The Bible provides much insight into the meaning and nature of miracles. At its core, a miracle is an event that defies natural law and can only be explained as an act of God. Theologians typically define a miracle as a supernatural occurrence brought about by the power of God that marvels those who witness it. Miracles serve to demonstrate God’s authority over creation and reveal His glory and majesty.
Throughout Scripture, we see miracles used for various divine purposes. God may use a miracle to authenticate a messenger or message, provide deliverance, enact judgment, display love and mercy, or strengthen the faith of believers. While science seeks natural explanations for phenomena, miracles point to realities beyond the physical world. Their primary aim is to evoke wonder and worship of the one true God who transcends nature.
The Bible first introduces miracles in the book of Exodus during Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. God empowers Moses to unleash ten plagues on Pharaoh and the Egyptians as judgment for their oppression of God’s people. The Ten Plagues – including the Nile turning to blood, plague of frogs, gnats, flies, livestock disease, boils, hail, locusts, darkness and death of the firstborn – defied the natural order and could only be explained as acts of God (Exodus 7-12). Through these miracles, God humbles the proud Egyptians, frees His people from slavery, and reveals Himself as the one true God.
After the Exodus, God continues using miracles to guide, provide for, and protect His chosen people. During their wilderness wanderings, God miraculously parts the Red Sea allowing the Israelites to escape from Pharaoh’s pursuing army (Exodus 14:21-31). He provides manna and quail from heaven to feed them (Exodus 16:4-36). And God leads them by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night (Exodus 13:21-22). Years later, after entering the Promised Land, God empowers Joshua to command the sun and moon to stand still during a battle (Joshua 10:12-14).
During the ministry of the prophets Elijah and Elisha, God frequently intervenes through miracles. He sends fire from heaven, multiplies oil and flour, raises the dead, reveals future events, and heals diseases, among other wonders. These miracles authenticated Elijah and Elisha as God’s spokesmen, demonstrated God’s power and care for His people, and condemned idolatry and rebellion against the Lord.
In the New Testament, Jesus’ entire life and ministry overflow with miraculous signs and wonders that prove His divine identity and authority. The Gospel writers describe more than 30 specific miracles, including healing every kind of disease and affliction, calming storms, multiplying food, walking on water, controlling nature, casting out demons, and even raising the dead. The miracles of Jesus dazzle crowds, validate His Messianic claims, and draw people to put their faith in Him.
The most important miracles center on Jesus’ death and resurrection. After Jesus voluntarily laid down His life to atone for sin, God raised Him from the dead on the third day – the greatest miracle of all (Matthew 28:1-10). The resurrection demonstrates Christ’s power over death and provides hope of new life for all who trust in Him. After rising from the dead, Jesus appeared to many eyewitnesses and even ate with His disciples before ascending back to heaven (Luke 24:36-53).
The book of Acts records how Jesus’ disciples continued His miraculous ministry by proclaiming the gospel and performing wonders through the power of the Holy Spirit. The early church experienced gifts of tongues, prophecy, and healings that aided the rapid spread of Christianity. The Apostle Paul’s life was marked by many miracles, including surviving a deadly snake bite without harm (Acts 28:3-6).
Throughout Scripture, miracles consistently point to God’s glory and presence. They display His majesty, confirm His Word, and accomplish His divine purposes. Miracles manifest in both the Old and New Testaments, centered in the life of Christ and continuing through the early church. God still sometimes chooses to work miracles today. But the greatest miracle is God’s work of salvation transforming sinners into new creations through faith in Jesus Christ.
Characteristics of Biblical Miracles
What key traits set biblical miracles apart from mere coincidences or anomalies? Reviewing examples throughout Scripture, we can observe common characteristics that define the nature of a true miracle from God:
- Awe-inspiring – Miracles inspire wonder, amazement, and fear of the Lord’s power.
- Immediate – Miraculous events occur instantly or quickly at the word of command.
- Complete – Blessings conferred via miracles are whole and perfect, beyond natural means.
- Abundant – Miracles are much more than rare anomalies.
- Purposeful – Miracles fulfill God’s redemptive plan in specific ways.
- Authoritative – Miracles display God’s supreme authority over all creation.
- Responsive – Miracles meet real needs in answer to prayer and faith.
- Humble – Miracles point to God’s glory rather than any person.
These patterns observed in biblical miracles reveal their true nature and purpose – magnifying the person, presence and redemptive work of the one true God.
Miracles in the Old Testament
The Old Testament records dozens of awe-inspiring miracles as signs of God’s power and presence among His covenant people. Key examples include:
- The Ten Plagues in Egypt (Exodus 7-12)
- Parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-31)
- Manna and quail from heaven (Exodus 16:4-36)
- Water from the rock at Horeb (Exodus 17:5-7)
- The fall of Jericho’s walls (Joshua 6:1-27)
- Sun standing still (Joshua 10:12-14)
- Elijah and the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:16-40)
- Fire from heaven consuming Elijah’s sacrifice (1 Kings 18:30-39)
- Elisha multiplying the widow’s oil (2 Kings 4:1-7)
- Elisha raising the Shunammite’s son (2 Kings 4:8-37)
- Naaman’s leprosy healed (2 Kings 5:1-19)
- Ezekiel’s visionary manifestations
- Daniel surviving the lions’ den (Daniel 6:16-24)
Through these signs and wonders, God established His authority, delivered His people, enforced His holiness, spoke through the prophets, and accomplished His sovereign purposes. While awe-inspiring, Old Testament miracles consistently pointed to God’s glory rather than any human agent.
