“Well, Shut My Mouth”
I have been told to shut up a few times recently. More often I regret that I opened my mouth. But I refer to a colloquial exclamation of shock, surprise, or incredulity at some event in one’s life. On a deeper level, Scripture speaks of times when God’s prophets “shut their mouths” or tell their hearers to be silent. Let us inquire what they have to say to us.
Elijah (1 Kings 19:8-18) – After devastating the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel and praying for rain to end a prolonged drought Elijah flees for his life from Jezebel. A long journey brings him to a cave on Mount Horeb/Sinai. The LORD summons him to come out of hiding since He is going to pass by. The LORD is not in the great wind, an earthquake or a fire but in “a sound of sheer silence” [NRSV]. The prophet is told to go back to anoint kings and his successor, Elisha.
Isaiah’s call (Isa. 6:1-8). Isaiah sees a vision of the LORD enthroned in the temple. He cries out. “I am undone” [KJV], “I am lost” [NRSV, ESV] or “I was silent” [Watts]. “I am a man of unclean lips and live among people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, LORD of hosts.” His lips are touched with a coal from the altar and he is sent to his unwelcomed task.
Habakkuk (Hab. 2:20) “But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him!” Unlike other prophets who speak to the people, Habakkuk confronts God, questioning his justice in using a violent nation to discipline his less violent people for their unjust ways. “But , , ,” In contrast to trusting idols which are speechless, God’s people are to be silent before the LORD.
Ezekiel (Ezek. 3:15; 25-27). After many admonitions to speak faithfully God’s word the prophet sees the glory of the LORD as in that original vision (Ezek. 1:1ff) Only this time God makes his tongue cling to the roof of his mouth “so that you will be speechless.” Thereafter the prophet pantomimes his message by symbolic actions. After the fall of Jerusalem, he is told to prophesy (Ezek. 34:1-2).
None of us is called to be prophets like the above. While time does not permit a detailed examination of each text, I invite your lively imagination to enter-into the texts. What do they teach us about our experience of God and our mission?
—Tom Yoakum