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miracles

A true miracle is an event in the external world brought about by the immediate agency or the simple volition of God, operating without the use of means capable of being discerned by the senses, and designed to authenticate the divine commission of a religious teacher and the truth of his message (John 2:18; Matt. 12:38).

It is an occurrence at once above nature and above man. It shows the intervention of a power that is not limited by the laws either of matter or of mind, a power interrupting the fixed laws which govern their movements, a supernatural power.

“The suspension or violation of the laws of nature involved in miracles is nothing more than is constantly taking place around us. One force counteracts another: vital force keeps the chemical laws of matter in abeyance; and muscular force can control the action of physical force. When a man raises a weight from the ground, the law of gravity is neither suspended nor violated, but counteracted by a stronger force. The same is true as to the walking of Christ on the water and the swimming of iron at the command of the prophet.

The simple and grand truth that the universe is not under the exclusive control of physical forces, but that everywhere and always there is above, separate from and superior to all else, an infinite personal will, not superceding, but directing and controlling all physical causes, acting with or without them.”

God ordinarily effects his purpose through the agency of second causes; but he has the power also of effecting his purpose immediately and without the intervention of second causes, i.e., of invading the fixed order, and thus of working miracles. Thus we affirm the possibility of miracles, the possibility of a higher hand intervening to control or reverse nature's ordinary movements.

In the New Testament these four Greek words are principally used to designate miracles:

  1. Semeion, a “sign”, i.e., an evidence of a divine commission; an attestation of a divine message (Matt. 12:38,39; 16:1, 4; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16; 23:8; John 2:11, 18, 23; Acts 6:8, etc.); a token of the presence and working of God; the seal of a higher power.

  2. Terata, “wonders;” wonder-causing events; portents; producing astonishment in the beholder (Acts 2:19).

  3. Dunameis, “might works;” works of superhuman power (Acts 2:22; Rom. 15:19; 2 Thess. 2:9); of a new and higher power.

  4. Erga, “works;” the works of Him who is “wonderful in working” (John 5:20, 36).

Purpose

Miracles are seals of a divine mission. The sacred writers appealed to them as proofs that they were messengers of God. Our Lord also appealed to miracles as a conclusive proof of his divine mission (John 5:20, 36; 10:25, 38). Thus, being out of the common course of nature and beyond the power of man, they are fitted to convey the impression of the presence and power of God.

Where miracles are there certainly God is. The man, therefore, who works a miracle affords thereby clear proof that he comes with the authority of God; they are his credentials that he is God's messenger. The teacher points to these credentials, and they are a proof that he speaks with the authority of God. He boldly says, “God bears me witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles.”

Credibility

The credibility of miracles is established by the evidence of the senses on the part of those who are witnesses of them, and to all others by the testimony of such witnesses. The witnesses were competent, and their testimony is trustworthy. Unbelievers, following Hume, deny that any testimony can prove a miracle, because they say miracles are impossible. We have shown that miracles are possible, and surely they can be borne witness to. Surely they are credible when we have abundant and trustworthy evidence of their occurrence. They are credible just as any facts of history well authenticated are credible.

Miracles, it is said, are contrary to experience. Of course they are contrary to our experience, but that does not prove that they were contrary to the experience of those who witnessed them. We believe a thousand facts, both of history and of science, that are contrary to our experience, but we believe them on the ground of competent testimony.

An atheist or a pantheist must, as a matter of course, deny the possibility of miracles; but to one who believes in a personal God, who in his wisdom may see fit to interfere with the ordinary processes of nature, miracles are not impossible, nor are they incredible.

  • Is it LOGICAL to believe that the biblical miracles really happened? Answer
  • If Christ's miracles really happened, why weren't they reported by historians? Answer
  • “Miracles are not possible,” some claim. Is this true? Answer
  • CHRIST'S MIRACLES—Has science disproved the miracles associated with Jesus Christ? Answer

List of miracles recorded in the Bible (partial list)

  1. Creation of the universe, including plants, animals and humans (Genesis 1-2)
  2. The destruction of the entire world by a divine Flood and the preservation of 8 righteous people and animals in the Ark. (Gen. 7, 8)

