I think much less of visible “signs” today, spiritually speaking, because we have a completed Bible! There are no more chapters to be added! Jude calls our Bible “once delivered unto the saints.” And that Greek word “once” (spelled “hapax”) really means “once and for all!”
But God did give David certain “signs” from time to time, the young King having no New Testament and not a complete Old Testament either!
One strikes me as particularly interesting. According to 2 Samuel chapter 5 the Philistines had again attacked Israel. Yes, repeatedly so!
And David, just as habitually, asked the Lord what to do, when to fight the enemy. One day the Lord gave a “sign” to charge the Philistines.
“And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 23 And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. 24 And let it be, when thou hearest THE SOUND OF A GOING in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. 25 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.” 2 Samuel 5:22-25
What a “sign!”
When the wind blows in the tops of the nearby trees … “bestir thyself!” The verb “bestir” means “to determine,” or “to decide.” Fight with all your might!
And God that remarkable day delivered the Philistines into David’s hands!
“When the wind blows!”
Now, as I said earlier … we do not major on “signs” today. We live by faith, not by sight!
But I need to say this. Wind in the Bible is a picture, symbol, type (and yes even a sign) of the Holy Spirit of God!
Here’s one example … “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty WIND, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And they were all filled with the HOLY GHOST …” Acts 2:2-4!
Now that Wind, Breeze, Air … the Holy Spirit Himself … I wish to sense, hear, love, obey and befriend all my days on earth!
I want to be indwelt by Him!
I want to be filled by Him!
I want to never grieve or quench him in any way!
And when He “blows” (be He gentle or fierce) I want to be ready to move! Ready to take on the enemy!
So maybe David and I are not all that unalike, not all that dissimilar!
Come, Holy Spirit, we need Thee!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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