In our prior lesson, we showed the need for logic and reasoning when approaching God's word as well as the fact that God's silence in the Bible is intentional and not permissive. We noted how Jesus Himself is a perfect example of One who said and did only that which the Father authorized. He did not go beyond His Father's instructions. Thus, Jesus respected the silence of His Father and did not view such as permission to do whatever He wanted on a matter. He restricted Himself to what the Father revealed and so should we.

Additionally, there are many Old Testament arguments that clearly show that Bible silence does not permit. Let us consider some primary examples briefly at this time.

In Leviticus 10:1,2 - "Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censor and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD." Nowhere had God specifically forbidden the priests from doing what Nadab and Abihu did. However, He had given instructions for them to follow. The fact that they went beyond those instructions (thinking it wasn't a "big deal," no doubt) and God punished them severely is significant. God's silence is not permissive, and God may punish those who do not restrict their actions to that which He has revealed.

In Numbers 20:8ff, God commanded Moses to speak to the rock before the people and it would bring forth water. However, Moses, in prideful anger, struck the rock twice with his rod. Intriguingly, God had explicitly authorized a rock to be struck previously in order to bring forth water (e.g., Exo. 17:6). Nevertheless, on this occasion God's expectation was clear and He had given different instructions. There is a difference between speaking to a rock and striking it and Moses understood the difference. There is no record of God forbidding the rock to be struck in Numbers 20, yet Moses was punished significantly for his presumptuous behavior (not being allowed to enter into the Promised Land). God's silence is not permissive, and God may punish those who do not restrict their actions to that which He has revealed.

In I Samuel 13:8ff, King Saul grew impatient and offered a burnt offering to God. God had not specifically forbidden such, but neither had He authorized it. Offering a burnt offering was the work of a consecrated priest. Saul lost his kingdom over this and other foolish actions he engaged in presumptuously. No matter how Saul may have tried to justify his behavior, God's silence is not permissive, and God may punish those who do not restrict their actions to that which He has revealed.

In II Samuel 6:2ff, David had the ark of the covenant transported on a new cart. This led to the death of Uzzah who reached out to stabilize the ark when the oxen, who were pulling the cart, stumbled. God struck him dead for his error. God had not specifically forbidden the ark to be transported on a cart, but He had explained how it was to be moved. Uzzah had no authority to touch the ark, and even though he meant no harm his actions were presumptuous. God's silence is not permissive, and God may punish those who do not restrict their actions to that which He has revealed.

Friends, the wise will learn from those things written before (cf. Rom. 15:4). Bible silence does not permit today, it did not permit in Jesus' day, and it never has!