What happens when people do not hear a word from God? When people stop listening to God, they drift into the baser levels of their nature and decide to do what is right in their own eyes. This was the situation that the nation of Israel found themselves when there was a lack of spiritual leadership:

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25)

There was a dearth of spiritual leadership in Israel in those dark days of the nations history. The same is true today for those nations that ignore the teachings of God and go their own way. God chose Samuel to be His spokesman during that time of spiritual lethargy:

Now the boy Samuel was attending to the service of the LORD before Eli. And word from the LORD was rare in those days; visions were infrequent. (1 Samuel 3:1)

Years later King Solomon used the same Hebrew word for vision as he revealed the dangers of a lack of God’s revelation:

Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps the law. (Proverbs 29:18)

The word vision often refers to divine communication from God to man in a vision, oracle, or prophecy. When people do not hear from God, the result is they are unrestrained and go their own way. The word unrestrained means to loosen and by implication let go of all restraint. Moses used this same word to describe the people who were out of control and worshiped a golden calf.

Solomon contrasted the lack of vision with one who keeps the law. The word keep conveys the idea to watch over carefully and to be on one’s guard. The first use of this word was when Adam was placed in the garden and was commanded by God to keep the garden like a military sentinel at his post.

The result of keeping God’s word is the experience of God’s blessing rather than descending into moral depravity. The word happy connotes the state of prosperity and well being that comes from God’s blessing. This word is used frequently in the Psalms showing God’s favor to His people who follow Him.

When people respond to the light they’ve been given, then God gives more light. If people however, fail to respond to God’s revealed will, then He will withdraw His light. This unfortunately happened numerous times in Israel’s history:

“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the LORD. People will stagger from sea to sea and from the north even to the east; they will roam about to seek the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.” (Amos 8:11-12)

Are you experiencing God’s blessings in your life? Blessings await those who keep His word.

Rick Higgins

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark