8 SIGNS

Many in Scripture whom God used were encouraged by signs. Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Joshua, Gideon, Samson, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Peter, Paul and others. So it is quite normal for humans to want to confirm something they feel God is saying by a sign. God is patient with us and gives us signs.

Moses here, with no concrete evidence that his assumption is true, out of his imagination and opinion, objects that in all probability the people would not listen to him. “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” That is to say that Moses thought they would not take just his words, unless he showed them some sign, which he had not yet been instructed to do. This objection cannot be justified, because it contradicts what God had just said a few moments before recorded in Exodus 3:18, “The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’” God says they will listen. If God says, “They will,” does it look good for Moses to say, “They will not?” Does he mean, “Perhaps they will not at first, or some of them will not?” It is possible that he meant that if there would be some doubters among them who would question his commission, how should he deal with them? What course should he take to convince them? Or it may mean that Moses simply did not believe others would receive what he said. He remembered how one had once rejected him, and, understandably, feared it would happen again. Present discouragements often arise from former disappointments. Wise and good men have sometimes a worse opinion of people than they deserve. After they saw the sign, the people did believe as verse 31 will say, “and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.” Signs are important and God is willing to give them.

God empowers Moses to work miracles, directs him to three, two of which were now immediately demonstrated for his own satisfaction. True miracles are a very convincing external proof of a divine mission confirmed by them. Therefore our Savior often appealed to His works as recorded in John 5:36, “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me.” And Nicodemus acknowledged that he was convinced by them, as he said in John 3:2, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Here Moses, having a special commission given to him as a deliverer, lawgiver, judge and manager to Israel, has this seal affixed to his commission, and he will soon enter Egypt and present his credentials.

The rod in his hand is made the subject of a miracle; a double miracle. When it is thrown from his hand, it becomes a serpent and when he picks it up again, it becomes a rod again. Here was a divine power evident in the change itself, that a dry stick should be turned into a living serpent, a lively one. This was so formidable a snake that Moses himself, on whom, it may have turned in some threatening way, ran from it, even with bare feet in a desert! Ha! We may suppose, in that desert, serpents were no strange things to him, but this one, produced miraculously and unusually was certainly a strong and persuasive kind. The more unlikely something is, the more convincing is its testimony. Water turned to wine, for example, and here a rod changed into a snake and then the living serpent turned into a dry stick again. This would surely make an impression!

Here was an honor given to Moses, that this change occurred when he threw it down and when he took it up again, without any spell, charm, or incantation became a snake again. Moses being empowered like this to act under God, out of the common course of nature and providence, was a demonstration of his authority under God. Was there a significance in the miracle itself? Had Pharaoh turned the rod of Israel into a serpent, saying they were dangerous, causing their belly to cleave as slaves to the dust, and seeking their ruin,? Now, through Moses’ leadership, would they would be turned into a rod again to afflict Pharaoh and his army at the Red sea? Figuratively, had Pharaoh turned the rod of government into the serpent of oppression, causing Moses to flee to Midian only to return to Egypt and change the situation dramatically again? Miracles were for signs. Some correctly interpret them and believe; some do not.

His hand itself is next made the focus of a miracle. He puts it once into his clothes, and takes it out leprous; he puts it again into the same place, and takes it out well. This may have demonstrated that Moses, by the power of God, should bring sore diseases upon Egypt, and that, at his prayer, they should be removed. Whereas the Israelites in Egypt had become leprous, polluted by sin, and almost consumed by oppression, by being taken into the clothes of Moses they are to be cleansed and cured, and have all their grievances answered and their complaints satisfied. This miracle might also illustrate the truth that Moses was not to work miracles by his own power, nor for his own praise, but by the power of God and for His glory. The leprous hand of Moses forever excludes boasting. Now it was supposed that, if the first sign did not convince, the second one would. God is willing to abundantly show the truth of His Word, and is not hesitant to show His proofs so that the number and variety of His miracles corroborate the evidence.

Moses is directed furthermore that when he comes to Egypt, to turn some of the river water into blood, “But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground” (9). This was done, at first, as a sign, but, not making a strong enough impression on Pharaoh, the whole river was afterwards turned into blood; it became a plague. Moses is ordered to work this miracle in case they would not be convinced by the first two signs. Multiple signs make unbelief inexcusable, and the unbeliever guilty of willful obstinacy. As to the people of Israel, God had said they would listen and here He reveals that these miracles will help them listen. He that plans the end also provides the means. Now, what about you? When God called you to spiritual leadership as a Christian man or woman, what signs did He give you? Did you interpret them correctly? Do you believe God’s message to you through them? God has spoken, now you must respond.