    View Flood and Babel movie sequence from The HOPE

  3. Tower of BabelConfusion of languages (tongues) at Babel (Gen. 11:1-9)

  4. Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24)
  5. Lot's wife turned into a “pillar of salt” (Gen. 19:26)
  6. Birth of Isaac to 100 year old Abraham at Gerar (Gen. 21:1) / The elderly mother Sarah was also able to naturally nurse the baby. (Genesis 21:7)
  7. The burning bush not consumed (Ex. 3:3)
  8. Aaron's rod changed into a serpent (Ex. 7:10-12)

The ten plagues of Egypt (Ex. 7:20-12:30)

  1. Water everywhere became BLOOD. The fish died, and the river stank. (Exodus 7:14-25
  2. God suddenly covered the land of Egypt with FROGS, and later supernaturally killed them, leaving them to make Egypt stink (Ex. 8:2-14; Ps. 78:45; 105:30)
  3. “All the dust of the land became LICE throughout all the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 8:17-18)
  4. God sent “grievous” swarms of FLIES upon all the people and houses of Egypt, covering even the ground, except in the land of Goshen (where the Israelites dwelled fly-free). (Exodus 8:20-24)
  5. MURRAIN suddenly killed Egypt’s cattle (Exodus 9:3-6)
  6. BOILS AND BLAINS—The sixth plague, of “boils and blains,” like the third, was sent without warning (Ex.9:8-12). It is called (Deut. 28:27) “the botch of Egypt,” King James Version; but in Revised Version, “the boil of Egypt.” “The magicians could not stand before Moses” because of it.
  7. HAIL WITH FIRE AND THUNDER (Ex. 9:13-33). Warning was given of its coming. (Compare Ps. 18:13; 105:32-33).
  8. LOCUSTS—The plague of locusts, which covered all of Egypt, so that the land was darkened with them (Ex. 10:12-15). The Hebrew name of this insect, arbeh, points to the “multitudinous” character of this visitation. Warning was given before this plague came. Again, the nearby land of Goshen was spared.
  9. LOCALIZED DEEP DARKNESS—The plague (the ninth) of darkness in Egypt (Ex. 10:21) is described as darkness “which may be felt.” It covered “all the land of Egypt,” so that “they saw not one another.” It did not extend to the land of Goshen (verse 23).
  10. DEATH of all first-born—struck by an angel of death in a single night / Israelite first-borns spared, if blood was painted around their door.

