Concise Bible Dictionary:
No sincere believer in the inspiration of scripture can have a doubt as to real miracles having been wrought by the power of God both in Old Testament and New Testament times. It is philosophy so-called, or skepticism, that mystifies the subject. Much is said about “the laws of nature”; and it is confidently affirmed that these are irrevocable and cannot be departed from. To which is added that laws of nature previously unknown are frequently being discovered, and if our forefathers could witness the application of some of the more recent discoveries, as the telephone, microphone, etc., they would judge that miracles were being performed. So, it is argued, the actions recorded in scripture as miracles, were merely the bringing into use some law of nature which had been hidden up to that time.
All this is based upon a fallacy. There are no laws of nature, as if nature made its own laws; there are laws in nature, which God in His wisdom as Creator was pleased to make; but He who made those laws has surely the same power to suspend them when He pleases. Though laws in nature hitherto unknown are being discovered from time to time, they in no way account for such things as dead persons being raised to life, the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, the lame walking, and demons being cast out of those who were possessed by them. Neither has natural philosophy discovered any law that will account for such a thing as an iron ax-head swimming in water. The simple truth is that God, for wise purposes, allowed some of the natural laws to be suspended, and at times He put forth His almighty power, as in supplying the Israelites with manna from heaven, and in feeding thousands from a few loaves and fishes, or by recalling life that had left the body.
The words translated “miracle” in the Old Testament are
1. oth, “a sign,” as it is often translated, and in some places “token” (Num. 14:22; Deut. 11:3).
2. mopheth, “a wonder,” as it is mostly translated; it is something out of the ordinary course of events (Ex. 7:9; Deut. 29:3).
3. pala, “wonderful, marvelous” (Judg. 6:13).
Moses was enabled to work miracles for two distinct objects. One was in order to convince the children of Israel that God had sent him. God gave him three signs to perform before them: his rod became a serpent, and was again a rod; his hand became leprous, and was then restored; and he could turn the water of the Nile into blood (Ex. 4:1-9).
The other miracles, wrought by him in Egypt, were to show to Pharaoh the mighty power of God, who said, I will “multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt....and the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I stretch forth Mine hand upon Egypt” (Ex. 7:3-5). The ten plagues followed, which were miracles or signs of the power of God—signs not only to the Egyptians, but also to the Israelites, as is shown by the reference to them afterward (Num. 14:22; Judg. 6:13).
By the following list it will be seen that there were many other miracles wrought in Old Testament times—by Moses in the wilderness; by the prophets in the land; and some through the direct agency of God from heaven, as the deliverance of the three from the fiery furnace, Daniel from the lions, etc. All the miracles were indeed the acts of God, His servants being merely the means through which they were carried out.
Principal Miracles in the Old Testament
In Egypt
Aaron’s rod becomes a serpent Ex. 7:10-12
The Ten Plagues
Water made blood Ex. 7:20-25
Frogs Ex. 8:5-14
Lice Ex. 8:16-18
Flies Ex. 8:20-24
Murrain Ex. 9:3-6
Boils and blains Ex. 9:8-11
Thunder and hail Ex. 9:22-26
Locusts Ex. 10:12-19
Darkness Ex. 10:21-23
Death of the Firstborn Ex. 12:29-30
Parting of the Red Sea Ex. 14:21-31
In the Wilderness
Curing the waters of Marah Ex. 15:23-25
Manna from heaven Ex. 16:14-35
Water from the rock at Rephidim Ex. 17:5-7
Death of Nadab and Abihu Lev. 10:1-2
The earth swallows the murmurers, and the death of Korah, Dathan and Abiram Num. 16:31-40
Budding of Aaron’s rod at Kadesh Num. 17:8
Water from the rock at Meribah Num. 20:7-11
The brazen serpent: Israel healed Num. 21:8-9
Balaam’s ass speaking Num. 22:21-35
Parting the Jordan Jos. 3:14-17
In the Land
Fall of Jericho’s walls Jos. 6:6-25
Staying of the sun and moon Jos. 10:12-14
