MIRACLE
(a) Definition. The miracle is a supernatural intervention in the external world, which provides a unique revelation of the presence and power of God.
«This is, within the ordinary action of the forces of nature, an interference from the Author of nature.
It is an event that does not result from a simple combination of physical forces, but comes from a direct act of divine will” (Dr. Barnard, “Hastings Bible Dictionary”, III, p. 384).
In a strict sense, the name “miracle” is not given to any fact or event due to supernatural causes or extraordinary coincidences (sometimes described as “providential”).
For the Bible, all nature depends totally on the Creator; It is not a purely material universe governed by “immutable laws.”
On the contrary, “every natural event is considered simply an act of God’s free will, be it rain or sun, earthquakes or anything else.
Thus, the essence of the miracle is not that it is “supernatural,” but that it constitutes a clear and singularly remarkable proof of the power of God and the freedom He uses to accomplish His purposes »(Schultz, «Old Testament Theology», II , PP. 192193).
(b) Possibility of miracles. For those who believe in a personal God, the possibility of miracles does not cause any problem.
One could compare the miraculous intervention of the Lord in the physical world to that of the will and man using his muscular strength to control and neutralize the “law of gravity”, holding an object, or counteracting any other “law of nature.” .
In reality, what should be explained is the absence of miracles on the part of the One who sustains, controls and directs everything; Christ is proclaimed the source of life and salvation, and He sustains everything by the word of His power (cf. Col. 1:16, 17; Heb. 1: 2, 3).
The denial of the very possibility of miracles comes, fundamentally, from an atheistic position (God does not exist, he therefore cannot manifest himself), and from pantheism (he is not a personal Being and would not know how to intervene intelligently).
Every believer who has felt deep within himself the experience of the truth of the Gospel and the regenerating action of the Holy Spirit knows personally something of the power of God and the reality of his revelation; It costs him nothing to admit the other divine interventions, so closely linked to the history of salvation.
Together with him who had been blind from birth, he can say: “One thing I know, that I was blind, and now I see” (John 9:25). He knows that he is a new creature, since the miracle of new birth has been performed in him (2 Cor. 5:17; Jn. 3:3-8).
He can give credit, not only to the Author of all possible miracles, but also to the inspired accounts He has seen fit to give us. (c) Acts of power, wonders and signs. See SIGNS.
(d) Effect and insufficiency of miracles. Miracles, a manifestation of the power and intervention of God, are given to impress man and to help him believe.
After having given clear signs of his divine nature and mission, Jesus affirms to his interlocutors that they should believe because of the works themselves (John 10:25, 37-38).
He affirms that they bear sufficient testimony to his authority, and reproaches those who do not accept the testimony (Mt. 11:3-5, 20-21; 12:28; Jn. 5:36; 14:11; 15 :24; 20: 30-31). However, miracles cannot replace faith in any way.
Pharaoh, who had demanded a miracle to believe, refused to be convinced despite all the evidence (Ex. 7:9, 13, 22-23; 11:9-10, etc.). Christ’s contemporaries who had seen, and demanded, so many supernatural signs, hardened their ears and closed their eyes so as not to be won over (John 12:37-40; Mt. 13:13-15).
There is a search for miracles that comes from the flesh and not from faith, that of the Jews mentioned above (Mk. 8:11, 12; Jn. 2:18; cf. 1 Cor. 1:22) and that of Herod for example (Luke 23:8).
To these Jesus says, in a tone of reproach, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe” (John 4:48). In reality, it is the believer (or the one who is willing to believe) who sees the miracle, and derives a spiritual benefit from it: “If you believe, you will see the glory of God” (Jn. 11:40; Mt. 9: 29). On the other hand, the Lord did not perform any miracles in the midst of unbelief (Mt. 13:54, 58).
(e) Times of miraculous manifestations. It is notable to observe that in the Bible miracles appear almost exclusively in the following periods:
(A) In the time of Moses and Joshua, to confirm the liberation of the chosen people, the promulgation of the Law and the Covenant, the establishment of the worship of the one true God and the conquest of the Promised Land.
(B) During the ministry of Elijah and Elisha, to sustain believers in a relentless struggle against triumphant paganism.
(C) During the exile, God safeguarded the faith of the deportees, by manifesting his power and superiority over the pagan gods, through the help given to Daniel and his friends.
(D) At the beginning of Christianity, to credit the person of the Son of God and his work of salvation; to confirm the foundation of the Church and the mission of the apostles; to support the passage from the Old to the New Covenant, and to demonstrate the excellence of the Gospel in the midst of the old, idolatrous and corrupt world (Heb. 2:3-4; Rom. 15:18-19; 2 Cor. 12:12 ).
Outside of these periods, notable servants of God lived without performing specific miracles; Regarding this, Abraham, David and many eminent people can be cited.
Of John the Baptist himself it is said at the same time that he was the greatest of the men of the Old Covenant, and yet he had not performed any miracle (Mt. 11:11; Jn. 10:41) .
(f) Miracles and our times. It is true that God is always capable of performing miracles, and that the Spirit can give certain men the gift of performing miracles and healings (1 Cor. 12:9-10, 28-30).
However, it is necessary that we do not forget that such manifestations have to be in full agreement with the Word of God, and that, on the other hand, they have been found absent in certain times, even of revival, and of the ministry of very eminent servants of God (the reformers Hudson Taylor, Spurgeon, Moody, to name just a few).
Furthermore, it would be wrong to apply the term “miraculous” only to the gifts of healing, miracles, and tongues. Each manifestation of the Spirit, because it is supernatural, is therefore the powerful exercise of a gift of wisdom, knowledge, faith, discernment, teaching, etc., is also miraculous.
(g) False miracles. The power of Satan is at work without ceasing, and the Bible constantly puts us on our guard against it. The magicians of Egypt showed themselves capable of imitating to a certain level some of the miracles performed by Moses (Ex. 7:11, 22; 8:3; cf. v. 14).
Simon Magus had all of Samaria astonished by his acts of magic (Acts 8:911), and Luke quotes another magician named Elymas (Acts 13:6-12). He also mentions the books used for the exercise of the magical arts (Acts 19:19).
It is evident that then, as now, there was a good deal of trickery in these magical practices. But Christ and his apostles speak openly about the great wonders and miracles carried out by false prophets, with the aim of seducing even, if possible, the elect themselves (Mt. 24:24).
These deceptive signs will be a clear characteristic of the race of the Antichrist and the end times; now, as then, they are raised up by the power of Satan (2 Thes. 2:9-12; 1 Tim. 4:1-2; Rev. 13:13-15).
System for discerning true miracles from false ones. The touchstone of the word of God must be used. If a sign contradicts divine commandments, it must be resolutely rejected (Deut. 13:1-5).
If man’s glory and personal advantage are sought by this, it has not been given in the spirit of Christ, who never performed a single miracle for Himself (cf. also 1 Cor. 12:6).
Authentic miracles manifest the greatness and holiness of God, so absurd and childish prodigies cannot come from Him (e.g., those of the Apocryphal Gospels and those of the “legend of the saints” of the Middle Ages) .
Those who seek to support unbiblical dogmas, such as transubstantiation, the immaculate conception of Mary, or the doctrine of purgatory, must also be rejected.
In our time near the end, deceptive prodigies abound in the religious and occult world. The Christian must decisively arm himself with the faith that receives the true miracle, and the discernment that rejects the tricks of the enemy.
The Lord, in a coming day, will drive out from his presence many who will claim to have performed miracles in his name (Mt. 7:22-23).