  11. RED SEA DIVIDED at just the right moment; the nation of Israel passes through on DRY GROUND. The sea then violently consumes the Egyptian army. (See: Passage of Red Sea) (Ex. 14:21-31)
  12. Bitter waters of Marah sweetened (Ex. 15:23-25)
  13. MANNA sent daily to feed the Israelites, except on the Sabbath (Ex. 16:14-35)
  14. WATER from the rock at Rephidim (Ex. 17:5-7)
  15. Nadab and Abihu consumed for offering “strange fire” (Lev. 10:1-2)
  16. Complainers consumed by FIRE at Taberah / the destruction stopped in response to Moses’ prayer (Num. 11:1-3)
  17. The EARTH OPENS AND SWALLOWS Korah and his company. (Num. 16:32-34)
  18. “There came out a FIRE from the LORD, and consumed” 250 particular men fleeing the earth swallowing at Kadesh (Num. 16:35-45)
  19. PLAGUE at Kadesh almost instantly killing 14,700, and stopped by Moses command Aaron to run with a incense censer among the people and “make an atonement for them” (Num. 16:46-50)
  20. AARON'S ROD “brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds” at Kadesh (Num. 17:1-11)
  21. WATER from the rock, smitten twice by Moses, desert of Zin (Num. 20:7-11)
  22. “The Lord sent FIERY SERPENTS among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.” (Numbers 21:6)
  23. BRASS SERPENT on a pole in the desert of Zin—“if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” (Num. 21:8-9)
  24. BALAAM’S DONKEY SPEAKS—An angel is dispatched against Balaam to express God’s anger. Balaam's ass (donkey) repeatedly protected him from the angel and ultimately spoke to Balaam (Num. 22:21-35)
  25. The JORDAN DIVIDED, so that Israel passed over dryshod near the city of Adam (Josh. 3:14-17)
  26. The WALLS OF JERICHO fall down at God’s command, after the Israelites prove their faith in Him (Josh. 6:6-20)
  27. The SUN AND MOON STAYED MOTIONLESS (longer day) to enable the Israelites to win a crucial battle (Josh. 10:12-14)—Can we explain the “long days” of Joshua and Hezekiah? Answer
  28. MEGA HAILSTORM destroys the Amorite army in a battle with Joshua (Josh. 10:12-14)
  29. The strength of SAMSON (Judg. 14-16)
  30. Water from a hollow place “that is in Lehi” (Judg. 15:19)
  31. Dagon falls twice before the ark. (1 Sam. 5:1-12)
  32. Emerods on the Philistines (1 Sam. 5:1-12)
  33. Men of Beth-shemesh smitten for looking into the ark (1 Sam. 6:19)
  34. SUPERNATURAL THUNDERSTORM causes a panic among the Philistines at Eben-ezer (1 Sam. 7:10-12)
  35. Thunder and rain in harvest at Gilgal (1 Sam. 12:18)
  36. “The SOUND of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees” as a supernatural sign to attack the Philistines with God’s help at Rephaim (2 Sam. 5:23-25)
  37. Uzzah smitten for touching the ark at Perez-uzzah (2 Sam. 6:6, 7)
  38. Jeroboam's HAND INSTANTLY WITHERED and then restored (1 Kings 13:4-6)
  39. Jeroboam's NEW ALTAR SUPERNATURALLY DESTROYED at Bethel (1 Kings 13:4-6
  40. Widow of Zarephath's meal and oil increased (1 Kings 17:14-16)
  41. Widow's son raised from the dead (1 Kings 17:17-24)
  42. DROUGHT in response to Elijah's prayers (1 Kings 17-18)
  43. FIRE in response to Elijah's prayers (1 Kings 18:19-39)
  44. RAIN in response to Elijah's prayers (1 Kings 18:41-45)
  45. Elijah FED BY RAVENS (1 Kings 17-18)
  46. Ahaziah's captains CONSUMED BY FIRE from heaven near Samaria (2 Kings 1:10-12)
  47. Jordan divided by Elijah and Elisha near Jericho (2 Kings 2:7, 8, 14)
  48. Elijah carried up into heaven (2 Kings 2:11)
  49. WATERS OF JERICHO HEALED by Elisha's casting salt into them (2 Kings 2:21, 22)
  50. 2 BEARS destroy 42 “young men” who mocked the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 2:24)
  51. WATER PROVIDED for Jehoshaphat and his allied army (2 Kings 3:16-20)—“Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.”
  52. Widow's OIL MULTIPLIED (2 Kings 4:2-7)
  53. The Shunammite's son given, and RAISED FROM THE DEAD at Shunem (2 Kings 4:32-37)
  54. The deadly pottage cured with meal at Gilgal (2 Kings 4:38-41)
  55. A HUNDRED MEN FED with 20 barley loaves and ears of corn at Gilgal (2 Kings 4:42-44)
  56. Naaman instantly HEALED OF LEPROSY, Gehazi instantly afflicted with it (2 Kings 5:10-27)
  57. An IRON AXE-HEAD MADE TO SWIM in the river Jordan (2 Kings 6:5-7)
  58. MIND READING PROPHECIES—Ben hadad's secret plans discovered. Hazael's thoughts, etc., through the prophecies of Elijah (2 Kings 6:12)
  59. The Syrian army SMITTEN WITH BLINDNESS at Dothan (2 Kings 6:18)
  60. The Syrian army HEALED OF BLINDNESS at Samaria (2 Kings 6:20)
  61. Elisha's bones REVIVE THE DEAD (2 Kings 13:21)
  62. Sennacherib's Assyrian ARMY OF 5,180 KILLED OVERNIGHT BY AN ANGEL near Jerusalem (2 Kings 19:35)
  63. SHADOW OF SUN GOES BACK TEN DEGREES on the sun-dial of Ahaz, Jerusalem (2 Kings 20:9-11)—Can we explain the “long days” of Joshua and Hezekiah? Answer
  64. King Uzziah INSTANTLY STRUCK WITH LEPROSY, Jerusalem (2 Chr. 26:16-21)
  65. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego DELIVERED FROM THE FIERY FURNACE in Babylon (Daniel 3:10-27)
  66. DANIEL SAVED FROM HUNGRY LIONS in a sealed den (Dan. 6:16-23) / Those who falsely accused Daniel where then thrown to the same lions, where they were quickly killed. (Daniel 6:24)
  67. JONAH SURVIVED IN THE FISH’S BELLY. Safely landed (Jonah 2:1-10)—How could Jonah survive three days in the belly of a “whale”? Answer
  68. GIDEON'S FLEECE, wet when it shouldn't be, and dry when it shouldn't be (Judg. 6:37-40)

