Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  (2) Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  (3) May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.  (4)I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.  (6) I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.  (7) Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.   (1) Ps 139:23

(2) Ps 51:10

(4) Ps 19:14

(5) Ps 119:11

(6) Ps 9:1

(7) Ps 119:2


 

Praise

 

As we’re told in Matt 6:8, God knows what we need, even before we ask.  It stands to reason therefore, that He also knows of our gratitude, our appreciation, our thanks and our praise.  Yet Scripture is abundantly clear that we are to praise Him, as a form of worship, and as a form of service.

 

Psalms 103 :1

Praise the LORD, O my soul;  all my inmost being, praise his holy name.  2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits NIV

I prefer the King James version of this verse: 

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.  2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits KJV

Notice here that the words aren’t “Bless the soul, O my Lord?”

 

Mark 12:29-34

29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: `Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.  30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'  31 The second is this: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

32 "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." NIV

I have been asked on several occasions how to love God with “all your soul” and I have come to the same conclusion as the man in this passage of scripture.  Notice in verse 33 he replies with the term “understanding”.  Jesus considered his answer “wise.”

 

 

 

CONCLUSION


How does this fit into my life? What can I do to fit this into my daily routine? I work in an environment that requires a lot of social interaction, I can’t just stop talking and go off by myself. I can’t just ignore my family.

Romans 12:12 reads in part, “continuing instant in prayer,” referring to Jesus’ statement in Luke 18:1 “…men ought always to pray.”

2nd Timothy 4:2 says in part, “…be instant in season, out of season.” (KJV) The NIV reads “Prepared” in place of “Instant.”

We must learn to be in an attitude that will allow us to instantly convert our activity to on of spiritual matters. This will allow us to do our earthly labor while allowing our spiritual self to remain active.

As to how we can apply these principles in our daily lives, please consider the following examples. They are loosely based on people I have known in my lifetime.

While working in an automotive service bay, Sam, an automobile technician (we used to call them mechanics), who is a member of the board at church, and a Sunday school teacher, is concentrating on the fuel injection system on the car he is working on. The owner of the car has pressured Sam to complete repairs by the end of the day. At this moment he doesn’t have time to think about next weeks lesson, or the budget review, or the other many pressing needs of the church, let alone his children and his expectant wife.

Does this make Sam a poor example of a spiritual leader? Not at all. You see, Sam has spent some time alone with God this morning. He faithfully got up when the alarm went off, got ready for work and allowed himself time to open his bible and read a chapter or two, to bring his wife and children to God in prayer, and to pray for his boss. He prayed for the guys in the shop, and that he would be a good example to them, and to his customers of Christ’s love and grace. Then, with his bible still open he just sat there, thinking. Mentally he was listening for whatever might be revealed from God’s Word.

Some mornings, perhaps most mornings our mechanic friend Sam doesn’t “hear” anything particularly astounding as he meditates upon God’s Word, but he knows that this “hiding” of God’s Word in his heart will help him to see the answers to his prayers for his boss and his co-workers, friends and acquaintances and help him meet the needs of his family.

I knew a woman who was to me, the most Godly person I’ve ever met. Her name was Sister Zelma. Sister Zelma had been one of my mentors while growing up and she always had an answer from God’s Word for every question or problem I brought to her.

One day, while I was doing some repair work on her kitchen cabinets (she and her husband had grown quite elderly) sister Zelma came out of a back room and plopped herself down on the couch with a grunt. I looked over at her and was amazed to see quite an unhappy expression on her face. I asked if everything was okay and she started to cry. I was barely out of my teens and not very experienced at comforting folks, especially someone who had been such an influence in my own life.

Through her sobs Sister Zelma began to explain how she felt like such a failure. She had become angry over something. I don’t recall now whether it was of any great consequence, but at the time, it seemed to be rather important to her. I told her that to see her this way was of great encouragement to me. That to see her struggle with her human frailty, after serving God as she has for so long helped to relieve some of my fears that I would have to some how become perfect like she was.

