Signals
Jump to: ConcordanceThesaurusHebrewLibrarySubtopicsTerms
Topical Encyclopedia
In the biblical context, signals often refer to signs or indicators used to convey messages, warnings, or divine communication. These signals can be physical, such as objects or actions, or supernatural, involving miraculous events or divine interventions. Throughout Scripture, signals serve as important tools for communication between God and His people, as well as among individuals.

Old Testament Signals

1. The Rainbow: One of the earliest signals in the Bible is the rainbow, given as a sign of God's covenant with Noah and all living creatures. After the flood, God set the rainbow in the clouds as a signal of His promise never to destroy the earth with a flood again (Genesis 9:12-17).

2. The Pillar of Cloud and Fire: During the Israelites' exodus from Egypt, God provided a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night as signals to guide them through the wilderness. These signals represented God's presence and guidance (Exodus 13:21-22).

3. The Bronze Serpent: In the wilderness, when the Israelites were bitten by venomous snakes, God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. Those who looked at it were healed, serving as a signal of God's provision and mercy (Numbers 21:8-9).

4. Gideon's Fleece: Gideon sought a signal from God to confirm His will regarding the battle against the Midianites. He placed a fleece on the ground, asking for dew to appear only on the fleece and not on the ground, and then the reverse. God granted these signals to assure Gideon of His support (Judges 6:36-40).

New Testament Signals

1. The Star of Bethlehem: The birth of Jesus was signaled by a star, which guided the Magi from the East to the place where the Messiah was born. This celestial signal indicated the fulfillment of prophecy and the arrival of the King (Matthew 2:1-2).

2. The Sign of Jonah: Jesus referred to the prophet Jonah as a signal of His own death and resurrection. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and nights, so would the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:39-40).

3. The Signs of the End Times: Jesus spoke of various signals that would precede His second coming, including wars, famines, earthquakes, and celestial disturbances. These signals serve as warnings and reminders for believers to remain vigilant and faithful (Matthew 24:3-14).

Symbolic and Prophetic Signals

1. Prophetic Actions: Prophets often used symbolic actions as signals to convey God's messages. For example, Jeremiah wore a yoke to signal the coming Babylonian captivity (Jeremiah 27:2-11), and Ezekiel enacted the siege of Jerusalem as a signal of impending judgment (Ezekiel 4:1-3).

2. The Sacraments: In Christian theology, the sacraments are considered signals of God's grace. Baptism and the Lord's Supper are outward signs that signify inward spiritual realities, serving as signals of the believer's faith and God's promises.

Conclusion

Throughout the Bible, signals play a crucial role in communicating divine truths and guiding God's people. Whether through natural phenomena, prophetic actions, or miraculous events, these signals underscore God's sovereignty and His desire to communicate with humanity.
Strong's Hebrew
4448b. malal -- to rub, scrape
... to rub, scrape. Transliteration: malal Short Definition: signals. Word Origin a
prim. root Definition to rub, scrape NASB Word Usage signals (1). ...
/hebrew/4448b.htm - 5k
Library

The Advance of Xerxes into Greece.
... Euboea."Straits of Artemisium and Euripus."Attica."Saronic Gulf."Island of
Salamis."Excitement of the country."Signals."Sentinels."Movement of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/xerxes/chapter viii the advance of.htm

Saul's Expedition against the Nation of the Ammonites and victory ...
... is angry and displeased at your choice of kingly government, I will so dispose him
that he shall declare this very plainly to you by strange signals; for what ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 5 sauls expedition against.htm

Tenth Commandment
... In the twelfth chapter of Luke our Saviour lifted two danger signals. ... God seems
to have set danger signals at the threshold of each new age. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/weighed and wanting/tenth commandment.htm

The Great Distress the Jews were in Upon the Conflagration of the ...
... a fable, were it not related by those that saw it, and were not the events that
followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals; for, before ...
/.../chapter 5 the great distress.htm

The Ship on Fire --A Voice of Warning
... Further effort is of no avail. Rockets are fired, as the signals of distress. ...
Let us be thankful again, that we could use the signals. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/the ship on firea voice.htm

Man and Machinery.
... It is not a peculiarity of the city, but, rather, seeks room to stretch itself out;
and so you may perceive its smoky signals hovering over a thousand vallies ...
/.../chapin/humanity in the city/discourse ii man and machinery.htm

The Groups Round the Cross
... On the occasion of an execution a crowd gathers outside our jails merely to see
the black flag run up which signals that the deed is done; and in the old days ...
/.../stalker/the trial and death of jesus christ/chapter xiii the groups round.htm

The Panoply of God
... point. These evil days are ever wont to come on us suddenly; they are
heralded by no storm signals and no falling barometer. We ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the panoply of god.htm

Nero Adds Four Cities to Agrippas Kingdom; but the Other Parts of ...
... prevailed with the multitude to act like madmen, and went before them into the
wilderness, as pretending that God would there show them the signals of liberty. ...
/.../chapter 13 nero adds four.htm

Of the Kind of Signs we are Now Concerned With.
... For when the poultry-cock has discovered food, he signals with his voice for the
hen to run to him, and the dove by cooing calls his mate, or is called by her ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books /chapter 2 of the kind of.htm

Thesaurus
Signals (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Signals (1 Occurrence). Proverbs 6:13 who winks with his
eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers; (WEB NAS NIV). ...
/s/signals.htm - 6k

Signal (18 Occurrences)
... 4. (a.) of or pertaining to signals, or the use of signals in conveying information;
as, a signal flag or officer. 5. (vt) To communicate ...
/s/signal.htm - 12k

Trumpets (52 Occurrences)
... Some were made of silver (Numbers 10:2), and were used only by the priests in
announcing the approach of festivals and in giving signals of war. ...
/t/trumpets.htm - 32k

Signature (1 Occurrence)

/s/signature.htm - 8k

Quartermaster (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (n.) A petty officer who attends to the helm, binnacle, signals, and the like,
under the direction of the master. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/q/quartermaster.htm - 7k

Winks (3 Occurrences)
... Winks (3 Occurrences). Proverbs 6:13 who winks with his eyes, who signals with
his feet, who motions with his fingers; (WEB NAS RSV NIV). ...
/w/winks.htm - 7k

Fingers (22 Occurrences)
... Proverbs 6:13 who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions
with his fingers; (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV). ...
/f/fingers.htm - 13k

Flag (30 Occurrences)
... train. 11. (vt) To convey, as a message, by means of flag signals; as,
to flag an order to troops or vessels at a distance. 12. ...
/f/flag.htm - 18k

Ensign (21 Occurrences)
... carried by a ship or a body of soldiers; -- as distinguished from flags indicating
divisions of the army, rank of naval officers, or private signals, and the ...
/e/ensign.htm - 15k

Motions (2 Occurrences)
... unto death. (KJV WBS). Proverbs 6:13 who winks with his eyes, who signals
with his feet, who motions with his fingers; (WEB NIV). ...
/m/motions.htm - 6k

Resources
Does the pineal gland have any spiritual significance? | GotQuestions.org

Should Christian women wear makeup or jewelry? | GotQuestions.org

What is the day of Pentecost? | GotQuestions.org

Signals: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Signalled
Top of Page
Top of Page