SPECIAL TOPIC: SIGN (OT)

SPECIAL TOPIC: SIGN

The Semitic root, BDB 16, KB 26
1. The NOUN "sign" is used
  1. as a marker of time, Gen. 1:14
  2. as a marker of person, Gen. 4:15
  3. as a marker of covenant, Gen. 9:12,13,17; 17:11
  4. as a marker of a faith promise, Exod. 3:12
  5. as a miracle to affirm God's representative (i.e., Moses), Exod. 4:8 (twice),9,17,28,30; 7:3; 8:23, etc.
  6. tribal standard, Num. 2:2; Ps. 74:4
  7. as a warning, Num. 16:38; 17:10
2. There are several "signs" (BDB 16) in the OT
  1. a sign (or mark) for Cain's protection ‒ Gen. 4:15
  2. a rainbow for no more floods ‒ Gen. 9:12-17
  3. the blood on the door ‒ Exod. 12:13
  4. the Sabbath ‒ Exod. 31:12-17; Ezek. 20:12,20
  5. plate made from the censers of Korah ‒ Num. 16:36-40
  6. phylacteries and frontlets ‒ Deut. 6:8; 11:18
  7. the stones taken from the midst of the Jordan ‒ Josh. 4:6
  8. certain words spoken by Philistines to Jonathan ‒ 1 Sam. 14:10
  9. agricultural crops over three seasons ‒ 2 Kgs. 19:29-34; Isa. 37:30
  10. movement of shadow on the stairs ‒ 2 Kgs. 20:8-11; Isa. 38:5-8
  11. birth of a son to Ahaz ‒ Isa. 7:11,14
  12. an altar in Egypt ‒ Isa. 19:19-22
  13. YHWH made known to the nations ‒ Isa. 66:18-19 (cf. Isa. 11:10,11-16; 19:22)
  14. mark on forehead of faithful followers in Jerusalem ‒ Ezek. 9:4 (cf. Rev. 7:3; 14:1)
    See NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 1224-1228, "Sign and Symbol: Theology of."
3. It is used often in Isaiah.
  1. special birth, Isa. 7:14
  2. Isaiah's children, Isa. 8:18
  3. altar and pillar in Egypt, Isa. 19:19-20
  4. Isaiah's dress, Isa. 20:3
  5. harvest, Isa. 37:30
  6. sparing Jerusalem from Assyria, Isa. 38:7
  7. Hezekiah's healing, Isa. 38:22
  8. false signs, Isa. 44:25
  9. agricultural blessings, Isa. 55:13
  10. missionaries to the nations, Isa. 66:19
OT ‒ BDB 68, KB 559
The terms "wonder," "sign," "portent" (BDB 68, KB 559) are synonymous (cf. Deut. 4:34; 7:19; 29:2) with "sign," "mark" (BDB 16, KB 26). It is used often in Exodus and Deuteronomy, but only twice in Isaiah (i.e., Isa. 8:18 and 20:3).
BDB has two main usages.
1. a special demonstration of God's power (i.e., the plagues of the Exodus)
2. a token of future events or symbolic acts denoting future events (cf. Isa. 20:3; Ezek. 12:6-11; 24:24; Zech. 3:8)
  These usages show God's knowledge of the future and His ability to set its course. He reveals things to His people so they will trust and follow Him!
Signs in the NT
1. For the shepherds at Jesus' birth ‒ Luke 2:12
2. Prophecy of Simeon about Jesus ‒ Luke 2:34
3. Jesus performed signs and wonders to confirm His new message.
  1. John 20:30; 21:25
  2. Acts 2:22
4. The Jewish leaders demand Jesus to do a sign before they would believe.
  1. Matt. 12:38-39; 10:1-4
  2. Mark 8:11-12
  3. Luke 11:16,29,30 (sign of Jonah)
  4. John 4:48; 6:30
  5. 1 Cor. 1:22
5. The Disciples' questions about the end (see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE DISCIPLES' QUESTIONS)
  1. Matt. 24:3
  2. Mark 13:4
  3. L:uke 21:7,11,25
6. Satan and false teachers do signs to trick and confuse.
  1. Matt. 24:24
  2. Mark 13:22
  3. 2 Thess. 2:9
7. Apostles do signs and wonders to confirm their message about Jesus
  1. Acts 2:43; 4:30; 5:12; 8:13; 14:3
  2. Romans 15:19
  3. 2 Cor. 12:12
  4. Heb. 2:4
8. tongues as a sign to believers (see SPECIAL TOPIC: TONGUES) ‒ 1 Cor. 14:22
  Signs and predictive prophecy help humans trust God and His word. They are faith gifts to believers. But, they are not given to unbelievers, stubborn in their unbelief!