The prophets of Israel sometimes used sign acts to share their messages. Sign acts were dramatic actions performed in public to make their message stronger. These visual demonstrations helped people not only hear the truth but also feel it deeply. The purpose of these actions was to create a message that people would not forget.
These acts were unusual and strange—not just to people today but also to people in ancient times. However, unlike people today (who might think the prophet had mental problems), people in ancient times understood that these sign acts were a normal way prophets communicated their messages.
The prophet Ezekiel often acted out his messages more than any other prophet. This was probably because he spoke to a very stubborn audience (Ezekiel 2:6–7). These actions emphasized his message and showed his deep commitment. For instance, he ate God's word (Ezekiel 2:8–3:3). Then Ezekiel demonstrated it to the exiles through a series of judgment scenes (Ezekiel 3:4–9; see also chapters 4–6). This dramatic communication is hard for even an angry audience to ignore or forget.
Jesus Christ performed the ultimate sign act on the cross (see Matthew 27:32–54). There, God showed his judgment against sin with darkness, an earthquake, and the suffering of his sinless Son who seemed abandoned by his Father. God also showed his deep love for the world by choosing to die rather than lose his people. The cross is a powerful message of God’s love and judgment that is hard to ignore or forget.
Passages for Further Study
Jeremiah 13:1–11; 19:1–15; 25:15; Ezekiel 2:6–3:3; 3:4–9; 4:1–17; 5:1–6:14; 12:1–28; 21:19–23; 24:1–14, 16–27; 37:15–28; Hosea 1:2–9; 3:1–3; Matthew 26:26–28; 27:45–54; Mark 6:11; 11:12–21; Luke 22:17–20; Romans 6:3–5; 1 Corinthians 10:16–17; 11:23–32