"Miracles" Lesson 165

Lesson 165: “MIRACLES”

The definition of miracle is simply the supernatural works of God such as the conception of Jesus by the power of the Most High through the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26-38). Job says about God; “He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted” (Job 5:9). A miracle is the exception to ordinary experiences such as the Three Hebrew men in the fire. They told king Nebuchadnezzar that they would not serve his idols and even if he threw them into the fire their God was able to rescue them. Then the three went on to declare that even if God did not rescue them they would not serve the king’s idols. God not only rescued them but it appears that he rescued the king as well. Scripture does not say the king came to salvation but only that he commanded no one under his rule should talk against the true God (Daniel 3). He gained a fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Pro. 9:11). Another ‘exception to an ordinary experience’ is the viper that attached himself to Paul. “Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects” (Acts 28:3-6).

God used miracles to continue His plan for creation when man tried to usurp His power. The story of the Tower of Babel is found in Genesis 11:1-9 where the people decided to build a tower that would reach to the heavens. They wanted to make a name for themselves but the Lord came down to check on them. Deciding that if they continued to understand each other’s language that nothing would be impossible for them and they would not follow after their Maker. Thus, He confused their language and scattered them over the face of the whole earth. Independence of God is open rebellion against God. The step-like tower believed to have been first erected in Babylon, was said to have its top in the heavens. This artificial mountain became the center of worship in the city, a miniature temple being at the top of the tower. What the people considered their greatest strength, unity, God swiftly destroyed by confusing their language. What they considered their greatest fear, scattering, came on them. What they desired most, to make a name for themselves, ironically came to pass, for they became known as “Babel”.

Elisha’s second miraculous act was to heal the water of Jericho by, of all things, throwing salt into it out of a new bowl. The water from a major spring had turned bad, perhaps brackish, and when used for irrigation it killed the crops rather than nourishing them. The parallelism between this physical situation and the spiritually polluting influences of Baal worship in Israel is obvious. The new bowl represented himself, the new instrument in God’s hand. Salt was known by the Israelites to preserve and purify; it was used in each of their daily grain offerings to the Lord (Lev. 2:13). Adding salt normally makes the water worse, not better. When the salt was put into the Jericho water the situation miraculously improved. This miracle showed the people that God and not Baal, the so-called god of fertility, could heal their barrenness. God’s permanent work on the spring would serve as a perpetual reminder of His ability and power to bring fruitfulness and blessings out of the barrenness and sterility caused by idolatry (2 Kings 2:19-22).

God used miracles to prophesy judgment and to redeem His people such as in the story of Nineveh and Jonah. We all remember the story of Jonah being called by God, running away, being thrown over-board and swallowed by a great fish. Jonah repented while inside the belly of the great fish and God delivered Him onto the land. Only then did he do what God had told him to do, and that was to preach against Nineveh. Upon preaching to them, they in turn believed God and immediately and urgently called upon God for His compassion and redemption. God was filled with compassion when He saw they had turned from their evil ways and did not bring destruction on them that He had threatened. God also showed compassion to Jonah, not understanding why God put him through all of this just to let Nineveh off the hook, went off to ‘have a floor fit and sit and pout’. As the book concludes, Jonah was left to ponder God’s words about his own lack of compassion and God’s depth of the same. God had made His points! He is in control of man and vine; He is gracious toward all; He is Sovereign; He will punish the rebellious; He will forgive those who sincerely repent; and we should be more concerned about the lost (Nineveh) than about our own comforts (the vine).

Miracles were used to reveal God and His power to deliver believers through supernatural measures. Peter was kept in prison but the church earnestly prayed to God for him. Peter was so trusting in God that he went sound to sleep the night before his trial (Acts 12:5-7, 1 Peter 2:23, 5:7). He did not fear for his life because Christ had said he would live to an old age (John 21:18). The storm raged on! The seamen and passengers, along with Paul, had gone many days without food and had given up all hope of getting out of the situation alive. Perhaps the storm had destroyed the supplies, some might have been seasick and many were too discouraged to eat (Acts 27:18-33). Paul reminded them of the advice he gave earlier at Crete (Acts 27:9-10) and encouraged them with a message from God. This was not the first time a vision had lifted Paul’s spirits (Acts 18:9-10, 23:11); In fact, in the Jerusalem vision God promised Paul not only safety there but ultimately a safe journey to Rome. “For I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me” (Acts 27:25). The revelation of God through Jesus Christ caused the world to hate him and all that followed Him. “If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father” (John 15:18-25).

Most are under the impression that you have to break one or all of the Ten Commandments before God pronounces judgment. However, He performed a miracle to execute judgment on 42 youths when they made fun of Elisha (2 Kings 2:23-25). In Acts 5 a man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira were filled with Satan, withheld money from the Apostles and then lied when they were caught. God dropped them dead at Peter’s feet (Acts 5:1-10). On the appointed day when Herod was delivering a speech, the people honored him as ‘a god’, and the Lord God judged him with death, because he did not give praise to God (Acts 12:21-23). Through Saul/Paul, God exposed the sorcerer Elymas for what he was. Paul, filled with the Spirit, told him that the Hand of the Lord was against him and he would be blinded for a time. “Immediately mist and darkness came over him and he groped about seeking someone to lead him” (Acts 13:6-12).

Even though many miracles were preformed by Jesus and the disciples, there is another that can, did and still will perform miracles, signs and wonders, all of which are counterfeit. God allows this lawless one to display his works because people refused and still refuse to love the truth and be saved (2 Thess. 2:9-12). The spirits of demons will perform miracles and signs in Revelation 16:14, the beast out of the earth performs great and miraculous signs (Rev. 13:11-16) but in the end they are captured. They will be thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur (Rev. 19:10-21). This is why John warns to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into this world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and EVEN NOW IS ALREADY IN THE WORLD” (1 John 4:1-6).

Do not miss out on the miracles God has for you today out of fear! Do not conjure up miracles or accept miracles from evil spirits just to have something to talk about! God will give you the wisdom to test each and every miracle you experience (James 1:5-6).