When bringing the spiritual world into daily life, we often ask for a sign to make sure we are on the right track. Is it ok to ask for a sign? Some say, we shouldn’t ask God for a sign, because it shows we don’t trust Him. However, Moses and Gideon both asked God for signs and He obliged them.
Signs for Moses
When God gave Moses his mission to free the Israelites from Egypt, Moses was more than a bit afraid. Moses had been living in the land of Midian for 40 years when he encountered the burning bush which burned with fire, but did not burn up. That in itself was a sign that something special was about to happen. When God told Moses about his mission, Moses asked many questions about logistics like, “Why are the people going to listen to me?” and “How do we know that the Lord appeared to you?” to mention a couple. Remember, Moses was brought up in Pharaoh’s household, and there were sure to still be people alive in Egypt who would recognize him. Why should they believe him? What if Pharaoh got wind that he was back in town? Would Pharaoh have him killed? Moses had a right to be afraid to go back to Egypt.
God listened to Moses, and then gave him signs to show the Israelites that God was indeed with him. God gave Moses the power to turn his staff into a snake, and then back into a staff again. He also gave him the ability to turn his hand leprous, and then once placed back in his cloak, his hand would be healed. God also gave Moses the power to change the water from the Nile into blood when poured on the ground. Pretty impressive stuff.
However, Moses still was not willing to go. He in fact, argued with God about choosing him to free the Israelites. Finally God, who was a little more than miff with Moses at this point, told Moses that Aaron would speak for Moses and go with him. At the same time, God was appearing to Aaron and told him to go meet his brother in the wilderness. We don’t hear that Aaron questioned God, but did exactly as he was told. Moses finally agreed to God’s mission and set things in motion for his travels to Egypt. Even though God got angry with Moses, His anger subsided and He went with Moses to free His people.
Signs for Gideon
Perhaps Gideon was so bold to ask for a sign from God because he had heard the story of how Moses asked for signs from God. Gideon lived in a time when many of God’s people had become complacent towards God and didn’t practice all the traditions that Moses had put into place to help them remember who their God was. Life had become hard for the Israelites as they were being attacked by surrounding peoples, at this time, the Midianites. Gideon was visited by an angel while he was trying to hide his family’s wheat from the Midianites. Gideon at first doesn’t really give honor to the angel, instead, he complains about how hard life has been and asks where God has been (Know anyone like this?). The angel then tells Gideon that God has heard the prayers of His people and is sending Gideon as the solution. Gulp! Gideon, still skeptical, asks the angel to stay while he fixes a meal for him so that the angel can then show him a sign that this message is really from God. In other words, Gideon is basically saying, I’ll feed you so that you will show me a sign.
Lo and behold, the angel agrees and God shows Gideon a sign. When Gideon brings out meat in a basket, unleavened bread and a pot of broth. The angel tells Gideon to dump out the broth and put the meat and bread on a rock. The angel touches the rock with his staff and the rock bursts into flames and the bread and meat are totally burned up. The angel then disappears. Gideon realizes that he had indeed seen an angel sent from God, and thinks he will die because of it. God then tells him, “Peace to you, do not fear, you shall not die (Judges 6:23).” God then instructs Gideon to tear down the altar of Baal and the Asherah beside it. Then he is to build an altar to the true God and sacrifice a bull on it. Gideon does so and then God tells Gideon to prepare an army to go to battle against the Midianites and Amalekites who have invaded their border in order to take over their land.
Gideon calls on the tribes of Manasseh, Zebulun and Naphtali and also the Abiezrite people to join him in battle and they all agree. Then Gideon gets cold feet and asks for confirmation from God that indeed, he is supposed to lead this great army and win the battle. He puts a wool fleece out on the threshing floor and tells God, if you let the dew fall only on the fleece and all the area surrounding it is dry, then I know You are behind all this. God does as Gideon asks. But Gideon, thinking maybe this sign was a fluke asks God not to get angry with him, but show him one more sign. He puts the wool fleece out again but this time asks God to keep the fleece dry while wetting the area all around it with dew. God comes through again and does what Gideon asks. So Gideon, finally believes God will do what He has promised and is prepared to go to battle with 32,000 men.
Now comes a lesson for Gideon from God. God tells Gideon that he has too many soldiers, and says he has to get rid of some of them. Through different criteria, Gideon dwindles the numbers of his army down to just 300 men because God says, that is all that is needed. Through this exercise, God is asking Gideon to show that he trusts Him. He tells Gideon, you won’t win this battle, I will. Trust Me! Gideon does what is asked of him and is shown by God that He won the battle without one soldier drawing a sword in Gideon’s army.
Why Signs?
God uses many ways to make His will known to us. Sometimes He uses signs. Why signs? We can learn from the two stories above. For certain people, signs seem to be the most effective way God can get their attention. Both Moses and Gideon were afraid for their lives – and rightly so. God was asking both of them to take a huge undertaking that was way past their abilities. Moses was a shepherd and Gideon was hiding in his family’s winepress when God spoke to them. Neither one was living up to their potential. Then there was the fact that God asked both of them to be leaders. Most likely both men asked God for signs because honestly, they couldn’t believe what God was asking of them. However, God formed both men and He knew the leadership qualities that He had placed in them.
Another commonality of both Moses and Gideon is that once they were satisfied that God could be trusted because of the signs He performed for them, they did just that – trusted God. Once their minds were made up, they followed God whole-heartedly. Moses grabbed Aaron and off they went to confront Pharaoh. Gideon tore down the altar of Baal and recruited a huge army. They both bought into God’s mission for them and went full-steam ahead.
God taught both Moses and Gideon that He was in control of their situations and He would be with them through their mission. They learned that even though they were put into a position of leadership, they themselves were not the leader, rather, God was the leader. They led their people to the one true God and a trust in Him they could bank on.
Do you see yourself in Moses and Gideon? Are you facing fearful times? Is God showing you a sign concerning His will for your life? If so, it’s ok to stop, ask questions of God and ask for confirmation. The wonderful thing is that it is easier for us now than for Gideon and Moses. For them, the Holy Spirit did not live within them. If you are a Believer, you have God’s Spirit living within you, prompting you and guiding you. Trust God, His Son and the Holy Spirit to always lead you in God’s will for your life. Don’t worry if it seems He is leading you in an unthinkable direction. God will make sure you are in His will if you ask Him to show you His will for your life. Maybe He will use a sign, or another way to show you, but He will show you. He then will hold your hand and walk with you through your journey. Enjoy the trip and watch God work in your life.
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