Believing God – Signs and Wonders

There are 3 great promises in the bible that follow the same pattern, this promises are

1. Abraham to father many Nations
2. Israel to enter the Promised land
3. The promised messiah from the tribe of Judah
4. Eternal Salvation for those who believe in the resurrection of Christ

In all the above promises, God removes his children from an impossible situation by giving an initial sign and wonder, and thereafter asks them to believe Him to get them into the promise

Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.  Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. Exodus 14:30-31

The above verse holds the key to understanding the rest of the Exodus story and the Christian life. The God of Jacob, had single handedly defeated the strongest civilization of that time . The 10 plagues and the parting of the Red Sea were amazing wonders that should have softened any hardened heart from unbelief to believe. A great and loving effort from these God, that should have been reciprocated with unwavering commitment and trust in Him. The conclusion God wanted the Children of Israel to make is ‘this God is powerful, there is nothing too difficult for Him, he can be trusted and followed fully’.

Only Believe

The sign and wonder is always meant to strengthen our believe during difficult seasons, it is important we draw certain conclusions from past miracles that God has performed e.g. if God healed me before, this current affliction cannot destroy me. Once the metaphoric red sea of our lives has been parted in our lives, there should be no room for unbelief. That is the lesson at the heart of the exodus story.

Note : “the tools God has given us to deal with difficult situation are two , we should seek his counsel/advice and remember His testimonies”

But they soon forgot his works;they did not wait for his advice. Psalm 106:13

The waters covered their adversaries not one of them survived. Then they believed his promises and sang his praise. But they soon forgot his works…. Psalm 106:13

The bible records that God tested them 10 times, to see what was in their hearts. God was checking to see if they had internalized the truth of who he was based in the red sea event. These tests, they failed miserably, only 3 days later they were confronted with another impossible situation, instead of remembering what God had done. They complained and murmured.

The initial response found in exodus 14 was no longer there ‘ so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses’

They murmured and complained to a God who had just destroyed a whole army!! In the stories that followed, this lack of fear of the lord was accompanied by outright rebellion, at some point they tried to stone and replace Moses.

Abraham

Abraham had witnessed Sarah give birth supernaturally in her old age, before that he had prayed for Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants who had become barren , those were  his red sea moments.

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children—for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household Genesis 20:17 -18

This man had many testimonies of God5’s miracle working power, these signs and wonders set him up for the ultimate test, would he give the life of his only son to the God who gave him and Abimelech’s house hold, children supernaturally. We all know the story, Abraham passed the test with flying colors.

 I believe the key to  Abraham’s faith, is that he had internalized all the other signs and wonders and made the right conclusion about who God is i.e. he is good, all powerful and there is nothing impossible with Him.

Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead… Hebrews 11:19

Abraham had internalized his red sea moments and made the right conclusion, unlike his grandchildren many years later. When God tested him to see what was in his heart. He found a heart that was absolutely convinced, that God is good and he can be trusted even though his instructions and commands don’t make sense, therefore this was his inspiration for radical and blind obedience.

When God assessed Abraham’s response, there was an emphasis on an attitude that God loved that Abraham had sustained, that had been briefly demonstrated by the children of Jacob many years later.

Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. Genesis 22:12

A fear or reverence of the saving power of God is the foundation for radical believe and obedience.

We see David apply this principle when he faced Goliath, he demonstrated courage that was grounded in the victories God had won for him in the past

The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you.” 1 Samuel 17:37

Jesus Christ

The framework and the mechanics of our salvation are constructed from the Exodus and Abraham’s story. Jesus reiterates this theme of believing God, and was constantly shocked at unbelief when he saw it, and condemned it with a lot of disappointment.

“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” Mark 9:19

Christ’s ministry was built on signs and wonders, these signs and wonders were to lay down the foundation for his followers believe. They were their red sea moments

So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. Matthew 15:31

They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.” Luke 5:26

Jesus expected that after they had witnessed this signs and wonders, when they were faced with a challenge, they would think to themselves ‘I just saw Jesus heal a blind man, this storm surely is a small matter’. The difference between Israel and Caleb, David and Saul, Abraham and Lot, a good disciple and a bad one, is how they internalize their red sea moments or their testimonies. The conclusions we draw from the supernatural events earlier on in our Christian walk are supposed to build our faith in later stages of our work with God.

Signs and Wonder are not the end goal, rather they are to build our faith and help us endure to see the Promises come true. The story of the Children of Israel who did not enter the Promised land is a warning, to those who don’t believe in the Messiah, the gospel of the Kingdom, and the personal promises that God has given them.

Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. Jude 1:5

He made streams come out of the rock and caused waters to flow down like rivers. Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert. They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying,
    “Can God spread a table in the wilderness? He struck the rock so that water gushed out
    and streams overflowed.Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people?” Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob;  his anger rose against Israel, because they did not believe in God
    and did not trust his saving power. Psalm 78:17 -22

In spite of all this, they still sinned despite his wonders, they did not believe.
So he made their days vanish like^[ a breath,  and their years in terror.When he killed them, they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly. They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant…Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God   and did not keep his testimonies, Psalm 78:32 – 56

“Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (Jn 14:11–12)