Sign
Summary
A miraculous or extraordinary token serving to confirm faith, authenticate a divine messenger, or foretell coming events.
☩Definition
In biblical language, a sign is a token or whatever serves to express or represent another thing. God gave Noah the rainbow as a sign of His covenant, and He appointed circumcision to Abraham for the same purpose. Signs and wonders typically denote proofs or demonstrations of power furnished by miracles and other tokens of divine presence.
☩Signs Requested and Given
Throughout Scripture, people requested signs to confirm faith: Abraham was given signs confirming God's promise; Moses received signs to authenticate his mission to Pharaoh; Gideon tested God with the fleece; Hezekiah received a sign regarding his healing. The Jews demanded a sign from Jesus, who pointed only to the sign of Jonah—His resurrection after three days in the earth.
☩Signs of the Times
Signs also foretell coming events. Jesus spoke of signs in the sun, moon, and stars that would precede His coming. The Pharisees could discern weather signs but could not discern the signs of the times—the evidence that Messiah was among them.
Related Verses127 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Sign," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.John McClintock and James Strong, "Sign," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 3.James Orr (ed.), "Sign," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 4.John McClintock and James Strong, "Sign," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 5.James Orr (ed.), "Sign," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 6.James Hastings (ed.), "Sign," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).