Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - SIGNS X 3

SIGNS X 3

Moses, at least initially, was anything but an enthusiastic recipient of God’s instruction and desire. When God called him to go and set His people free, he made excuses and gave reasons as to why he was not the right choice for the task. This is not unlike what we often do today when we feel prompted by God to do His bidding. So God, as He probably still does to us today, gave Moses three signs to show he meant business.

Firstly, He gave a sign of transformation. He took the rod of Moses and changed it.

So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

He said “A rod.”

And Hs said, “Cast it on the ground.” 

So he cast it on the ground and it became a serpent…

(Exodus 4:2-3)

When Moses took the serpent by the tail it again became the rod it had been before, illustrating the power of God to change something from what it is into something else providing we allow Him to do so.

But that was not enough, so God had Moses do something further.

…the Lord said to him, ”Now put your hand to your bosom.” 

And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, 

his hand was leprous, like snow.

And He said, “Put your hand in your bosom again.” 

…[when he] drew it out of his bosom…it was restored like his other flesh. 

(Exodus 4:6-7)

This was the second sign - restoration - that God could take something that was beyond man’s ability to change, as leprosy was untreatable in those days, and make it whole again. And it was done to show what would happen if the first sign was not heeded.

“…if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, 

that they may believe the message of the latter sign.” 

(Exodus 4:8)

Furthermore, if the above was not enough and the two signs were ignored, then:

“…you shall take water from the river and pour it on the dry land. 

The water which you take from the river will become blood on the dry land.” 

(Exodus 4:9)

The water from the Nile was, and still is, the lifeblood of Egypt and for such to happen would represent and be the third sign, that of severe judgement and punishment to the people of Egypt.

So the Lord, through Moses, told the leaders of Egypt that if they did not heed the signs of transformation or restoration, then punishment would follow. And this is precisely the sign that He gives to us today. For if we accept Him, then we are transformed:

 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation… 

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

…and as a result is on the way to being restored to God. Those who are become…

…sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 

(2 Timothy 2:21)

…through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 

(Hebrew 10:10)

Failing all this:

…there is no longer an offering for sin. 

(Hebrews 10:18)

[B]ut a certain fearful expectation of judgement… 

(Hebrews 10:27)

It is really no different now than it was in the day of Moses. If we fail to heed the sign of transformation and thereby the restoration that God requires, then the sign of judgement will surely follow. 

It is something we should be thinking about.