Pentecost Week Seventeen - Day One - The Sign of Jonah

Monday - A Wicked Generation Seeking Signs

NT Scripture: Luke 11:29
"As the crowds increased, Jesus said, ‘This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.’"
 
OT Scripture: Exodus 7:8–12 "The signs of God given to Pharaoh through Moses (the staff turning into a serpent)."

We have been walking through Luke, so we are used to the crowds. We are in the next scripture after Jesus' healing of the mute man and the obnoxious crowd.  Guess what – we are still there…. in the crowd!  sigh!

BTW - I love this verse - it rings of Acts 2:40 - which I often use as my Internet SSID. Naturally, the neighbors have to look it up.  lol

The crowd surrounding Jesus wasn’t just curious—they were demanding. They wanted Jesus to perform a miraculous sign that would meet their expectations for proof. But Jesus doesn’t play their game.

He calls them out, labeling their generation as “wicked” and pointing them to the sign of Jonah as the only evidence they would receive. Everyone knew the Jonah in the fish story!!  Don't you?  Where ishe going with this?

Historical Context:
In Jewish tradition, signs were often associated with divine validation. Think Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3) or Elijah calling down fire from heaven (1 Kings 18).

The Pharisees and others in the crowd likely expected something equally dramatic—perhaps a cosmic sign proving Jesus’ authority as the Messiah.

But, Jesus had already provided signs. He healed the sick (Luke 5), raised the dead (Luke 7), and cast out demons (Luke 8).

heir request wasn’t about faith; it was about disbelief. They wanted proof on their terms, not God’s.

Ahh - and here is why I call Luke the master Gospeler (is that a word?) - The “sign of Jonah” shifts the focus.
 
Jonah’s three days in the belly of the fish (Jonah 1:17) foreshadowed Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. (They did not know that yet!)

Jesus is telling them, You’ve seen enough. The ultimate sign is coming—the cross and the empty tomb.

 Modern Context
Don;t we all often fall into the same trap as the crowd?

We ask for signs when God has already shown us His faithfulness.
I mentioned this yesterday in my sermon - we see the miracles, but we call them something else!

We want Him to act our way, on our timeline, to meet our expectations.

Faith isn’t about demanding proof; it’s about trusting the God who has already proven Himself time and time again.  Sounds easy, right?

Quick Reflection 
Are you still waiting for “proof” from God?

Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for demanding signs when You’ve already given me the ultimate proof of Your love in Jesus.
Help me trust You in the silence, knowing that Your faithfulness never fails.
Amen.