Throughout the Bible, a lot of people asked for signs which prompted different reactions from God.
God honouring requests for signs
The first person we see asking for a sign from God is Abraham’s servant who had been given the task of finding a wife for Isaac.
Genesis 24:14 ~This is my request. I will ask one of them, ‘Please give me a drink from your jug.’ If she says, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’—let her be the one you have selected as Isaac’s wife. This is how I will know that you have shown unfailing love to my master
God actually honoured this request.
Another person who asked for signs was Gideon.
Judges 6:36-38 ~ Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water.
After God honoured this request, Gideon actually asked for another one and God honoured that one too.
The book of 2 Kings also tells us that Hezekiah asked God for a sign. He didn’t specify the sign he wanted but he wanted God to choose and God did. In fact, God provided him with options.
2 Kings 20:8-10 ~ Meanwhile, Hezekiah had said to Isaiah, “What sign will the Lord give to prove that he will heal me and that I will go to the Temple of the Lord three days from now?” Isaiah replied, “This is the sign from the Lord to prove that he will do as he promised. Would you like the shadow on the sundial to go forward ten steps or backward ten steps? “The shadow always moves forward,” Hezekiah replied, “so that would be easy. Make it go ten steps backward instead.”
God condemning requests for signs
However, even though God often honoured requests for signs, he condemned some.
Matthew 12:38-39 ~ One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.” But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.
When is it okay to ask God for a sign?
As scripture shows, God tends to honour requests for signs concerning divine direction. So, asking God for signs because you want to be sure he is backing a decision is fine.
However, asking God for signs becomes wrong and sinful when it’s to test him.
Matthew 4:7 ~ Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”
When Ahaz was told to ask God for a sign, his response was “No, i will not test the Lord like that” (Isaiah 7:12).
Before you ask for a sign, it’s could be helpful to ask yourself if you’re asking for signs for divine direction or to test God.
