Read Judges 6:33-40

How Many Signs Do You Need?

God had already consumed the meat and unleavened bread that Gideon set on the rock before departing (Judges 6:19-22), and had providentially protected him through the defense of his father from the anger of the men of the city after the destruction of the altar of Baal and the wooden image beside it (Judges 6:28-32). What more did Gideon need?

Gideon brought together the Abiezrites and called men from Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali to join him in the fight against the Midianites and Amalekites. Yet, he still requested another sign from God. He laid a fleece of wool out on the threshing floor, and asked God to make it wet with dew overnight but keep the ground all around it dry. God did what Gideon asked.

It still wasn’t enough. Gideon repeated the request but reversed the specifications. Keep the fleece dry but let the ground all around it be wet. And again, God did what Gideon asked. This time, though, Gideon was satisfied with what God accomplished. There is no inspired record of any lingering doubt in Gideon’s mind.

Do we ask for too many signs today? What happened when the people of the first century asked Jesus for signs? He had performed many miracles, but they still wanted to see more. “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You,” said a group of scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 12:38). Jesus responded, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah” (Matthew 12:39).

The Lord continued working miracles, but not at their behest. He did what He needed to do to accomplish the Father’s will. He did what He needed to do to convince those who were truly seeking the truth. He did what He needed to do to confirm His trustworthiness, just as the apostles later did (Mark 16:17-20).

Friends, stop looking for signs. God has given us all the proof that we need in the inspired Scriptures. Turn to His Word, learn His will, and obey His commands.