Signs and Wonders

As a Christian when you hear the term "signs and wonders," what comes to mind?  I think of things like Jesus healing the paralytic, cleansing lepers, casting out demons and raising the dead.  My mind goes to miraculous manifestations of God's power at work in the lives of people.  Let us not imagine, however, signs and wonders are a New Testament phenomenon.  The Bible makes it clear God has been doing signs and wonders through His people since the beginning, and in ways that might surprise you.

The context of Isaiah 8 is God directing the prophet Isaiah to name his son "Mahershalalhashbaz," quite a mouthful.  I am sure many people were quite surprised anyone would name their son a compound word that is basically a sentence meaning, "speedy spoil and hasty plunder."  It was meant to be a divine encouragement that the Assyrian/Israel alliance formed against Judah would soon fail, even before the boy Mahershalalhashbaz would be able to say "my father and my mother."  When people of Judah heard of the enemies gathering against them they were shocked by the confederacy and put in fear.  Through the prophet God told His people that He should be their fear and dread, not the schemes or powers of man.

Instead of seeking news from informants of the political and military intrigue, Isaiah was determined to seek the LORD.  Hear what he said in Isaiah 8:18-20:  "Here am I and the children whom the LORD has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, Who dwells in Mount Zion. ¹⁹ And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? ²⁰ To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."  This puts "signs and wonders" in a new light, doesn't it?  People took note of the odd name Isaiah gave his son in obedience to God and wondered.  There was a push to go to wizards and mediums, to seek counsel from familiar spirits when God had already spoken.  Whilst others were in fear of being plundered by invaders, Isaiah feared God and made God's law and testimony his plumb line of truth.

Isn't it a miracle when people seek the LORD in a world of news reports and conspiracies?  It is a sign to God's people and all the world when a person believes God and walks according to His word.  Perhaps some viewed Isaiah as "old school" and the scriptures as boring and outdated, but God made this man and his family signs and wonders so they might consider and change their minds and ways.  This is the power of signs of wonders:  not so much the restoring of a withered hand, feeding hungry people a meal or raising the dead, but to cause a man to believe God is LORD, that Jesus is the Christ.  Some who saw the sign and wondered changed their mind about Jesus, having heard He was a deceiver by the envious, and were born again by faith in Him.  The ultimate miracle took place when people were born again and as a result entered into fellowship with God and eternal salvation.

Instead of being swept up in conspiracies and news reports that provoke fear, blessed is the one God makes a sign and wonder because of his dogged trust in God with determination to seek and obey Him, who believes God's word having been born again by faith in Jesus.  Unless God commands us we don't need to name our child Mahershalalhashbaz as a sign, for God's word given to us is a greater sign and wonder than we are in ourselves.  We do not need to try to be a sign to anyone, for the one who sincerely trusts in Jesus and follows Him in faith will cause others to wonder if they too can find abundant life in Him.

You might not be called as a prophet, you might not speak with tongues and interpret, and you might not have a spouse or children, but you can be for signs and wonders in your family, church, workplace and city from the LORD of hosts.  Seeking God and heeding His word in this world causes us to shine forth exceedingly bright for His glory.