Description

One can read in the book of Exodus in the scriptures, that he gives Moses several ways in order to persuade the Israelites showing that God was on their side. Prior to the 10 plagues, God gave Moses the ability to make the Nile red when he poured it on land, to make his hand leprous when he took it out of his cloak, and to turn a snake into a staff. The staff became known as the Rod of God. Basically, the Rod of God was the means or sign whereby God was working through Moses and shown to all. It was a visible sign (or spirit) that works for the good of the believer and against transgressors. "I plead with you, saith the Lord God. And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord." Ezekiel 20:36-38. A sign from an invisible or unseen God, who works by and with his servants having an active faith in him. Jesus appeared to the eleven (As Judas hung himself on a tree and died prior to this). Mark 16:15-20 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. In Acts 2:14-37 we see that Peter as spokesman with the other disciples agreeing, preached the gospel to a representative from every nation under heaven in these verses. Verse 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Acts 2:38-41 Peter and the others baptized the repentant believers who already asked him how to be saved in the name of Jesus. Verse 17-18. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Paul in Acts 19:11-13 did the following to confirm these signs. And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. Also in Acts 28:3-6 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god. One must remember that doctrines of devils not based on the word of God are spiritual deadly weapons of the enemy. But though we're exposed to them, by our active faith and true grace that we feel no effects nor desire to accept nor trade the truth for a lie. New tongues also means filth is removed from our language. Though new tongues is often interpreted as other and unknown tongues and it is, the Gift of the Holy Ghost is never commanded for salvation purposes within the word of God. No doubt many will speak with tongues but faith is what saves us and gives us the victory over the world. Baptism is a commandment by Jesus but the Gift of the Holy Ghost is simply that, a gift. 1 John 5:2-4 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is t