What happens when you search for God’s voice, but everything seems silent? We look today at a great example from 1 Samuel as we continue to explore David’s life.
Following along with the story of David, we get to a point where we can conclude he completely backslides. Or, we may think he lies. This can be very frustrating when reading your Bible! How do you walk through this, especially when things are kind of sticky, disagreeable, and people to have different opinions on what just happened?
It is really important to stay humble when approaching complex scripture. To keep some humility, admit that you don’t know everything. You can feel strongly about something, but a humble attitude can help you navigate scripture.
Many preachers and authors look at this story and see David as backsliding—or falling away into error. They believe David turns on his people. One reason they cite is at this time, David doesn’t write any Psalms. There is no record of him calling out to God.
An alternate interpretation is that David lies. He does right by God by doing God’s will when he lies. I know what you are thinking: that doesn’t work because the Bible says, “thou shalt not lie.” David lies with God’s approval. How can that be possible?
Ex.20:16
16 “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.”
“Thou shalt not lie” is a simplified version of the Exodus scripture that forbids “testifying falsely against your neighbor.” That word does not forbid you from telling your wife she “looks good in those clothes” even though you think she doesn’t. Bearing false witness in a court proceeding—that is the background of that word. While it stands that scripture discourages lying, there are examples of God-approved lies as well.
As an infant, the mother of Moses deceives the Egyptians when she keeps him alive for three months. (The Hebrews had been ordered to kill every newborn boy because their population was growing so quickly.) Eventually, she floats him down the Nile River where he is found by Pharaoh’s daughter. The lie continues as she’s assigned to the baby—her own son—like a wet nurse for the princess. That was God’s plan.
Rahab was David’s great, great, great grandmother. A prostitute living in Jericho, she harbored spies that were sent by Joshua. She hid them on her roof as she sent the authorities in the opposite direction to the city gate.
Joshua 2:4-5 NLT
“4) But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, ‘Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5) At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.'”
We rejoin David in a particularly brutal part of his story. David is going out raiding. He is killing every man, woman, and child in every city. David killed Girzites, Geshurites, and Amalekites. How could a loving God be so brutal? Actually, he is doing exactly what God commanded. Because David knew the scripture, he was clear about what to do.
Deuteronomy 25:19 NLT
19 “Therefore, when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your enemies in the land he is giving you as a special possession, you must destroy the Amalekites and erase their memory from under heaven. Never forget this!”
David is actually doing exactly what the word repeatedly said.
What do you do when you don’t have any direction from the Lord?
Sometimes, God doesn’t speak much. Some people will try to force God into speaking. It doesn’t work well. There is an old joke that if you want God to speak to you, flip open your Bible to any spot and put your finger down. It might say “Judas hung himself.” Try again and it might land on, “go and do likewise.”
What do you do when God is silent? What do you do when you don’t know what to do?
First, be true to God’s word. You can’t go wrong trusting the infallible, God-breathed word of God.
2 Tim. 3:16 NLT
16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”
Second, stay pointed in the last direction God gave you. Sometimes, following God is like chasing a firefly. David built a relationship with the cities of Judah. Hebron is where he will first be crowned king. David continued to move in the last direction God pointed him and he knew exactly what he was doing.
1 Sam.30:26
26 “When David reached Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, ‘Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the Lord’s enemies.’”
Finally, when you don’t have a direct word from God then “don’t quit.”
Even if you don’t see a path forward, don’t quit because you have a God that still has a purpose and a plan for your life. He loves you and he created you uniquely. God wants you to move forward but so many people get to a place and go stagnant in their Christian walk. As American Christians, we can do that because our walk is pretty stinking easy.
Even if you can’t hear God’s voice, don’t lose hope because God loves you so much. Just keep moving forward. God can feel your pain. He knows everything. Don’t quit and serve him with all your heart. Once God hears you, you are going to be amazed by his goodness.
Rock Church serves the communities of Fargo, West Fargo, and Moorhead. We meet at West Acres Cinema, Sundays at 10 am. At the Rock, you can belong before you believe.
The Rock, Your Place to Belong
At the Rock, you can belong before you believe. Use the links to the right to begin your relationship with Rock Church. If you are local to Fargo, click the “free movie ticket” button to the right and check out one of our services, every Sunday at 10 AM, at West Acres Cinema. If you are not local to our area, that’s okay. There are all kinds of ways that you can participate in the happenings at Rock Church. We have many people that only interact with our church online. Use the “become a friend” button to be included in everything we are doing.
