Is our Heavenly Father silent when the heavens are as brass?

There may have been times in our lives where we feel that our prayers don’t rise any higher than the ceiling and the heavens seem like brass; and we have experienced the frustration of what appears to be unanswered prayer….

And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. Deut. 28:23.

That Scripture tells us that the heaven over a person’s head can become like brass, and the earth under their feet can become like iron. The meaning of ‘heavens like brass’ is a state of unyielding skies when divine care is withdrawn, causing drought and barrenness. It is a sobering reminder that straying from our heavenly Father’s path can cause our abundance to turn into lack, in the same way as a closed heaven cannot provide rain. Elijah proved that!

It is a strong image of our Heavenly Fathers displeasure and ensuing consequences as brass or bronze, is associated with judgment and salvation/deliverance. In this verse, the heavens are described as being made of brass, and the earth as iron; and this strong language indicates that there may be severe drought and barrenness in the land. We all know that rain is absolutely necessary for farming all over the earth and particularly in ancient Israel, where rain for the agricultural economy was vital for survival.

We all need to remember that although we live under His grace, when we refuse to listen and obey Adonai’s commandments, it often leads to severe consequences, as indicated in this verse.

The picture of the heaven as brass represents a closed sky, and indicates that prayers for both rain and blessings are ineffective. At that moment, nothing is more frustrating than feeling like our requests and desires are not being heard and that the heavens above us are hard like brass; and even reflecting our prayers back without reaching their destination or desired outcome.

Further understanding of this scripture causes us to ask why; and it reminds us to check on the condition of our hearts because every time we turn away from what is pure and true, we may quickly find ourselves in situations that seem harsh and unyielding.

There are 2 key points in this verse:

heaven that is over thy head shall be brass and

the earth that is under thee shall be iron.

Each phrase pictures a warning of uncomfortable and even life threatening conditions caused by disobedience.

As the heaven of brass, pictures unanswered prayers and Fathers disapproval, it should make us think about the fact that when we seek Him for blessings but don’t align our actions with His will, we will not grow and mature spiritually.

Secondly the earth that is under thee shall be iron, represents a solid surface. Iron is hard and unyielding; it does not nourish or give life so there is a lack of growth. This is a picture of our lives, when we are not rooted in our faith we have no ability to flourish and we produce no fruit.

When we neglect our spiritual lives, we often feel overwhelmed and pressured by our circumstances, and this makes it hard to see the Fathers blessings in life. We need to be reminded of these key points and that disobedience can lead to a spiritual drought in our lives, leaving us feeling depleted and disconnected; and that obedience is not simply about following rules but about establishing and maintaining a relationship with Him.

The positive side of this is that when we live in line with our Heavenly Father’s will, heaven is open for Him to pour blessings into our lives.

Yes, it seems that silence speaks volumes.

There is another place in Psalm 28:1 where David begs the Lord not to be silent to Him.

“Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.”

What is David wanting and what does it mean when he says that he calls on Adonai and He is silent? Does it mean that when David offers his request and Adonai remains silent, David will either die or enter a pit.

In Hebrew the word for pit is bowr (bore)

which could mean

a well, a prison, or a crypt.

Strongs 953

bowr: Pit, cistern, well, dungeon

Original Word: בּוֹר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: bowr
Pronunciation: bohr
Phonetic Spelling: (bore)
KJV: cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well
Word Origin: [from H952 (בּוּר – explain)

 (in the sense of H877 (בּוֹאר – cisterns))]

1. a pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or a prison)

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance

cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well

From buwr (in the sense of bo’r); a pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or a prison) — cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well.

In those days a prison was often a pit or unused well that someone was thrown into and could not get out without someone sending down a rope. If an individual fell into one they would need help to get out. Old abandoned wells were called pits and often used as a prison, and a crypt was much the same; it’s a place you go into and you do not come out again without assistance. Two scriptural examples of people being thrown into a pit are found both in Genesis 37:23/24

and Jeremiah 38:6 who needed help to get out.

When Joseph came to his brothers, they attacked him and tore off his long and beautiful coat. 24 Then they threw him into an empty well that was dry.

A pit is a place from where David perceives that he will not be able to return from.

Most of us, at one time or another, have felt like we are in a dark place from which we would never come out if we did not get some direction from our Heavenly Father; and so like David we wait for an answer and He is silent.

In Hebrew the word

silent is chashah

Strongs 2814 chashah: To be silent, to be still, to hold peace

Original Word: חָשָׁה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: chashah
Pronunciation: khaw-SHAH
Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-shaw’)
KJV: hold peace, keep silence, be silent, (be) still
NASB: keep silent, silent, still, calmed, hushed, keeping silent, kept
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to hush or keep quiet hold peace, keep silence, be silent, be still

A primitive root; to hush or keep quiet — hold peace, keep silence, be silent, (be) still.

It is closely related to the word qara pronounced kah-rah

which means

to be rough, cut out, rend, surely, tear.

Strongs 7167 qara: To tear, rend, rip

Original Word: קָרַע
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: qara`
Pronunciation: kah-rah
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-rah’)
KJV: cut out, rend, X surely, tear
NASB: tore, torn, tear, rend, cut, split apart, enlarge
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

A primitive root; to rend, literally or figuratively (revile, paint the eyes, as if enlarging them) — cut out, rend, X surely, tear.

chashah mimeni תחשׁח. ממני

There may have been times when we feel that, and wonder why He is being so rough with us.

chashah is not only used for silence but as a noun in its original form it’s referring to a plow or till which makes an engraving into the ground, it’s describing a cutting instrument. The word karas spelled with a letter sade at the end means to lacerate, or wound.

The picture created is that silence from our Heavenly Father is like the cutting of a deep wound.

Reading back over David’s words they suggest he is experiencing deep emotional distress because of the lies people are saying about him. The following verses seem to indicate his confidence that Adonai has taken care of his deliverance from the problem but it’s the emotional stress of the worry, fear, and the deep hurt that he is feeling from which he is seeking deliverance. There are times when people can be so filled with fear and dread that they can’t enjoy life and just wish the Lord would take them home to be with Him.

Even when we feel a sense of oppression trying to overwhelm us, we must remember that our Heavenly Father is in control and has never failed.

Although David had experienced many losses and sad situations it would seem that the problem he faced in this verse was not focused on these losses but how they affected his relationship with the Lord.  He was not so concerned about his health, his relationships and his position, if he lost those he could still keep going but he would not be able to make it without the Lord. If the Lord left him he would just go into a dark pit and die.

Unlike David, we have the privilege of the promise given by Messiah Yeshua/Jesus to each of us in Matthew 28:20, that He will always be with us and also read below Hebrews 13:5 from the Amplified Bible:

for He has said, “I WILL NEVER [under any circumstances] DESERT YOU [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], NOR WILL I FORSAKE or LET YOU DOWN or RELAX MY HOLD ON YOU [assuredly not]!”

When silence speaks volumes it is to cause us to check our spiritual position and the condition of our heart before Him; we can make the changes necessary by cutting away the things that hold us back. Then we are delivered from the pit of despair and the heavens are no longer as brass. Broken fellowship is restored and we are once more in a place of faith, victory and true shalom, planting our roots deep in Him and bearing fruit to His glory.

Shalom, shalom mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

It’s all about Life and Relationship,

NOT Religion.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen