Austin Bible Church
A sign is a phenomenon which must involve a supernatural factor to be valid. A sign was a miraculous deed from heaven to prove that Jesus Christ is really God and the Messiah.
True Signs
Seven Great Signs to Israel
There were seven great signs to Israel, but thousands of signs altogether.
Tongues. Isaiah 28:11; 1 Cor. 14:22.
“Indeed, He will speak to this people Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue,” (Isaiah 28:11, NASB)
“So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe.” (1 Corinthians 14:22, NASB)
The Virgin Birth. Isaiah 7:14.
“"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14, NASB)
The Sabbath. Exodus 31:13-17.
“"But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. 'Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. 'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death. 'So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.' "It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed."” (Exodus 31:13-17, NASB)
Circumcision. Rom. 4:11.
“and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,” (Romans 4:11, NASB)
Christ’s resurrection. Matt. 12:40-41.
“for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. "The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.” (Matthew 12:40-41, NASB)
Christ’s substitutionary spiritual death for the sins of mankind followed by His physical death on the Cross. Isaiah 53:8-9.
“By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:8-9, NASB)
Forty years of miraculous signs in Israel. The entire book of Acts.
The Sign of the Second Advent
The sign of the Second Advent of Jesus Christ will be in five phases or will have five characteristics. The first characteristic will be lightning. Lightning signifies speed. Christ will return with speed. Matt. 24:27. Lightning can be seen. Rev. 1:7. Lightning is a warning of a storm. Rev. 14. Lightning disturbs and frightens people. Rev. 6:15-17.
“"For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:27, NASB)
“BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.” (Revelation 1:7, NASB)
“Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"” (Revelation 6:15-17, NASB)
The second characteristic will be the great slaughter in the Armageddon Campaign. Matt. 24:28.
“"Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.” (Matthew 24:28, NASB)
The third characteristic will be celestial disturbances. Matt. 24:29.
“"But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” (Matthew 24:29, NASB)
The fourth characteristic will be the mourning and regathering of regenerate Israel in the Land.
The fifth characteristic will be the resurrection of regenerate Israel (believers) from Abraham onward. In Isaiah, He commands and all are brought back into the Land. Matt. 24:31.
“"And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” (Matthew 24:31, NASB)
The Significance of the Sign of Jonah
The Word of God is stronger than any sign or miracle. If you had the chance to either give out the Word or heal someone to manifest the power of God, which is much stronger? Matt. 16:1-4.
“The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. But He replied to them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' "And in the morning, 'There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah." And He left them and went away.” (Matthew 16:1-4, NASB)
Miracles are more impressive to some believers than all the Bible doctrine in the world. The Bible isn’t their criterion. Their criteria are tongues, healing, signs and miracles. Here, Jesus Christ gives them Bible doctrine and they won’t take it.
In Luke 15:7 and Acts 20:21, the verb “repent” is μετανοέω (metanoeō) and is transitive. It has to have an object. What is the object of the verb “to repent” in the Scriptures? The object is God. Usually it is used without an object although the object is assumed.
“solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:21, NASB)
“"I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7, NASB)
False Signs
People think more of a sign than they do of Jesus Christ. Satan uses false signs to deceive both unbelievers and believers who have become negative to Bible doctrine. This will include speaking in tongues and other false signs during the Tribulation. 2 Thess. 2:3; Matt. 24:24; Rev. 13:14.
“Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,” (2 Thessalonians 2:3, NASB)
“"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24, NASB)
“And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.” (Revelation 13:14, NASB)
The regathering of regenerate Israel (Jewish believers) in the Land will only be significant in the dispensation of the Tribulation. The Jews require a sign, but the power is in the preaching of the Word of God. 1 Cor. 1:22; Matt. 16:4.
“For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;” (1 Corinthians 1:22, NASB)
“"An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah." And He left them and went away.” (Matthew 16:4, NASB)