Exodus 4:8 | Pastor Burns' Study Notes
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. — Exodus 4:8
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God now states that if the people do not believe the first sign, they may believe the second.
This shows the patience and mercy of God. He does not say that one rejection ends the opportunity. He provides another witness. God is willing to give further testimony in order to bring people to faith.
The text also uses a striking expression: “the voice of the first sign” and “the voice of the latter sign.” The signs are said to have a voice. That is, they are not bare miracles; they are messages. They speak. They reveal truth. They announce something about God, Moses, and Israel.
This is similar to the biblical idea that creation itself speaks in Psalm 19:1-3. Signs are never ends in themselves; they carry meaning.
God’s patience here is consistent with His longsuffering character seen in Numbers 14:18, 2 Peter 3:9, and 2 Peter 3:15.