Exodus 4:6-8 English Standard Version

⁶ Again, the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. ⁷ Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. ⁸ “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign.

Some of us have witnessed the affliction of God’s people and their miraculous healing. For those who already believe it is a sign that our faith in Christ is true. For others it is an opportunity to witness the presence of God in the body of Christ. Sadly what God said in verse 8 may have its negative affect. They may not believe the later sign.

I cannot speak to those who are so stiff-necked that they refuse to turn from their unbelief to accept the presence of God in those moments. Does that mean they will not be saved? No, but there can be no salvation without the acknowledgement of the presence of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

⁵ “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

The sole purpose of the signs is to believe in Him who has proven Himself to be that God and no other.

Moses was a witness and spoke for God. Jesus was a witness and spoke for God. The Apostles were witnesses and spoke for God. They all spoke for this God and no other.

Nowhere on earth has any other god proven Himself as God. There is no other God and yet some will refuse the signs before their very eyes.

Psalm 139:5-6 English Standard Version

⁵ You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. ⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

There are three things in motion here. Faith in motion is an active spiritual event. We do not always see the how and the why of it, even after the event. That is the third part, withholding knowledge of just how all of it plays out in God’s will.

The first part is the appointment. It is not like a doctor’s appointment where everything is on our calendar, time, place, purpose and parties involved. It is God getting us to that appointment without us making any conscious effort. It is not unlike the hedge of protection but serves a different purpose.

The second part is the laying on of His hands. The purpose behind the laying on of the hand of God can take on different aspects of God’s will. It might be the transfer of blessing, healing, comfort, or the personal awareness of God’s presence. It is not about us because God would not have to hem us in in order to touch us. He can reach us anywhere.

Now why is it that God should withhold the knowledge of this appointment? The answer to that is as varied as the individuals we are in life. For some that knowledge would give opportunity to make the moment about us, and upon touching that moment with human hands we have defiled it. That lesson can be learned in the tale of Uzziah’s death when an ox stumbled and he reached out to prevent the Ark from falling. God does not need our help to perform His will and yet we seem to think He does.

1 Peter 4:10-11 English Standard Version (ESV) As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.