David,

I can’t get over that statement, that God is known “…most profoundly in unspoken silence.” Here’s a few thoughts;

First,  Is there such a thing as spoken silence? Or would that fall into the category of ‘If a tree falls int he woods and no one hears it does it make a sound’ nonsense?  If so, Is unspoken silence any more sensible?

Second,  God is most profoundly known when He reveals Himself through words.  God revealed through words is the heart of religion.  That means that if there is no objective self-revelation on the part of God then there is no religion.

Third,  If there is religion, then it must be because God has revealed Himself through words.  We have this record of God’s self-revelation in the Bible.

Fourth,  As in the passage you quoted, God has spoken in many times and ways through the prophets and now here finally and perfectly through His Son, the Word made flesh.

Finally,  Since God has revealed Himself through words then there must be a reason for this self-revelation.  That reason is that we might know Him just as He is and not as we imagine Him.  And the way that we know Him is through His incarnate Word (Jesus) and His spoken word (which testifies to the incarnate word).  “If our blessed Lord and Maker hated men, would he then, be of flesh partaker?” (All My Heart This Night Rejoices by Paul Gerhardt)  If God did not want to be known by His words then would He have sent the Eternal Word into the world to take on flesh, bear our sins, and suffer in our place upon the cross?  I don’t think so.  “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.  For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”  Hebrews 2:1-3

Jeremy

Advertisement