400 years of silence. 400 years of no new Biblical revelation. 400 years of God’s people wondering, “Has He forgotten us?” 400 years is how long God’s people waited for Him to speak again. At the end of the Old Testament, God spoke through the prophet Malachi – and then nothing for 400 years. I become frustrated when I don’t get a text back within the hour, yet Israel waited 4 centuries to hear God again. Imagine how Israel felt having seen God perform miracle after miracle through the Prophets, and then hear nothing from Him for 400 years. (Note: We call this period of silence the Intertestamental Period – the period of time between the conclusion of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament). As the silence got deeper and the time got longer, the doubt became greater. It seemed as though God had forgotten the promises He had made to His people.
Wait for Him
God is always…always at work in our waiting. In fact, our waiting should remind us that He is in control and we are not. It should remind us of His sovereign goodness. When I was a child I would begin to anticipate Christmas morning somewhere in October. It was about this time that all the toy catalogs would show up in my mailbox. Night after night I’d flip through the catalogs circling toys that I had to have. Once I determined that one gift I couldn’t live without, I’d start counting down the days. The waiting was miserable at times, and unbearable at others. But this period of waiting reminded me that I am not in control. I’m older now and the things I find myself waiting for has changed, but the transcendent principle of waiting patiently has not. Be that as it may, at times I feel myself more willing to wait on an Amazon courier to deliver a delayed package than I am willing to wait for the God of the Universe. Why is this? I believe it is because I place my trust in everything but the promises of God.
Let me introduce you to a man named Simeon (Luke 2:25) who lived in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus’ birth (not to be confused with Simeon, son of Jacob). We don’t know a lot about Simeon, other than he was a faithful and devout follower of The Way, experienced the oppression of God’s people, and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Simeon was like the other Israelites with one exception: The Holy Spirit had come to Simeon and revealed to him that he would see the Messiah with his own eyes before his death (Luke 2:26). While he saw many fall away believing that God had given up on His people, Simeon chose to cling to the promises, trusting God even in His silence. We don’t know for sure how long Simeon waited to see the Messiah King, but we do know that God was faithful to His promises. Luke writes:
When Simeon saw the baby Jesus, he picked Him up in his arms and said,
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel”
Luke 2:29-32, ESV
Imagine for a moment the joy Simeon must have felt experiencing a revealed promise of God, first hand! Simeon waited for God despite the oppression, the silence, the doubt from others, because he trusted in the promises of God. Just as we see Simeon proclaim in Luke 2 that Jesus the Messiah King will bring salvation to the nations, know that it is Jesus Christ that can only provide the sustaining peace and patience we need as we wait on God.
Watch for Him
We must wait on God, yes. But we must also watch for Him. Despite God’s silence for 400 years, a great deal actually happened. S. Michael Houdmann writes “Malachi set the stage: many Jews had returned from the Medo-Persian Empire and rebuilt the temple, experiencing a moderate level of revival under the influence of Ezra…The Roman Empire conquered Israel by 63 BC, and continued to reign throughout the events of the New Testament.” A little research will show that many of the events that occurred during the 400 years of silence fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. I have found that waiting for something we are certain of causes us to watch attentively. Growing up, one of the best parts of the day was when my dad pulled into the driveway after returning home from work. Where my parent’s house is positioned, there is a curve at the top of the hill. I remember standing at the front door looking out the window for close to an hour waiting on his car to crest the top of that hill. I was certain he was coming home, and as such, I waited attentively for his arrival. This period of time waiting on my dad to pull into the driveway built my excitement for his arrival and my love for him. As we live the Christian life and experience times of what we feel like is silence from God, I encourage you to watch for Him as you wait. Don’t watch for Him like you watch television; mindless and checked-out. Watch for Him with an expectant heart, knowing that His promises are true.
Worship Him
We wait for God, yes. We watch for God, yes. But in the midst of our waiting and watching, we worship Him. We worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Psalm 34:1 commands our praise to God at all times: “I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips” (ESV). We worship God with our commitment to prayer, the study of His Word, and musical praise. We worship Him with how we live our lives in the waiting and the watching. Nancy Wolgemuth writes “I have learned that in every circumstance that comes my way, I can choose to respond in one of two ways: I can whine or I can worship.” Worshiping God demonstrates our utter depravity and helplessness. What we worship is what controls us. Will you worship yourself and this world? Or will you worship the King of Kings? Worship Him while you watch and wait.
Final Thoughts
Friend, God is never silent. I’m always hearing people around me asking for a “word from the Lord.” God has spoken, and it’s in the form of Holy Scripture. 66 books of divine revelation. 1,189 chapters of truth. One God who speaks to His children clearly. The next time you feel God is silent, pickup your Bible and read it. He is speaking. When our prayers are not answered in the timeline we think they should be answered, remember this is not the result of God being silent. This is a demonstration of His sovereignty. He is God and we are not. Be encouraged by His promises in His Word. Wait for Him. Watch for Him. Worship Him.
Jacob Robertson 
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