5 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. GO NEAR TO LISTEN (Contrast between the Wise and Foolish) rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Ecclesiastes 5
The word to Listen is the same root word used in Proverbs 4, where the Father was speaking to his young son(s).
I knew an Icelandic pastor who told me that he always Listened for God to speak to him as soon as he entered the church building. That was one way that he heard from God, probably for his church as much as for himself. That pastor was fulfilling the scripture in Ecclesiastes, perhaps without intending it.
2 Do not be QUICK WITH YOUR MOUTH,
do not be HASTY IN YOUR HEART
to UTTER ANYTHING BEFORE GOD.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5
Both ‘Wisdom Books’ emphasise the need to make Listening the priority when we come before God. It’s such a blessing when we do hear or see something from Heaven, truly worth the waiting.
The account of the young boy Samuel in bed near the Tabernacle is also significant. Samuel was given to God by his mother Hannah soon after he was weaned. He’d spent all his young life there, under the supervision of Eli the priest. Yet when God began to speak to Samuel he didn’t understand, he was so dedicated to Eli and thought it was his voice.
3 The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. 1 Samuel 3
God spoke to Samuel three times and three times he went to Eli, until Eli realised it was the Lord speaking to the boy.
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. (Samuel had to learn to know the Lord’s voice and so do we.)
8 … Then Eli realised that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘SPEAK, LORD, FOR YOUR SERVANT IS LISTENING.’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (That was the beginning of a Prophetic Voice to all Israel!)
Samuel met with the Lord, knew His voice, while he was still young. He’d been set apart from before birth for this task, but he had to learn to lie still and hear when God was speaking. He had to switch from listening to Eli and hear directly from God. (Eli was the Priest for God’s people at Shiloh, but a ‘man of God’ was sent with a warning to him. 1 Samuel 2)
Samuel learnt to hear God for himself and the people. The Icelandic pastor also learnt to hear the same voice. God wants to speak to us, but it may take a time to learn to tune into His voice, but He’s our Father and He loves us.
God bless and keep you today.