Communicating Without Words

When I was a little boy, once in a while I visit families with my parents. Usually, on such visits, food and/or drinks are served. Coming from an environment where children are strictly taught never to eat anything in another person’s house, all I needed to decide whether or not to accept the food offered was to cast a glance at my mum or dad; I will get their consent or disapproval instantly – without any word spoken!

The idea of wordless communication, especially when it comes to relationships, is still seen today as impossible. However, I will show from Scriptures that it is highly attainable, and as a matter of fact, the highest form of communication that God desires that we attain as His children. I am confident enough to postulate this because, in addition to the testimony of the Word, I have experienced it severally over the years – albeit it’s just a foretaste.

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David made an interesting observation about how God communicates to the world His glory and mighty works. In Psalm 19:1-4, he wrote:

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make Him known. They speak WITHOUT A SOUND OR WORD; their voice is never heard. YET their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world (NLT).”
Just a word before I continue: some versions rendered verse 3 differently from NLT, ASV, RSV, NRSV etc. In those other versions (e.g. KJV, NKJV, NIV etc.), verse 3 reads something like this: “…There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard...”

To clear that, you need to understand two things:

(1) The words “there is” and “where” in that verse appear in italics (KJV users will notice it), showing that they were not in the original Hebrew; they were inserted to make the English rendition make some sense.

(2) Even though the versions seem to be saying different things altogether, the message and idea is the same. The idea is that these elements are able to communicate to people of all races and languages about God in ways they cannot not understand.

Now, let’s continue.

[1] We see here that although the heavens and firmaments don’t use words, as it were, they communicate day by day God’s glory and goodness to all mankind. It is for this singular purpose that Paul was bold enough to tell the Jews not to be angry with him and others for preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, because God had already made Himself known to the Gentile world by the works of creation, and left not Himself without witness among them (Rom 10:18), so that they were without excuse if they were idolaters (Rom 1:20-21).

[2] Apart from this generic means of communication (i.e. through the firmaments), God desires that He communicates personally with His beloved. Even back then in Eden, God comes down at the cool of the day to spend some time with man (cf Gen.3:8). God is never satisfied communicating to us through an intermediary; much information is usually lost midway.

Now, searching through the Bible, I have identified some means by which God passes His message across:

1. Actual punishment or infliction of pain to get our attention – like He did to Nebuchadnezzar, turning him into a beast for seven years.

2. Threats, or exposure to terror – Job 33:14-18: For God gives His word in one way, even in two, and man is not conscious of it: In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep comes on men, while they take their rest on their beds; then He makes His secrets clear to men, so that they are full of fear at what they see; in order that man may be turned from his evil works, and that pride may be taken away from him; to keep back his soul from the underworld, and his life from destruction.

3. Compulsion – such that you don’t have any other reasonable choice than to do God’s bidding. For instance: Balaam on his way to Moab, Paul’s visit to Macedonia after many failed attempts to other cities.

4. Instruction – which you are somewhat free to obey or disobey; an expressly said or written Word of the Lord.

5. With His Eyes – this, I believe, is the highest form by which God desires to communicate with His beloved.

The Lord spoke these words: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye (Psa.32:8 NKJV).” He went further to plead with us: “Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you (vs.9).”

For those He loves, God will usually not mind using the “bit and bridle” to get us to do the right things; but I believe it grieves His heart to go that far. He desires that even when He is silent on issues, we can look to His face and instantly know what to do. We have been taught to seek for a “Thus saith the Lord” on issues in life, but I find in Scripture that even that is not ideal. (Check out passages like 1Sam.14:1ff and Luke 1:3-4).

How will we be able to be faithful ambassadors of Christ on earth if we cannot take decisions here on His behalf and rest, confident that He would have done the same if He were physically present? Why did He then tell us that whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven, if He did not expect this from us? Ezra did not wait to hear from God to know that he does not need the king’s army to protect Israel as they journey back to Jerusalem (Ezra 8:22), not did Luke wait for “Divine Inspiration” to write the gospel.

I am fully aware that articles like this can lead many to the sin of presumption and eventual destruction; nevertheless I write. The same sun that dries off dead leaves make living trees blossom. Even, Jesus was born for the rising AND falling of many… (Luke 2:34). But I trust these words will do good to your soul – you, my reader.

Let me end this series on this note: communicating without words is a direct function of relationship! There is no other way about it. The secret is “looking unto Jesus”; beholding, as in a mirror, His glory. That is the only way you can tell the expression on His face. As you spend thinking about Him, learning of Him, walking with Him, you will eventually get to that point.

“Now that you know this truth, how happy [blessed] you will be if you put it into practice!”
– Jesus Christ (John 13:17 GNB).