Asking For a Sign

17 APRIL

And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that He hath spoken. Isaiah 38:7

SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Judges 6:36-40

God gives us some signs of His own accord without our asking for them. He grants other signs to us when we ask for them. Signs are generally intended to help us in our weakness, but God does not for the most part wait till we have prayed for them to grant them.

Hezekiah seems to be insulting God by refusing to credit His word when he asks for a sign. We must not accuse Hezekiah of unbelief, however, because his faith is weak, for no person has faith that is perfect and complete in every respect. Nor can we blame Hezekiah for seeking assistance to support him in his weakness, for, having embraced the promise made to him by the prophet, he shows his confidence in God by seeking a remedy for distrust. If there was no weakness in man, he would not need any signs. Consequently, we need not wonder that the king asks for a sign, since on other occasions the Lord freely offers them.

Yet it is also proper to observe that Old Testament believers never rushed forward at random to ask for signs but did so only after being guided by a secret and peculiar influence of the Spirit.

The same thing might be said about miracles. If Elijah prays to God for rain and for drought (James 5:17, 18), it does not follow that others are at liberty to do the same. We must see what God permits us to do, lest by disregarding His Word we bargain with Him according to the foolish desires of our flesh.

John Calvin

FOR MEDITATION:

As Calvin says, it may not be appropriate for us to ask God for a sign. Nevertheless, we can learn from Hezekiah's example. Recognizing  the imperfection and weakness of his faith, he did not despair, but rather asked God for help in overcoming his weakness. Do we do this as well?

365 Days With Calvin

Selected and Edited by Joel R. Beeke