Miracles Recorded in the Gospels

  1. Cure of two blind men (Matt 9:27-31)
  2. Needed tax/tribute money found in a randomly caught fish's mouth, as Jesus promised (Matt 17:24-27)
  3. Deaf and dumb man healed (Mark 7:31-37)
  4. The blind man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26)
  5. Jesus passes unseen through the crowd (Luke 4:28-30)
  6. The miraculous draught of fishes (Luke 5:4-11)
  7. The raising of the widow's son at Nain (Luke 7:11-18)
  8. The healing of a woman with the spirit of infirmity (Luke 13:11-17)
  9. The man with the dropsy (Luke 14:1-6)
  10. The healing of ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19)
  11. The healing of Malchus (Luke 22:50-51)
  12. Water made wine (John 2:1-11)
  13. Cure of nobleman's son, Capernaum (John 4:46-54)
  14. Impotent man at Bethsaida healed (John 5:1-9)
  15. Man born blind healed (John 9:1-7)
  16. Lazarus raised from the dead (John 11:38-44)
  17. Draught of fishes instantly caught at Christ’s instruction (John 21:1-14)
  18. Syrophoenician woman's daughter HEALED (Matt 15:28; Mark 7:24)
  19. 4,000 fed from 7 loaves and a few little fishes (Matt 15:32; Mark 8:1)
  20. Fig tree blasted (Matt 21:18; Mark 11:12)
  21. Centurion's servant healed (Matt 8:5; Luke 7:1)
  22. Blind and dumb demoniac cured (Matt 12:22; Luke 11:14)
  23. Demoniac cured in synagogue at Capernaum (Mark 1:23; Luke 4:33)
  24. Peter's wife's mother healed (Matt 8:14; Mark 1:30; Luke 4:38)
  25. The tempest stilled (Matt 8:23; Mark 4:37; Luke 8:22)
  26. Demoniacs of Gadara cured (Matt 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26)
  27. About 2,000 SWINE RUSH IN AND DROWN after Christ allowed demons to enter them (Mark 5:1-20)
  28. Leper HEALED (Matt 8:2; Mark 1:40; Luke 5:12)
  29. Jairus's daughter RAISED (Matt 9:23; Mark 5:23; Luke 8:41)
  30. Woman's issue of blood HEALED (Matt 9:20; Mark 5:25; Luke 8:43)
  31. Man sick of the palsy HEALED (Matt 9:2; Mark 2:3; Luke 5:18)
  32. Man's withered hand HEALED (Matt 12:10; Mark 3:1; Luke 6:6)
  33. Lunatic child healed (Matt 17:14; Mark 9:14; Luke 9:37)
  34. 2 blind men healed (Matt 20:29; Mark 10:46; Luke 18:35)
  35. JESUS WALKS ON THE SEA (Matt 14:25; Mark 6:48; John 6:15)
  36. Jesus FEEDS 5,000 “in a desert place” (Matt 14:15; Mark 6:30; Luke 9:10; John 6:1-14)
  37. Numerous FULFILLED PROPHECIES (also see: prophets)
  38. The INCARNATE CONCEPTION of Jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:35) without human parents (genetically, with imputation of sin). See: Mary, mother of Jesus article
  39. STAR OF BETHLEHEM appears and leads wisemen to Christ
  40. The TRANSFIGURATION (Matt 17:1-8)
  41. The RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ (John 21:1-14)
  42. The ASCENSION (Luke 2:42-51)
  43. Peter and the HEALING of a the paralytic Aeneas at Lydda (Acts 9:32, 35, 38)
  44. Miraculous ability to SPEAK AND/OR UNDERSTAND A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (tongue) previously unknown to the speaker (See: Gift of tongues)
  45. Inspiration of Scripture by God

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