Francis Drake
Returning adventurer.
- Apr 14, 2013
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And clearly, by limiting it to just one aspect, neither do you fully understand the concept of signs.I would say, in my opinion, that you don't have a full understanding of the concept of "signs".
A sign is a sign, whether in scripture or on the ground. Context declares the recipient, and not all signs are for Israel.
Anyone can select isolated scriptures that seem to back their pointsLet me present the concept with scriptural backing.
- Signs are for the nation Israel. (Exodus 4, Psalms 74:9, Judges 6:13)
- The Messiah was promised to Israel and prophecy stated that he will perform many signs and wonders to prove his identity (Luke 7:20-23)
- When Jesus appeared, he performed all the necessary signs to testify to the nation Israel (John 20:30-31, Acts 2:22, Hebrews 2:4)
Here are some thinking questions for any interested readers to understand my points above
Did God tell Moses in Exodus 4, to tell the Jews to believe "in faith" that Moses is sent by God? In the last verse of Exodus 4, it was explicitly stated that the elders believed after the signs.
Did the Angel of the Lord rebuked Gideon, in Judges 6:17, when the latter asked for signs that it was indeed the Lord talking to him?
When John the Baptist's disciples came to Jesus in Luke 7 and ask him to verify his identity, why didn't Jesus rebuke them but immediately did all the signs required in Isaiah 35:4-6? Why didn't Jesus tell John's disciples to go back to John to tell him to believe in faith?
"Israel was never expected to take by faith...............?"Asking for signs is about the same as asking for evidence. Israel, since she was born in the book of Exodus, was never expected to take by faith that God was with them.
If you believe that, then maybe you should take your theological scissors to chapter11 of Hebrews because it drives a coach and horses through what you've just said.
With this, I hope the true meaning of 1 Corinthians 1:22 would be clearer to the reader. Paul did not mention that "for fun" but rather to teach the Body of Christ something fundamental about the nation of Israel.
You clearly don't understand what Paul says there. In mentioning the Jews, he wasn't talking about
Israel as a whole, but the Jews at that time who had repeatedly rejected Jesus.
When the Jewish leaders had demanded a sign from Jesus, other than referring to the sign of Jonah, he refused. Jesus had been leaving a long trail of signs wherever he went, so there was no way He was going to jump through the hoops of the godless Pharisees.
Whether Jew, Israelite, or Gentile, the purpose of signs is to give faith in the power of God.
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