It seems that now the conversation turns a corner. One would think Moses would be convinced, but no, he still tries to excuse himself from this assignment. He pleads that he was no good spokesman, in verse 10, saying,“Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” Moses was a great philosopher, statesman, and man of God, and yet felt he was no orator; a man of a clear head, great thought, and solid judgment, but with no powerful tongue, or ready utterance. He thought himself unfit to speak before great men about great affairs and in danger of being run down by the Egyptians. We must not judge persons by the readiness and fluency of their discourse. Moses was mighty in word according to Stephen and yet not eloquent according to Moses. There are several ways these two divergent messages can be harmonized. What he said was strong and to the purpose, and spread out as the dew though he did not express himself with the readiness, ease, and elegance as some who do not have a tenth of his sense do. The Apostle Paul’s speech was contemptible, he said, yet a great deal of wisdom and true worth is concealed by a slow tongue.  God is pleased sometimes to choose those as His messengers who have fewest of the advantages of art or nature. This is so that His grace in them may appear all the more glorious. Jesus’ disciples were no orators, until the Spirit enabled them.

Moses’ plea of resistance was overruled, and all his excuses were answered. Still he begged that God would send somebody else on this errand and leave him to keep sheep in Midian. Send by any hand but mine; you can certainly find one much more fit. An unwilling mind will utilize any sorry excuse rather than none, and is willing to pass on to others those opportunities of service that have anything of perceived difficulty or danger in them.

Let’s see how God condescends to answer all his excuses. Though God became angry, He was prepared with a good rebuttal as verse 14 says, “Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, ‘What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you.’” Even humble self-effacement, when it increases to an extreme, when it either hinders us from responsibilities or stops us in our duties, when it discourages our dependence on the grace of God, is displeasing to Him. God justly resents our backwardness to serve Him, and has reason to dislike it. He is such a Helper to be present with us before the event, with us through it and such a Rewarder as will not be absent behind it. God is justly displeased with those whom yet He does not reject: He is determined to reason the case even with His hesitant children, and overcomes them, as He did Moses here, with grace and kindness.

In order to balance the weakness of Moses, God reminds him of His own creative power in verse 11, “The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord?’” God’s power is demonstrated in the very thing that Moses made the objection: man’s mouth. Moses knew that God made man, but he must be reminded now that God made man’s mouth. An awareness of God as Creator will help us over a great many of the difficulties we may find in the way of duty as Psalm 124:8 says, “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” God, as the Author of nature, has given us the power and faculty of speaking; and from Him, as the fountain of gifts and graces, also comes the faculty of speaking well, “For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.” He will give us the tongue of the learned, as Isaiah 50:4 says, “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.” God also assures us that we are the most excellent of men and our lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed us.” It is encouraging and interesting that God has said so much to us through His Word about His willingness to give us the words and verbal skills we need. What God said specifically to Moses, He also through His Word says generally to others whom He calls to represent Him.

To encourage Moses in this great undertaking, God repeats the promise of His presence, not only in general, but particularly in his speaking role: “I will help you speak and will teach you what to say so that the imperfection in your speech will be no hindrance to your message.” It is not clear that God immediately removed the weakness, whatever it was, but He did what was most important; He taught him what to say, and then let the result become evident. If others spoke more gracefully, so what? God’s chosen man spoke more powerfully! Today God intends to speak through you and He will help you say what needs to be said just as He promised in Matthew 10:19, “But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say.”

Furthermore, God recruits Aaron in commission with him. He promises that Aaron will meet him shortly, and that he will be glad to see him, they having not seen one another for many years. God is very specific and has been planning this for some time since Aaron is already on his way. “Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, ‘What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you’” (14). God could have laid Moses completely aside, for his hesitancy to be useful; but He considered his frame, and ordered him a trusted helper. Two are better than one as Ecclesiastes 4:9 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:” Aaron was the brother of Moses, divine wisdom so ordering it, that their natural affection for each other might strengthen their union in the joint execution of their commission. Jesus sent His disciples two by two, and some of the couples were brothers, James and John, Andrew and Peter. Aaron was the older brother, and yet he was willing to serve under Moses in this project, because God wanted it that way. Aaron could speak well, and yet was far inferior to Moses in wisdom and the content as to what was to be said. God dispenses His gifts variously to the children of men, that we may see our need of each other, and each may contribute something to the good of the whole. In your sermon and lesson preparations, pastor, work on your content. The meaning of the truth you communicate is far more important than the finesse with you you can or cannot express it. The tongue of Aaron, with the head and heart of Moses, would make this team completely fit for this great deliverance. God promises, “I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do” (15). Even Aaron, who could speak well, could not speak well enough unless God was with his mouth. Without the constant help of the One who sends, even the best gifts will fail.

God asks Moses what is in his hand then tells him to take the rod with him. “What is that in your hand?” (2) “But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.” The staff will show the importance of actions as opposed to mere words; the signs he would work with this rod would abundantly compensate for any lack eloquence; one miracle would do him better service than all the rhetoric in the world.“Take this staff,” the rod he carried as a shepherd, that he would not be ashamed of the common condition out of which God called him. This rod must be his staff of authority and must be to him a replacement for both sword and scepter.