“Oh I am so far from perfect!” She cried. You would think after so many years I wouldn’t let such a little thing bother me.

” From her tears, right before my eyes I saw a resolve grow in her face. Later she would testify that she was able to win a victory over that issue that had so upset her only when she had used the last of her own strength and relied on God’s strength and the wisdom found in His Word.

Thomas is 48 years old. He has a wonderful wife and three teenage sons who keep him pretty busy with school and church projects (and just a little bit of trouble). Thomas owns a Landscaping business and gets up very early each morning to start work maintaining his own equipment and going over the books for his business. If he were to follow Sam’s example, he would have to be up even earlier. So Thomas takes his time of solitude at night after his family has gone to sleep. Thomas will sometimes actually take a nap in the afternoons, especially in the summer when the temperature is too much for him. He will go over his lesson for his Sunday School class, or he will look over some other ministry work he is involved with, he will take his bible and open to where he left off, or where he feels led to read and he will pray for the Holy Spirit to enlighten God’s Word to him. He will pray for his family, his church, his employees, his clients and himself, Then Thomas likes to sit on his porch and just look out at the night. Where Thomas lives, which is a small subdivision in a rural area, he can see an occasional coyote, or fox, or deer pass by, and he marvels at God’s creation. But most of all he waits quietly to hear from God. Not in the loud booming voice of the creator of the universe, but in the whisper of 1st Kings 19:12.

Scott is a 35 year old former drug addict. He is married now, with two wonderful daughters. Scott has to work very hard at mostly manual labor assignments in his job at a manufacturing plant. Scott can’t work with numbers very well, and his attention span is limited due to his previous drug abuse.

7Early each morning, like Sam, Scott gets up and spends time in God’s Word. The difference is, Scot reads the same chapter every day for a week. He reads in the morning before he leaves for work. He allows himself and extra 15 to 20 minutes longer to get to work than it actually takes him, so he can read again after he gets to work, in the car in the parking lot. He reads at break and at lunch. Scott ahs been known to have to be ordered out of the parking lot after work because he has sat there and read, and re-read his chapter for the week and security is trying to lock up the gates.

Now, when Scot reads, he must focus entirely on what he is reading. It once took him an entire Saturday to read the small, local newspaper of only 30 or 40 pages. By the end of the week, when Scott has finished reading that week’s chapter, he can quote every word. If you ask him about a chapter he’s read before, you might expect a blank stare from vacant eyes, but not from Scott! He will quote the entire chapter.

Considering Scott’s past, one might expect some indication of his former lifestyle in his home or behavior. But there isn’t any. Not a clue. Not a single shred of evidence that if you could smoke it, roll it shoot it swallow it, inhale it snort it or huff it he’s done it. Yes, Scott exhibits some physical, mental and emotional scars from his choices, those are the consequences of his action. But he is wholly devoted to 2nd Timothy 2:15, the study of the Word of God, being unashamed of the Gospel of Christ, correctly understanding the Word of Truth.

If we will start with just a few minutes each day, giving God our undivided attention, He can begin to work even greater things in our lives. To dedicate our drive time (commuting to work) is good, but it seems like it is just a start.

We must take advantage of the opportunities for silence and solitude when we can, however, we need to create those opportunities as well. We’re not always going to be able to run off to the wilderness to “get alone with God” but we can find moments, places, opportunities to close off our surroundings for a time and focus our being on the Father.

So, in conclusion, the purpose of this study was to reveal from God’s word a formula to hear from God. I haven’t set out to break any new ground, or to speak a new word from God, or to write about anything earth shattering. I’ve only shared my heart.

It is my prayer that you have been able to realize something of value from this study and that your life is richly blessed by the One who inspired it.

 

 

  1. (From Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)
  2.  (From John Wesley's Explanatory Notes
    on the Whole Bible)
  3. (From Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

 

  1. (From the author of this study, Joe Silva)
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