Miracles of Jesus Christ
The four Gospels record over 30 specific miracles performed by Jesus during His earthly ministry. These miraculous signs included healing, exorcising demons, controlling nature, raising the dead, and even walking on water. Jesus’ miracles distinctly revealed His divine identity, authority, and power as the Son of God and Messiah. Key miracles described in the Gospels include:
- Turning water into wine (John 2:1-12)
- Healing an official’s son (John 4:46-54)
- Healing a paralytic (Matthew 9:1-8)
- Feeding the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21)
- Walking on the sea (Matthew 14:22-33)
- Healing a Gentile woman’s daughter (Matthew 15:21-28)
- Healing a man born blind (John 9:1-41)
- Raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-45)
- Jesus’ triumphant entry (Matthew 21:1-11)
- Cursing the fig tree (Matthew 21:18-22)
- Healing Malchus’ ear (Luke 22:49-51)
- Resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:1-10)
When John the Baptist sent messengers asking if Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus replied, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them” (Matthew 11:4-5). Jesus’ miraculous works testified unmistakably to His divine identity as the Son of God.
Miracles in Acts
Jesus promised His disciples they would continue doing His works and even greater things (John 14:12). The book of Acts records how the early church experienced the miracle-working power of God through the Holy Spirit. Key miracles described in Acts include:
- Lame beggar healed (Acts 3:1-10)
- Ananias and Sapphira struck dead (Acts 5:1-11)
- The apostles heal many (Acts 5:12-16)
- Stephen performs wonders (Acts 6:8-10)
- Philip’s miracles in Samaria (Acts 8:4-13)
- Saul’s blindness healed (Acts 9:10-19)
- Peter raises Tabitha (Acts 9:36-43)
- Miracles through Paul’s handkerchiefs (Acts 19:11-12)
- Eutychus raised from the dead (Acts 20:7-12)
- Paul unharmed by snake bite (Acts 28:1-6)
These miracles validated the message of the gospel and enabled the rapid growth of the early church. The Holy Spirit endowed disciples with gifts of healings, prophecy and other supernatural graces.
Miracles Today
Miraculous gifts continued in the early church for the apostolic age as God used signs and wonders to affirm His message and messengers. Scripture indicates that certain gifts, including prophecy, tongues and knowledge, would fade as the church matured and the canon of Scripture was completed (1 Corinthians 13:8-10).
While the normative gift of miracles ceased after the first century, God still works in providential ways and answers prayer. He retains the power to work miracles today according to His will. But Scripture gives no promise that miracles should be considered common, continual or normative for every age.
As in biblical times, reports of modern-day miracles must be carefully evaluated. While God does still intervene supernaturally at times, human beings have a tendency toward exaggeration, embellishment and lust for the sensational. Our focus should remain fixed on the greatest miracle of all – salvation through Jesus Christ.
Purpose of Miracles
According to Scripture, God ordains miracles to accomplish specific purposes. Miracles in the Bible consistently reveal God’s glory, confirm His Word, and advance His redemptive plan in the world. Purposes of biblical miracles include:
- Revealing God’s glory and power (John 2:11)
- Authenticating God’s messengers (Acts 14:3)
- Validating God’s revelation (Mark 16:20)
- Manifesting God’s presence and kingdom (Luke 11:20)
- Fulfilling messianic prophecies (Matthew 11:2-6)
- Displaying God’s love and mercy (Matthew 20:29-34)
- Overcoming human limitations (John 6:5-13)
- Defeating satanic forces (Matthew 12:22-28)
- Instilling faith in Christ (John 2:23)
- Bringing judgment on unbelief (Acts 13:6-12)
Miracles in Scripture never draw attention to human agents, but consistently magnify God’s identity, authority and redemptive work. They inspire awe and wonder leading people to glorify God, repent of sin, and exercise faith in Christ.
Greater Miracles Today
While supernatural miracles still occur today, the greatest miracles now are not physical healings or other wonders. The preeminent miracles in our age are hearts transformed by the gospel, souls saved from eternal death, and lives changed by the power of Jesus Christ.
Through faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice, the Holy Spirit performs the miracle of spiritual regeneration. This imparts new life to those formerly dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1-5). Sanctification is the ongoing miracle by which the Holy Spirit conforms believers into the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). The Bible declares such spiritual miracles surpass physical transformations (1 Corinthians 12:31).
Jesus Himself declared that rejoicing in salvation through Christ surpasses awe of His physical miracles (Luke 10:17-20). As His followers, our focus should remain fixed on the greatest miracle and priority of all – proclaiming the gospel message that saves.