The greatest miracle that ever happened occurred in the Bible’s first verse in Genesis 1. God made the heavens and earth. If He could speak the universe into existence out of nothing, could He part the Red Sea? Could He raise a man or child from the dead? Of course, because that’s child’s play for Him. If God exists, and He does, then miracles are possible. There have been numerous accounts of them.
What is a miracle?
The scriptural definition of a miracle is an event involving God’s powerful and direct action, transcending the standard laws of nature and defying expectations of behavior. Miracles are remarkable occurrences that can only be attributed to God’s supernatural work and show His involvement in human history. In the Bible, God uses miracles to reveal His character, Himself, and His purposes to humanity through phenomena that aren’t otherwise explainable.
Miracles of the Bible.
Miracles show God’s power and presence in the world, demonstrating His authority on behalf of His servants. A miracle can be performed directly by God or through a human vessel. Other words used to describe miracles in the Bible are wonders and wonders and signs, powers, and mighty works. The Bible reveals various forms of miracles. The Old Testament details unusual celestial events, such as when the Lord caused the moon and sun to stand still to help Joshua’s army at Gibeon in their win over the Amorite kings, as detailed in Joshua 10:9-15.
Several occurrences of God’s divine control over nature, like the Red Sea’s parting in Exodus 14:21-22 and the Jordan River crossing in Joshua 3:14-17, are shown in the Old Testament. God can miraculously cause inanimate objects and animals to refuse to act astonishingly. Miracles of instant healing, like when Naaman is cured of leprosy in 2 Kings 5:14 or when Jesus healed two blind men in Matthew 9:27-31, appear in the Old and New Testaments.
Miracles in the New Testament are performed through human liaisons like the apostles, but most significantly through Jesus. In all four gospels, miracles are critical in Jesus’ ministry. He performs healing miracles, food provision, and control over nature. New Testament miracles consistently show God’s power and either confirm or show the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. The Gospels record almost 37 of Jesus’ miracles, but the apostle John stresses that these only scratch the surface of all our Savior did, as detailed in John 21:25. Still, do miracles have specific characteristics? Let’s look into the particular traits that all miracles share.
Supernatural.
Miracles are supernatural happenings, not events brought on by human power. God brings about true miracles. A fake miracle from the devil only glorifies the person performing the miracle. They’re also typically associated with immoral behavior or error. Also, these miracles may not be instantaneous, immediate, or permanent.
Immediate.
When Jesus healed people, the results were always speedy. He didn’t tell the person with paralysis that they’d feel better in a few days. Instead, He instructed them to pick up their mat and walk. Jesus called Lazarus out of his grave, and he came immediately. When the woman touched His robe, Jesus told her that her faith healed her, and she was immediately healed. In the Garden of Gethsemane, when Peter cut off Malchus’ ear, Jesus immediately healed his ear. All of Jesus’ healings happened immediately.
Unpredictable and rare.
By definition, a miracle is an exception. Due to this, we can’t predict, expect, or demand one. We can’t predict God’s activity. Miracles only happen according to His will.
Untestable by science.
The usual scientific methods can’t investigate miracles since we can’t control the variable and perform experiments. Science evaluates and measures the natural world, not the supernatural realm.
Glorifies God and promotes good.
A miracle always promotes good and would never promote evil because God is good. Miracles aren’t for show. Instead, they aim to point man to God and glorify Him.
More than astonishing.
A magician can perform a shocking act that can be reduced to sleight of hand or natural means. However, a miracle is a rare, supernatural event showing divine power.
Not a contradiction.
God can’t do the illogical or impossible. Some events are physically impossible for humans but not logically or physically contradictory for God. For example, it’s physically impossible for man to walk on water, but nothing is self-refuting about this idea for God, and He can do it.
Why do miracles happen for some but not others?
We can’t understand why God heals some people and not others. Sometimes, God steps in in a way that amazes us. It’s a provision or healing where someone gets a check in the mail for the exact amount required at the right time. For example, if your spouse is sick, you never assume God will heal them. You don’t know what He’s going to do.
Still, you know what He’s capable of and what you want Him to do. God heals by providing the necessary means. God’s provision can be just as apparent to us as a miracle is a noticeable interruption to nature’s laws. It points to God as clearly as a miracle when we see it. It gives God the glory and forces us to see God for who He is: loving, merciful, and abounding in grace. We must trust God knows what He’s doing when it doesn’t happen.
Part of the issue is that many Christians see God as remote from the world and removed from any direct participation in their daily lives. Still, numerous texts assert God’s immediate involvement in everything from sustaining our lives to the growth of a blade of grass. For this reason, we must reject the definition of a miracle as God’s direct intervention into the world. The term “intervention” implies that God is outside the world and occasionally intrudes in its affairs.
The truth is God is always with us. He knows our comings and goings and what we’ll need before we ask. He can make miracles happen Himself or use agents to get His message across. Either way, God is always ready to provide.
