Hebrew Word Study – A Wonder – Yapah  יפה Yod Pei Hei

Exodus 19:9: “And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee forever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.”

Deuteronomy 13:1-3: “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, (2) And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;(3) Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams:”

Something most people do not realize is that Moses was a prophet. Not only a prophet but one of the most important prophets in Judaism.  Like most prophets, Moses performed signs and wonders. There is a big difference between a sign and a wonder.  In the Hebrew, a sign is the word oth from the root word ‘avah.  It means communication or choosing an alternative and expressing or communicating a desire.  You see a road sign and it is communicating to you a direction or a certain destination.   You will pay attention to the sign because it might be communicating a destination you desire, information you desire or a product you desire. If I saw a road sign advising me of a certain beer or a bar that we might be approaching I ignore it because I don’t drink beer nor do I have a desire for beer or any beverage that might be offered in a bar.  If I see a sign for a Mcdonalds I might pay attention as I do indulge occasionally in a Big Mac and have that desire or in the vernacular a “Big Mac Attack.”  So, if a prophet comes along and offers a “sign” of something that you desire, you start to pay attention.  The prophet may be expressing healing, a glimpse into the future, a possible word from the Lord that you are in need of, these would be an oth a sign if it is directing you to what you desire. The prophet’s words are a sign from God that He may be giving you your heart’s desire.

Then we have wonders.  That is the word mopheth from the root word yapah which is the word for beauty. It may be a miracle but that is not your word for miracle which is nas. Yapah is something that excites your senses.  

To be sure, Moses performed many signs, that is he directed and led people to what they and God desired. Many of these signs were spoken signs, words from the prophet who said; “Thus saith the Lord.”  Moses also performed many wonders, bringing water from a rock, bringing plagues upon Egypt, and the granddaddy of all wonders, the parting of the Red Sea.

Who would not listen to a man like Moses when He spoke with such authority and performed such wonders, yet the Mishnah tells us that the people did not believe in Moses because of the signs and wonders.  Someone could say anything that the people wanted to hear. Their wonders could be trickery or sorcery. Besides all the miracles Moses performed were of necessity. The splitting of the Red Sea was necessary to help Israel escape from the Egyptians and destroy the Egyptian army. The splitting of the earth to swallow up Koach and his crew was necessary to establish Moses’s authority.  But that was not the reason people listened to Moses.

I have heard Christians who have attended some conference or had a guest speaker in their church and they witnessed what they felt were outright miracles or the speaker told of miracles that occurred in his ministry.  People automatically accepted whatever this speaker said because, after all, only a true man of God can perform miracles.   Yet, history is littered with stories of miracles from people who laid no claim to God Jehovah.  How can we be sure the enemy, who is a master illusionist, is not performing some form of trickery as Moses faced with the Egyptian magicians?   A miracle is not a confirmation that someone is a true prophet or man of God.  In fact, we are even warned that in the last days many will arise and performs wonders that if it were possible even the elect could be deceived.  

So why did the people listened to Moses and believed him?  Note Exodus 19:9 “And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee forever.” God allowed the people to hear Him speak to Moses. They witnessed God’s word together.  

You know, many of us who have been in the prophetic movement for a while has probably had so many prophecies spoken over us that we would have to live another lifetime to fulfill them all.  I have heard many directive prophecies.  “Oh, the Lord told me you are to direct the children’s church.”  That is an oth, a sign, the Lord expressing his desire for you.  That is hard to say no to.  But in your heart, you know you are not cut out for a children’s work. You don’t have the patience, the skills, and more than that you just don’t want to do it. 

Now maybe you have been observing this children’s church for some time and thinking of all the things you could do if you were put in charge.  You stay awake at night with all sorts so plans and ideas and you even pray to God that He would make a way for you to direct the children’s church. But you dare no volunteer as someone has that position and would, of course, be more qualified.  Then suddenly your Christian Education director approaches you and says: “You know God has been speaking to me and I just feel like God is telling me to offer you the position of director of the children’s church.”  Now that is a bona fide prophecy because there are two witnesses.  The Christian Education director and you.  

A prophecy should always have two witnesses and you must be one of them.  If you don’t have a witness in your own heart, that prophecy is not for you.  A prophecy should always be confirmational, never directional.

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