Exodus 4:6-8

"And Jehovah said furthermore unto him, Put now thy hand into thy bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow. And he said, Put thy hand into thy bosom again. (And he put his hand into his bosom again; and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh). 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."

This second sign, like the first, was given that THEY might believe, but it surely was MOSES whose faith also was dramatically strengthened and increased by these tremendous wonders. The disease here called leprosy "was definitely not the same as Hansen's disease, now called leprosy,[7] because the "whiteness" here mentioned (and elsewhere in the Pentateuch) is not found in Hansen's disease. "The type here was the worst form of leprosy and was considered incurable."[8]

"If they will not believe thee ..." Here, in the mouth of God Himself, is the evidence that miracles alone cannot actually give faith. It was also true during the life of Christ that his miracles did not provide a lasting faith in those who witnessed them (at least, in countless examples, John 12:37). "People whose faith depends upon seeing signs often require a steady stream of miracles, or they forsake Christ (John 6:14,30)."[9] Ellison made a remarkable application of the truth in evidence here, as follows:

"In exactly the same way today we meet those who believe that the power and love of God are inadequately displayed in His providence, preservation, and transformation of lives through the Gospel and so they demand that he show His favor and power by the gift of tongues and healing.[10]

We believe that such an observation is correct.