“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” — John 20:30-31
What is a miracle? One dictionary defines a miracle as an event that is an addition to the established laws of nature and attributed to God.
The Bible is certainly full of miracles. I not only did some research on them in the Bible, but I would also be happy to share the lists with you. Depending on how you count them, there are about 90 miracles in the Old Testament and 80 in the New Testament. In view of that, around 170 recorded miracles are in the pages of Scripture! Additionally, that doesn’t include the ones that are not written down.
And The Purpose Is?
What is the purpose of miracles? These verses in John teach us that one purpose is to point us to believing in Christ. Miracles recorded in the Bible also caused people to be in awe and wonder of God. They undoubtedly saw Him demonstrate His power and control of the natural world. Ultimately, that should lead one to believe in the Lord.
I have read a variety of liberal and conservative Bible commentaries for thirty years now. It is interesting (and always sad) when I read authors who discount some (or most) of the miracles recorded in the Bible. They might say, “I believe in the miracles of the New Testament, or just the Resurrection, but not the Old Testament miracles.” Or “This or that miracle is probably an exaggeration.” What strikes me as odd about this is that Jesus affirmed so many of the Old Testament miracles Himself.
If God exists (and is all-powerful), then He is obviously free to do what He wants in the natural world. This includes ignoring the laws of nature He created. Let’s forever stand with Jesus and the other saints in believing in ALL of the miracles recorded in Scripture. Every word of God absolutely proves true!
Posted in A Word from the Pastor