And Moses said unto them, “Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you.” Numbers 9:8
It was time to celebrate the Passover, the fourteenth day of the first month of the year (1-5). However, some men had become ceremonially unclean due to handling a dead body. This would disqualify them from observing the event, but they wanted to participate, so they asked Moses what they could do. Moses’ response? “Stand still, and I will hear.”
The New American Standard says it this way, “Wait, and I will listen to what the Lord will command concerning you.”
Regardless of the way the original Hebrew is translated, the command is the same: wait and listen. We can be pretty good about bringing our questions to the Lord, but do we stick around long enough, are we silent enough to hear His response? This, My Friends, is where we fall into trouble. We ask the Lord for direction, and at the first rattle of a leaf on the lawn, we jump forward, thinking we have heard from Him. But have we really?
By the way, the Lord did respond to the men’s inquiry and made a way for them to observe the Passover without compromising His holiness. He allowed them to observe the event the following month, on the fourteenth day (9-11), because He honored their desire to honor Him.
What word of direction have you asked the Lord? Oh, may I encourage you in this: before you move ahead, first stand still, and… hear.
