God gave Moses signs to prove to the children of Israel—and to Moses and Aaron themselves—that Moses was God's chosen deliverer, sent to bring Israel out of Egypt.
The signs of the rod and the leprous hand showed that God was in Moses' calling and would do the supernatural on Israel's behalf. When the signs were performed before Israel, the people believed and worshiped. Les Feldick notes the signs were not primarily for Pharaoh's benefit but for Moses, Aaron, and the people of Israel.
Exodus 4:1-5 — God answers Moses' fear that Israel will not believe by giving the sign of the rod that becomes a serpent, with the stated purpose that Israel would believe God had appeared to Moses.
Exodus 4:30-31 — The signs performed in the sight of the people produce the intended result: Israel believes and worships.
1 Corinthians 1:22 — Paul states that the Jews require a sign, which Les shows began with Moses and continued throughout Israel's history.
In Exodus 4, God answers Moses' objection that Israel will not believe he is sent. Moses' rod is cast on the ground and becomes a serpent, then returns to a rod when Moses takes it by the tail (Exodus 4:2-4). God then instructs Moses to put his hand into his bosom; it becomes leprous as snow and is restored whole when he puts it back (Exodus 4:6-7). God explicitly states the purpose of the first sign: 'That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee' (Exodus 4:5). When Moses and Aaron later perform the signs before the children of Israel, the Scripture records that 'the people believed' and 'they bowed their heads and worshipped' (Exodus 4:30-31).
Les Feldick teaches that the signs God gave Moses were God's proof that He was in Moses' calling. God used the rod that became a serpent and the hand that became leprous and was restored to convince Moses himself that he was being led of God and that God meant what He said. Les emphasizes these signs were not so much for Pharaoh's benefit as for Moses and Aaron—to prove to those two men that God was going to do the supernatural and bring Israel out of Egypt. When the signs were shown to the children of Israel, they believed because they saw the signs and worshiped. Les connects this to 1 Corinthians 1:22—'For the Jews require a sign'—showing that Israel's demand for signs began with Moses and continued through their history, even into Christ's earthly ministry. Moses had to be proven as the legitimate leader and deliverer of Israel by performing these sign miracles.
Les Feldick is clear that the signs were not given primarily for Pharaoh's benefit but for Moses and Aaron, to prove to them that God would do the supernatural and bring Israel out of Egypt. God first used the signs to convince Moses that he was being led of God and that God meant what He said. Then, when Moses and Aaron performed the signs before the children of Israel, the people believed and worshiped.
Les points to 1 Corinthians 1:22—'For the Jews require a sign'—and shows this pattern began all the way back with Moses when he was first called out of the desert. Even Moses the Jew did not believe, so God proved His call through the rod that became a serpent. This demand for signs continued all the way up through Israel's history and into the earthly ministry of Jesus, who performed miracles to prove to the Jew that He was who He said He was.
When Aaron performed the signs in the sight of the people, the children of Israel believed—because they saw the signs—and they bowed their heads and worshiped. The signs accomplished exactly what God intended: they produced belief that the Lord had visited Israel and looked upon their affliction. Les also shows that Moses had to be proven as the legitimate leader and deliverer of Israel by virtue of performing the sign miracles.
The First Sign and the Jewish Requirement for Signs
Les demonstrates that the serpent-and-rod sign marked the beginning of Israel's demand for signs, which Paul identifies in 1 Corinthians 1:22.
Signs Convince Moses Himself
Les shows the signs convinced Moses himself that God was going to lead him and that God meant what He said.
Even Moses Needed a Sign
Les points out that even Moses, being a Jew, did not believe his calling at first—so God proved it with the rod that became a serpent.
Signs Throughout Israel's History
Les explains that from Moses onward, the Jews have always had to have signs to be convinced of God's word and work.
Signs for Moses and Aaron, Not Pharaoh
Les states plainly that the signs were not primarily for Pharaoh's benefit but for Moses and Aaron, proving God would do the supernatural.
Israel Believed Because of the Signs
Les shows the signs produced immediate belief in the children of Israel, who bowed their heads and worshiped.
Signs Produce Belief in Israel
Les emphasizes that Israel believed because they saw the signs, and this pattern continued into Christ's miracles.
Moses Proven as Legitimate Deliverer
Les teaches that the sign miracles were the means by which Moses was proven as the legitimate leader and deliverer of Israel.
Exodus 4:1: And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
Moses' fear that Israel would not believe sets the stage for God giving him the signs.
Exodus 4:2-4: And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
The first sign: Moses' rod becomes a serpent and returns to a rod, demonstrating God's supernatural power.
Exodus 4:5: That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
This verse states the explicit purpose of the sign: that Israel would believe God had appeared to Moses.
Exodus 4:6-7: And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh:
The second sign: Moses' hand becomes leprous and is restored, proving God's power to heal and restore.
Exodus 4:30-31: And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
The signs performed before Israel produce the intended result: the people believe and worship.
1 Corinthians 1:22: For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
Les cites this verse to show that the Jewish demand for signs began with Moses and continued through Israel's history.
According to Les Feldick, no. The signs were not so much for Pharaoh's benefit as they were for Moses and Aaron—to prove to those two men that God was going to do the supernatural and bring Israel out of Egypt.
The rod becoming a serpent was the first sign God gave to convince Moses that God was in his calling. Les notes that when Moses picked the serpent up by the tail, it reverted back to his shepherd's rod, proving to Moses that God indeed meant what He said.
The Bible records that Aaron performed the signs in the sight of the people, and the people believed when they heard that the Lord had visited them and looked upon their affliction. Les emphasizes they believed because they saw the signs.
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