What other biblical instances show God using signs to confirm His word? Moses and the two signs (Exodus 4:1–9) God graciously gave Moses two visible proofs—the staff becoming a serpent and the leprous hand—to verify the message he would carry to Israel. Verse 8 sets the pattern: “If they do not believe you or heed the message of the first sign, they may believe the message of the second.” From that moment forward, Scripture records many occasions where the Lord confirms His word in similar fashion. Old Testament snapshots of divine confirmation • Genesis 9:13 – “I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.” • Genesis 15:17 – A “smoking firepot with a blazing torch” passes between the animal pieces, sealing God’s covenant with Abram. • Exodus 13:21 – Pillar of cloud by day and fire by night guides Israel, assuring them of God’s presence. • Joshua 3:10–13 – As soon as the priests’ feet touch the Jordan, the waters pile up, proving “the living God is among you.” • Judges 6:36-40 – Gideon’s fleece: dew on the fleece, then dew on the ground, confirming God’s call to deliver Israel. • 1 Samuel 12:16-18 – Samuel calls thunder and rain during harvest; the people recognize, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants!” • 1 Kings 18:36-38 – Fire falls on Elijah’s sacrifice, showing “You, O LORD, are God.” • 2 Kings 20:8-11 / Isaiah 38:7-8 – The shadow moves ten steps backward: “This is the sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has spoken.” • Isaiah 7:14 – “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son.” • Jeremiah 32:6-15 – The prophet buys a field while Jerusalem is under siege; the deed itself is a sign that God will restore the land. New Testament confirmations • Luke 1:18-20 – Zechariah is struck mute until John’s birth: proof that Gabriel’s words will be fulfilled. • Luke 2:10-12 – “You will find a Baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” The shepherds see exactly that sign. • John 2:11 – Turning water into wine in Cana “revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.” • Matthew 12:39-40 – Jesus promises the “sign of Jonah,” predicting His resurrection after three days. • John 11:42-45 – Lazarus raised; many Jews believe because of the sign. • Acts 2:1-4 – Tongues of fire and languages attest that the promised Spirit has come. • Acts 9:17-18 – Saul regains sight; the sign validates his calling to preach Christ. • Acts 13:11-12 – Elymas struck blind; the proconsul “believed, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.” • Hebrews 2:3-4 – “God also bore witness with signs and wonders and various miracles, and with gifts of the Holy Spirit…” Why God keeps using signs • They authenticate His messengers (Moses, Elijah, the apostles). • They underscore covenant promises (Noah’s rainbow, Abraham’s torch, Isaiah’s virgin prophecy). • They invite faith while leaving room for personal response—Israel could still reject Moses, and many did reject Jesus despite His miracles. • They reveal God’s character: faithful, powerful, intimately involved with His people. • They point forward to the ultimate sign—the death and resurrection of Christ—after which further confirmation comes through the witness of Scripture and the indwelling Spirit. Living it today While God is free to employ visible signs, He has already given the supreme confirmation of His word in the risen Lord Jesus and the fully trustworthy Scriptures. Like Moses, we can step forward in obedience, confident that when God speaks, He also provides the assurance we need to believe and act. |
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