Luke 11:29-32 – The Substance of the Signs

I don’t know how often you think about signs and the purpose of signs, but I have thought about it more this past week than I think I ever have. I don’t think it is an over statement to say that signs are everywhere. And that makes sense, doesn’t it? Because signs are generally very beneficial. I remember having a conversation just the other day with Gretchen about the Bridge Ices Before Road sign. Evidently, that can be a confusing sign, depending on whether you consider it from a time standpoint or a spatial standpoint. I mean, I never knew. Regardless of how you feel about that particular sign, the fact remains that signs are useful. They provide us with useful information – often directing us where to go or what to do or warning us about something. However, we must remember - the thing about signs is they have no power in themselves; they direct us to the reality behind them. Another way to say that is there is normally a substance to the sign that is greater than the sign itself.

In Scripture we see God using signs as well. God has providentially decreed the use of signs throughout redemptive history to teach the His people things. In the OT, those signs – as WLC 34 reminds us - were in the form of promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the Passover, and other types and ordinances. Much like signs are used today, the substance of those signs that God used was not in themselves but pointed to something greater. What was it? What did the signs God ordained point to, what was their substance? WLC 34 gives us the answer: they did all fore-signify Christ then to come, and were for that time sufficient to build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they then had full remission of sin, and eternal salvation. Simply put – the substance was Jesus.

The issue we often face when we encounter a sign in Scripture is we can be tempted to marvel at the sign, argue about the sign, or trust in the sign—rather than trusting the One to whom it points. In other words, we fail to see Christ behind the signs, or we forget the power and wisdom of God that is manifested in the Substance of the signs. Either way, we need to be reminded as Jesus reminded the crowd here in Luke 11, that He is the Substance, the power and wisdom of God, displayed in the biblical signs. He is the Substance, prefigured by the sign of Jonah and exemplified in the wisdom of Solomon, the death and resurrection of Jesus. Since Christ was the Substance of the signs, we must not seek or trust in the signs and wonders themselves but in Christ alone.

So how can we do this? How can we avoid missing or doubting the Substance of the signs? You see two ways we can do this printed there on page six of the worship guide. We must realize that the Substance of the biblical signs is greater than the signs themselves. We must receive and rest on Christ alone, who is the Substance of the biblical signs and greater than the signs themselves.

Let’s look together at how these verses display this. Starting there in the first part of verse 29. We see that Jesus called the crowd that had gathered an “evil” generation. The word there for evil conveys a sense of intensity. Other translations use the word “wicked.”  Why does Jesus call the crowd evil? He said it is because they seek a sign.

Just a little earlier, in Luke 11:16, we saw that the people wanted a sign, and Jesus rebukes them for it. And then just prior to our passage, they saw Jesus heal a demon-possessed man. They had watched Jesus through his ministry; raising the dead, turning water into wine, stilling the storm.

As R.C. Sproul explains in his commentary on Luke, “He had given one sign after another, indicating a power that only God could manifest. Yet the people weren’t satisfied, they still wanted another sign. These people had witnessed multiple miracles performed by Jesus, yet they wanted more. They were not content, which ultimately spoke to their unbelief. They are wicked because they have the testimony of the OT, the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, and yet they did not believe.”

So, it is not like there were no signs. Going back to the Garden, there were many signs. I remember a song that was popular circa. 1990 by the band Tesla named “Signs.” It was a cover of a 60’s song by a band named Five Man Electrical Band. I remember part of the chorus went, “Signs, signs, everywhere signs.” We could certainly say that about the signs which pointed to Jesus or accompanied Jesus’ ministry.

And how does Jesus respond to the crowd asking for a sign? He replies in in the second part of verse 29 by saying that no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

Now what was Jesus referring to here? What was the sign of Jonah? Luke gives us some insight in the next verse. He says just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.

Most scholars agree that it was a combination of two things. It was a sign of the preaching of the Word of God by Jonah to the Ninevites. However, it wasn’t merely the preaching of Jonah that was significant, but it was also Jonah himself. There was something extraordinary about Jonah that gave witness to the people of Nineveh that he was a messenger sent from God. We often think of Jonah’s being swallowed by the great fish as a punishment by God, but it was not. The punishment was being thrown into the sea. Jonah was rescued from the sea by the fish, who then delivered him safely on the dry ground.

But why this sign? What made the sign of Jonah significant? It is because of what the sign of Jonah represented. The sign of Jonah prefigured or fore shadowed the resurrection of Christ. Jesus himself pointed this out in the parallel verse in Matt. 12:40: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” This is obviously an allusion to the resurrection. Jonah was a sign to his generation, and Jesus will perform a sign even greater than Jonah’s, for Jesus’ sign will be his resurrection. It is the resurrection of Christ that confirms beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus was who he said he was. The Substance of the sign of Jonah was, in fact, Christ.

