The Significance of Miraculous Signs
September 29, 2022
Commentary
Moses’ third excuse for not wanting to be the spokesman for God was that, people will say,"The Lord has not appeared to you as you say, and they will not believe me” (v. 1). The Lord’s answer to Moses was, “What is that you have in your hand” (v. 2)? Moses said that it was a walking stick. This was to enable him to perform supernatural tasks:
1. He cast his rod on the ground, and it became a snake and then back into a staff (vv. 3-4). God will take what we have in our hands and will use it if we will trust Him. Of itself, the rod was nothing but in God’s hands it became power. When you do this the Israelites will believe that you have seen Me, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (v. 5).
2. He put his hand inside the soft folds of the garment he was wearing and when he pulled it out it was covered with leprosy and when he did it a second time it was strong and healthy (vv. 6-7). This shows how by nature man’s hand is unfit to be used of God but with His cleansing, we can be used in a great way for His glory.
3. When he took water from the Nile River and poured it upon dry land it became blood (vv. 8-9). But this God showed Moses how He had the power to overcome the Egyptians and He still wants to show us His power to overcome our enemies.
Application
The excuses which Moses used for not wanting to do what God asked are the same ones I tend to use today but God still wants me to trust Him to do His work. What am I trusting Him to do in and through my life today?
Exodus 4:1– 9 (NET)
1 Moses answered again, “And if they do not believe me or pay attention to me, but say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you’?” 2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 3 The Lord said, “Throw it to the ground.” So he threw it to the ground, and it became a snake, and Moses ran from it. 4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and grab it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand — 5 “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”
6 The Lord also said to him, “Put your hand into your robe.” So he put his hand into his robe, and when he brought it out—there was his hand, leprous like snow! 7 He said, “Put your hand back into your robe.” So he put his hand back into his robe, and when he brought it out from his robe—there it was, restored like the rest of his skin! 8 “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the former sign, then they may believe the latter sign. 9 And if they do not believe even these two signs or listen to you, then take some water from the Nile and pour it out on the dry ground. The water you take out of the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”
Illustration: Johnny Cash’s Conversion Story
Johnny Cash! Known internationally as the great country folk singer of all time found that his rise to stardom brought more than fame and fortune. It brought problems. While he was rising professionally his personal life became worse. Show business pressures soon drove him to take “pep pills,” and soon he became addicted to Amphetamine. His first arrest came in 1965, when he was caught with more than 1,000 pills in his pockets. From 200 lbs. he went down to 140 lbs. in weight. He was going steadily downhill. Then on May 9, 1971, Johnny Cash sat in a pew of a small church in his home town. The pastor finished his sermon and appealed to the congregation to come to the front to “make things right” with God. Johnny Cash stood up and walked a few steps to the wooden altar. The power of the gospel changed Johnny Cash! (Source Unknown).