PRÉCIS ON THE POWER OF STRATEGIC SILENCE: THE CLOSING OF THE DOOR OF THE ARK

SCRIPTURE. “Therefore, he who is prudent and has insight will keep silent at such a [corrupt and evil] time, for it is an evil time [when people will not listen to truth and will disregard those of good character].” – AMOS 5:13, AMP

KEY TERM: “KEEP SILENT.” ‘Dawmam’ [יִדֹּ֑ם]: “From a primitive root, ‘To be dumb [and admonished by silence]; to stop, to perish; to stand still, tarry, and wait; to be still, to be quiet.” NOTE: “The Hebrew verb ‘damam’ primarily conveys the idea of silence or stillness. It is used to describe a state of being quiet or ceasing from activity. This can refer to physical silence, emotional calmness, or a cessation of movement or action. ‘The term is often used in contexts where silence or stillness is a response to awe, fear, or Divine intervention.’”

QUOTATION. “‘Be Silent and safe!’ — Silence never betrays you: Be True to your word and your work and your friend; Put least trust in him who is foremost to praise you, nor judge of a road till it draw to the end.” ― JOHN BOYLE O’REILLY,  Life of John Boyle O’Reilly, 1891; edited

“SURREPTITIOUS.” “‘Marked by quiet and caution and secrecy:’ taking pains to avoid being observed by an authority that would render harm or destruction for one’s speech.’

COMMENTARY. “‘Therefore, the prudent shall keep silence in that time’ – The ‘Time’ may be either the time of the obduracy of the wicked, or that of the common punishment. For a time may be called ‘Evil,’ whether evil is done, or is suffered in it, as Jacob says, ‘Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been’ (Genesis 47:9).

Of the first, he would perhaps say, that the oppressed poor would, if wise, ‘Be Silent,’ not complaining or accusing, for, Injustice having the mastery, complaint would only bring on them fresh sufferings. And again, also he may mean that, on account of the incorrigibleness of the people, the Wise and the Prophets would be Silent, because the more the people were rebuked, the more impatient and worse they became.

‘So our Lord was Silent before His judges,’ as had been foretold of Him, for since they would not hear, His speaking would only increase their condemnation. ‘If I tell you, ye will not believe; and if I also ask you, ye will not answer Me, nor let Me go’ (Luke 22:67-68). So God said by Solomon: ‘He that reproveth a scorner getteth himself shame, and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot’ (Proverbs 9:7). And our Lord bids, ‘Give not that which is holy unto dogs, and cast not your pearls before swine’ (Matthew 7:6). They hated and rejected those who rebuked them (Matthew 7:10).

‘Since their rebuke profited not, the Prophets should hold their peace. It is a fearful judgment, when God withholds His warnings.’ In Times of Punishment also the prudent keep silence.‘Intense affliction is ‘dumb and openeth not its month,’ owning the hand of God.’It may be too, that Amos, like Hosea (Hosea 4:4, Hosea 4:17, expresses the Uselessness of all Reproof, in regard to the most of those whom be called to Repentance, even while he continued earnestly to rebuke them.” – JOSEPH BENSON, Notes on the Holy Bible, 5 vols., 1811-1818; edited

DK’S TAKE. Sometime during one of my graduate days visit to the Bowling Green State University Library I came across a fascinating monograph by psychologist and family therapist G. H. ZUK titled, “On the Pathology of Silencing Strategies” (Family Process, 4 (1) 1965), 32-49).  While his focus was upon the misuse of Silencing strategies, it fits our conversation in his emphasis upon the raw power of Silence as a communication device.

I see at least TWO MAJOR TAKEAWAYS from these lessons, beloved. And I warn you: They are sobering, to state it modestly.

1. CAUTION. The word for “Prudent” in this important passage is ‘Sakal’ [הַמַּשְׂכִּ֛יל]: “Circumspect, intelligent, discerning of the times.” Most essentially, it here refers to the ability to know with whom to share truth openly, versus those for whom Silence would be more beneficial, for both oneself and the other, as Paul instructed (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:22).

• CONCLUSION. The more sobering element here is that I am convinced that Almighty God is beginning to “Shut in the Remnant [‘Sagar,’ הַמַּשְׂכִּ֛יל], safeand secure, tight inside the New Testament Ark – Jesus Christ, our Deliver. The breathtaking point is that God is Closing the Door on the Age of Grace in Preparation for Divine Wrath, to which we are not appointed (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

CODA. The Writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes, KING SOLOMON, penned these penetrating words so pertinent to today’s lesson: “A time to rend and a time to sew, a time to keep silence and a time to speak, A time to love and a time to hate, a time for peace” (3:7-8, Amplified Classic Edition).

To place this in its final, proper context, MATTHEW POOLE states: “‘A time to rend;’ when men shall rend their garments, as they did in great and sudden Griefs, as Genesis 37:29 Joel 2:13 … ‘Wherein men will or shall be silent,’ either through Grief, as Job 2:12,13, or by sickness or weakness, or because God denies a man ability to utter his mind” (English Annotations on the Holy Bible, 1685; edited).

CODICIL. Beloved, we have all of us arrived at ‘The Last Hour’ (1 John 2:18) when the American Church’s Third Referendum on Leadership was held – and ‘We Failed Catastrophically.’ Tragically, not once, nor twice, but THREE TIMES we shouted:

“Give us our King!”

‘But we were not shouting for Jesus, but for Trump.’ – And for all his Dark Engines of Savagery over the whole nation, even the whole Earth before his evil course is run full to its violent. End.

‘Therefore, be Prudent dear Remnant Saints, and speak only when He gives you utterance!’ Wherefore the Days are Evil as with Noah and as with Lot, unto the Truth becoming scarce. For there shall now be “a famine in the land, but not a famine for bread, nor a thirst for water, but rather for a hunger for hearing the Word of the Lord” (Amos 8:11).

So shall we Keep Watch with courage and discretion, beloved. Unto life, or unto death – as He wills. Selah.