But Jesus doesn’t stop with the sign of Jonah. Look at verse 31. Jesus says, “The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”

What was significant about the queen of the South? The queen referred to here is the Queen of Sheba who visited Solomon as recorded in 1 Kings 10. Jesus tells his audience that in the final judgment, that this queen will arise alongside the men of his generation who are rejecting him, she will condemn them. Why? The Queen of Sheba acted on what she heard, without any external confirmation. Jesus’ point is clear: the generation that was listening to his words did not have as much faith as some Gentiles who listened to the words of God in previous eras. Therefore, even Gentiles will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it. She had been prepared to make a long and difficult journey to hear the wisdom of Solomon. At the judgment (i.e. on judgment day) the men of Jesus’ generation would stand condemned by such an example. They had no journey to make, for Jesus was in their very midst.

Again, we see the Substance of the wisdom of Solomon was personified in Jesus. The crowd Jesus’ spoke to had one greater than Solomon speaking to them, and they did not realize it, much less the ears to hear and the eyes to see Him. So, Jesus uses two signs with which the majority of the crowd would be familiar, Jonah and Solomon, to demonstrate that they did not realize He was the One to whom both pointed. He was the Substance of the signs. And we can tell that Jesus expected them to realize that.

How about you? Do you realize, do you understand, when you read and hear about the promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the Passover, and other types and ordinances, that they are, as Colossians 2:17 says, “a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” They fore signify Christ. And we have the benefit of seeing how they all were fulfilled in Christ through the testimony of the New Testament. You see, realizing that Christ is the Substance of all those signs testifies to the glory and power and wisdom of God through Christ. Realizing that gives the unbeliever confidence that they can put their faith and trust in Jesus because Jesus is who he says he is. Have You trusted in Christ? See here in Luke, Jesus says you have been given the signs in Scripture, and I am their Substance. Believe in me and you will be saved.

In a similar way, realizing that Christ is the Substance of all those signs strengthens the faith of believers. What can happen as believers is we say, “Oh yeah, I don’t always remember that the grace and mercy and power of God that saved me through Jesus is the same grace mercy and power that sustains me in Jesus.” Remember the Substance of the biblical signs today and have your faith renewed. As Pastor Stacey often reminds us, this is a covenant renewal service. And Christ is the fulfillment of God’s covenant with His people.

Now let’s look quickly at the last verse. Verse 32 says, “The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

What did the men of Ninevah do at the sign of Jonah? The men of Nineveh repented at the preaching of the prophet. The Ninevites repented at the preaching of Jonah. But Jesus says now One who is greater than Jonah, is here. How can you refuse to hear his message? How can you not repent and believe in the greater Jonah?

Now before we go casting aspersions or judgement on Jesus’ audience, let us consider if we have any tendencies toward seeking for a sign from Jesus. I think this happens in two ways: those who seek a sign so that they might put their faith in Jesus initially or those who seek a sign to continue or strengthen their faith.

Which one of those categories represents you? Are you someone who hasn’t been around church much and don’t really know much about Jesus or salvation? You think – This Jesus I have heard about needs to prove to me He is real. He needs to give me a sign and then I’ll consider trusting in Him. Maybe you are someone who has been around church for a while and has not yet surrendered your life to Christ? You have said to yourself, “I believe Jesus is real but I’m not sure I can trust Him. I just feel like I need more assurance that He is trustworthy.”

Or are you the other category?  Would you say that you are a Christian? That you have surrendered to Christ and He is your Lord and Savior, but you find your faith waning or growing weak and you think – I need you to show me you are near me, that You have not left me or forgotten me. I just need a sign, a little more reassurance. Now we may not ask for a sign from Jesus explicitly, although that is sometimes the case, but we do act as though the revelation we have been given through the means of grace (the Word, sacraments, and prayer primarily) is not good enough. This is evidenced often times by a lack of trust. Our trust in God to provide and care for us falters. Our trust that God is working all things out for our good wanes.

Whichever category you place yourself in, the remedy is the same – you must receive and rest on Christ alone, who is the substance of the biblical signs and greater than the signs themselves. The person and work of Jesus is your only hope. Jesus saves, and he saves fully and forever. You need look no further than Christ, he who was dead and buried and who on the third day rose again. He who the sign of Jonah pointed to and the wisdom of Solomon testified to. If we are in Christ, we have the assurance that he will never leave us or forsake us. God says of those who are in Christ, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”. The grace and love and mercy displayed on the cross and confirmed by the resurrection tell us everything we need to know about Jesus.

As commentator William Hendriksen writes, “Rescued Jonah and resurrected Jesus are signs. Take a good look at rescue Jonah. Does he not signify the amazing power of God, his ability to rescue a man who, in the normal course of events, should certainly have died? And does he not also signified the grace of God, his willingness to use a man who, by going West when God had directed him to go East, and by his attempt to hide from God, as if that were possible, had stubbornly defied God's command? And rivet your attention on Christ, resurrected from death. Does he not signify in his very person the might of God? And also his covenant faithfulness to all those precious messianic prophecies and promises? This is what Simeon meant when he said, “34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign.’”

Let us not miss the Substance, Jesus, as we read, hear, and study the signs. And let us not look to the signs as ends in themselves (a moral lesson or good example to follow) but look to the One to whom the signs point.

Let’s pray.