Signs as Witnesses for our Salvation

When you show up in court with three reliable witnesses, you have a very strong case. The Lord God redeemed Israel and offered three strong signs as witnesses that they are a chosen people.

 

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1).


1st sign: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;”

God parted the waters of the Red sea and the tribes of Israel passed through on dry ground, kept safe from the Egyptian armies.


2nd sign: “and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.”

The Lord held back the waters of the Jordan river and His people crossed over on dry ground into the Promised Land.

 

3rd sign: “When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:1b-2).

            The nation of Israel marched around the city of Jericho for seven days and on the seventh day the priests blew seven trumpets and the Lord overthrew the city. The walls crumbled and the city was burned. Yet God’s people were not harmed in any way.

 

It’s amazing to see the truths of Scripture appear as a golden thread through the whole Bible—beginning to end. Signs as witnesses of God’s saving grace in the Old Testament point forward to Christ, our Lord and Savior. “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

 

As New Testament Christians we too are given three witnesses of God choosing us to be called by His name, by means of His saving grace. “For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement” (1 John 5:7).

These are the signs:

 

1st sign: Washed in the waters of baptism.

             “this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21).

 

2nd sign: The washing of the word.

 

            “To make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word” (Ephesians 5:26).

 

3rd sign: The baptism of fire.

            “But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16).

 

            We are a washed people—to make us a holy nation before the Lord Almighty. We are given sure and reliable signs to give witness to us being a called and chosen people who are made part of the family of God. The waters of baptism, the washing of the word, and the baptism of fire bear witness to the powerful effect of God’s saving grace to redeem us. This is the work of the cross of Jesus Christ, and the power of the blood He shed on our behalf. These sure and reliable signs strengthen our faith so we may walk according to faith with great confidence.

The Gift of Spiritual Language

When you take a drive on a country road there are signs to warn you about hazards and give you directions to your destination. In 1 Corinthians 14:22 the Apostle Paul teaches that tongues are a sign, “Not for believers but for unbelievers.” But what does this sign tell unbelievers?

Take a look at this thread through the Scriptures for help to read the signs.

·      In Isaiah 4:4 it says; “The Lord will wash away your filth.” The prophet goes on to say; “He [the Lord] will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by the Spirit of judgment and the Spirit of fire.” On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came with tongues of cleansing and empowering fire.

·      “For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor” (Isaiah 9:4). This verse is part of Isaiah’s prophecy “For unto us a child is born” (v. 6) Isaiah prophesies that just as Gideon defeated the armies of Midian, so will the Prince of Peace break the power of the oppressor who has crushed God’s people.

·      The prophet Isaiah warned people of the consequences of their sin, saying; “Very well then with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to the people.” He was referring to the shouts of invading armies from foreign countries they would hear. Foreign powers would overpower and oppress an apostate people. The invaders, who were agents of God’s wrath against sin, would speak in a tongue they could not understand. (see Deuteronomy 28:49).

·      In Acts 2, after the Holy Spirit came upon them in a great wind and with tongues of fire, some people heard the wonders of God in spoken in their native tongue—not in a foreign language they couldn’t understand. This was prophesied by Isaiah. “The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear” (Isaiah 32:4).

 

This Scripture thread leads us to see that the people in Acts 2 were given a sure sign of hope that Jesus Christ, by the shedding of His own blood, and by the cross of His suffering, defeated the oppressor so that the people would no longer subject to the tyranny of the Destroyer.

 

“On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;    

he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken”

(Isaiah 25:6-8).

.

 

The disciples who were gathered early on that day of Pentecost had hoped Jesus would deliver them from the oppression of Rome, but our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished even more. He defeated Satan, defeated death, and broke the chains of all oppression.

            When some unbelievers in Jerusalem heard the disciples speaking in their own native tongue, it was a sign of hope to direct them to saving grace. It was a sign indicating the power of the Oppressor was broken for all time. Over three-thousand who heard repented, believed and were baptized that day.

To some unbelievers in Jerusalem the tongues must have sounded like gibberish because they accused the disciples of being drunk. For them tongues were a sign of the coming wrath.

This spiritual gift of tongues is still a sign today that Satan is defeated and has no power over those who are covered by the blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We are called to proclaim this great hope to those who have no hope. We are called to do the work of the Spirit of Jesus and use all the good gifts He has provided.

 

 

(For a study on the gift of spiritual language see chapter 7 in the author’s book, “Treasures of the Kingdom”.

The Gift of Spiritual Language

When you take a drive on a country road there are signs to warn you about hazards and give you directions to your destination. In 1 Corinthians 14:22 the Apostle Paul teaches that tongues are a sign, “Not for believers but for unbelievers.” But what does this sign tell unbelievers?

Take a look at this thread through the Scriptures for help to read the signs.

·      In Isaiah 4:4 it says; “The Lord will wash away your filth.” The prophet goes on to say; “He [the Lord] will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by the Spirit of judgment and the Spirit of fire.” On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came with tongues of cleansing and empowering fire.

·      “For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor” (Isaiah 9:4). This verse is part of Isaiah’s prophecy “For unto us a child is born” (v. 6) Isaiah prophesies that just as Gideon defeated the armies of Midian, so will the Prince of Peace break the power of the oppressor who has crushed God’s people.

·      The prophet Isaiah warned people of the consequences of their sin, saying; “Very well then with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to the people.” He was referring to the shouts of invading armies from foreign countries they would hear. Foreign powers would overpower and oppress an apostate people. The invaders, who were agents of God’s wrath against sin, would speak in a tongue they could not understand. (see Deuteronomy 28:49).

·      In Acts 2, after the Holy Spirit came upon them in a great wind and with tongues of fire, some people heard the wonders of God in spoken in their native tongue—not in a foreign language they couldn’t understand. This was prophesied by Isaiah. “The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear” (Isaiah 32:4).

 

This Scripture thread leads us to see that the people in Acts 2 were given a sure sign of hope that Jesus Christ, by the shedding of His own blood, and by the cross of His suffering, defeated the oppressor so that the people would no longer subject to the tyranny of the Destroyer.

 

“On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;    

he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken”

(Isaiah 25:6-8).

.

 

The disciples who were gathered early on that day of Pentecost had hoped Jesus would deliver them from the oppression of Rome, but our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished even more. He defeated Satan, defeated death, and broke the chains of all oppression.

            When some unbelievers in Jerusalem heard the disciples speaking in their own native tongue, it was a sign of hope to direct them to saving grace. It was a sign indicating the power of the Oppressor was broken for all time. Over three-thousand who heard repented, believed and were baptized that day.

To some unbelievers in Jerusalem the tongues must have sounded like gibberish because they accused the disciples of being drunk. For them tongues were a sign of the coming wrath.

This spiritual gift of tongues is still a sign today that Satan is defeated and has no power over those who are covered by the blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We are called to proclaim this great hope to those who have no hope. We are called to do the work of the Spirit of Jesus and use all the good gifts He has provided.

 

 

(For a study on the gift of spiritual language see chapter 7 in the author’s book, “Treasures of the Kingdom”.

Begin at the Beginning

After Jesus’ was raised up from the grave, He joined a conversation with two of His disciples as they walked along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. He listened to them talk about Jesus of Nazareth and their lost hope of a Messiah to deliver them from Roman occupation. Then Jesus admonished them for being slow to believe. Beginning with Moses, Jesus taught them about the Messiah. (Luke 24:27)
Why did Jesus start with Moses? Because all truth and all righteousness were established in the beginning.

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