Signs

Concise Bible Dictionary:

1. The lights in the firmament of the heaven are said to be for “signs” as well as for “seasons” (Gen. 1:1414And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: (Genesis 1:14)). A false application has been made of this passage in using the varied positions of the sun, moon, and planets as a means to foretell events. Of what then are they signs? it may be asked. This is perhaps answered in Psalm 19:1-61<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork. 2Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. 3There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 4Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, 5Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. 6His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. (Psalm 19:1‑6). The stupendous distance and marvelous regularity in the movements of the heavenly bodies are a sign of the glory of the One that created them, as is stated of God in Romans 1:20: “The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead,” or divinity.
2. Signs were wrought by Moses, first to convince the children of Israel that God had sent him; and then to attest and enforce on the Egyptians God’s demands upon Pharaoh to let the Israelites go that they might serve Him (Psa. 78:4343How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan: (Psalm 78:43)). So in other cases, signs were given to show the finger of God.
3. When Christ was on earth He wrought miracles, wonders, and signs, but the Pharisees and Sadducees demanded of Him “a sign from heaven” (Matt. 16:11The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven. (Matthew 16:1)), and it is added that they did this “tempting Him.” He was Himself God’s sign, according to Isaiah 7:14,14Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14) as the manna was the sign of God to Israel in the wilderness. As they had not eyes to see God’s signs, they should have no other sign than that of Jonah (Matt. 12:39-4039But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matthew 12:39‑40)), that is, of a man who was cast into the overwhelming judgment of God, and found deliverance from Him. Christ’s death and resurrection is God’s way of deliverance. In Matthew 16:44A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed. (Matthew 16:4) the Lord does not mention the type being fulfilled in Himself for them, but we have the dreadful words, “He left them and departed”: they were left in the judgment of Jonah. See MIRACLES.