What Is A Miracle?

A miracle is a divine intervention in the natural world that produces an event that would not have resulted from purely natural causes. Miracles are not anomalies, things that are unusual but have an unknown natural cause, nor are they providences, which are unusual events and timing that have a known natural cause. Miracles do not occur as the result of magic. Magic has a hidden or secret natural cause. Miracles are not satanic. No miracle is the result of the activity of evil Spirits. When a miracle occurs, it should be immediate, not gradual.

• Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him saying, I will; be clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (Mt 8:3)
• And to the centurion, Jesus said Go; let it be done for you as you have believed. And the servant was healed at that very moment. (Mt 8:13)
• Peter said, In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk! And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and began to walk. (Acts 3:6-7)

There are no gradual miracles in the Bible; there is one two-stage miracle, but each stage was instantaneous (Mk 8:22-26). The two stages were an audio-visual illustration of Israel’s two-stage enlightenment. So, If it is gradual, it is not a miracle. If it is a miracle, it is not gradual.

Multiple miracles should occur (which adds confirmation). The Bible contains some 250 miracles, and the Gospels record over 60.

Many miracles were multiple healings

• Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages.. healing every disease and every affliction. (Mt 9:35)
• The rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. (Acts 28:9)

Some of Jesus’ miracles are:

• Walking on water
• Turning water to wine
• Multiplying loaves
• Healing a man born blind
• Raising a decaying body
• Resurrecting himself
• Healing Peter’s mother-in-law
• Healing many illnesses
• Healing ten lepers
• Healing a paralytic
• Healing a centurion’s servant
• Casting out demons
• Healing an infirmed woman
• Healing a man with dropsy
• Healing the two blind men
• The withering of the fig tree
• Restoring a servant’s ear
• Healing a Nobleman’s son
• Healing a withered hand

Unique Nature of Jesus Miracles

Jesus’s miracles were clearly violations of natural law. He cured incurable diseases, raised the dead, and gave sight to one born blind. These miracles were done in very public places where people could evaluate their authenticity. Many were done before large crowds, and some predicted events in advance. Some contemporary professional magicians admit that, in their original context, these could not be magic tricks.

When a miracle occurs, in some way, it should be connected with a claim of truth in the name of God.

• And Moses said, “This is how you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works; it has not been of my own accord: ²⁹ If these people die a natural death, or if a natural fate comes on them, then the Lord has not sent me. ³⁰ But if the Lord creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up, with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord.” (Numbers 16:28-30)
• Elijah said, O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant.. then fire of the Lord came down and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench (1 Kings 18:36-38)
• Jesus to Jewish leaders: That you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins said to the paralytic, I say to you arise take up our bed and go your wat to your house. (Mk 2:10-11)
• Jesus to John’s disciples who ask if he was the Messiah: God and tell John the thing which you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and th lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear (Mt 11:3-4)

God used miracles to confirm the Apostles message:

• How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation which at the first, began to be spoke by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him, God also bearing witness both with signs an wonders, with various miracles (Heb 2:3-4)

God used miracles to confirm Jesus as the Messiah:

• Truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciple which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) the Son of God. (Jn 20:31)

They should be from a reliable source and if there is a predictive element it adds credibility to the claim that a miracle has occurred.

• Jesus to Scribes: None will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, even so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Mt 12:38-39)
• Moses promised supernatural judgments of God on Egypt (Ex 4:21-23, that the rod of God would bud (Num 17:5, that Korah would be judged (Num 16:28-30)
• Elijah predicted that fire would come from heaven and consume the sacrifice he offered to God. (1 Kings 18:22)
• Isaiah said only God cold make accurate predictions long before the events occurred: Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; before it came to pass I  proclaimed it to you, lest you should say, My idol has done them   (Is 48:5)
• Isaiah even predicted Cyrus by name some 100 years before Cyrus was born: Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him .. (Isa 45:1) Isaiah’s ministry took place in 700-690 BC, Cyrus reigned 600-529 BC
• Jesus about resurrection: Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up. Then John adds, But he was speaking about the temple of his body (Jn 2:19, 21)
• None will be given it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, even so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Mt 12:38-39)
• He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things… and be killed an on the third day be raised. (Mt 16:21)
• Tell no one the vision, until the Son of man be raised from the dead (Mt 17:9)
• Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. (Jn 13:19)