Withering and cure of Jeroboam’s hand 1 Kings 13:4-6
Multiplying the widow’s oil 1 Kings 17:14-16
Raising the widow’s son 1 Kings 17:17-24
Burning of the captains and their companies 2 Kings 1:10-12
Dividing of Jordan by Elijah 2 Kings 2:7-8
Elijah carried to heaven 2 Kings 2:11
Dividing of Jordan by Elisha 2 Kings 2:14
Cure of the waters of Jericho 2 Kings 2:19-22
Supply of water to the army 2 Kings 3:16-20
Increase of the widow’s oil 2 Kings 4:2-7
Raising the Shunamite’s son 2 Kings 4:32-37
Healing of the deadly pottage 2 Kings 4:38-41
Feeding the 100 with 20 loaves 2 Kings 4:42-44
Cure of Naaman’s leprosy 2 Kings 5:10-14
Swimming of the iron axe-head 2 Kings 6:5-7
Resurrection of the dead man on touching Elisha’s bones 2 Kings 13:21
Return of the shadow on the dial 2 Kings 20:9-11
Among the Gentiles
Deliverance of the three in the fiery furnace Dan. 3:19-27
Deliverance of Daniel from the lions Dan. 6:16-23
Jonah saved by the great fish Jon. 2:1-10
In the New Testament three Greek words are used, similar to those in the Old Testament
1. τέρας, “a wonder,” which in the AV is always thus translated and often associated with the word “signs,” “signs and wonders.” People were generally amazed at the miracles performed.
2. σημεῖον, “a sign.” This word is translated “signs,” “miracles,” “wonder,” and in 2 Thessalonians 3:17 “token”: it is the word invariably used in John’s gospel.
3. δύναμις, “power:” translated “miracles,” “mighty works,” “powers.” These three divinely selected words explain the nature of miracles. They were “wonders” that arrested the attention of the people; they were “signs” that God had visited His people, and that the acts of the Lord Jesus identified Him with the promised Messiah; and they were “powers,” for they were superhuman. These three words are applied to the miracles of the Lord Jesus in Acts 2:22; to those wrought by Paul (2 Cor. 12:12); and to the work of Antichrist, the man of sin, in a future day (2 Thess. 2:9).
The miracles by the Lord and His apostles were nearly all wrought for the welfare of men, curing them from the diseases of mind and body, and dispossessing them of demons, thus spoiling the kingdom of Satan. The cursing of the fig-tree differs from the others: it was a sign of God’s judgment on the Jews. From the wording of several passages it is conclusive that not nearly all the miracles of the Lord are recorded (Mark 6:55-56; John 21:25).
It is stated in Mark 16:16-18 that those who should believe on the Lord Jesus, by the testimony of the apostles, would be able to work miracles; and there is ample testimony in early church history that this was the case, especially in casting out demons. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian testified to the heathen persecutors that there was power in the name of Jesus to effect this, and the persecuting emperors were invited to witness it. While the Christians were being persecuted, such signs would be a visible evidence of the power of God and the value of the name of the Lord Jesus. By the time the emperors professed Christianity, followed by the masses (the 4th century), Christ had been well accredited on the earth: hence there was no further need of such signs. Satan in the days of the apostles had his counterfeits (Compare Acts 8:9; Acts 13:6-8; Acts 19:19), as he certainly has had since, and will have in the future, when he will be allowed to bring in his strong delusion: (compare Matt. 24:24; 2 Thess. 2:9-10; Rev. 13:13-14).
Though not called a miracle, is not the conversion of a sinner a miracle? It seems impossible for one who has been turned from darkness to light, and has been created in Christ Jesus, with the fruits and effects following, to doubt the reality of other miracles recorded by God in His sacred writings.
In the accompanying list of miracles in the New Testament it will be noticed that some are found in one gospel only—each of the gospels having miracles peculiar to itself—a few are in two gospels; many in three; and only one that is recorded in all four. None but God could have made these selections. Indeed the scriptures are themselves as clear a manifestation of the power and wisdom of God as are any of the miracles.
Principal Miracles in the New Testament
Miracles Matthew Mark Luke John
Two blind men cured Matt. 9:27-31
Dumb spirit cast out Matt. 9:32-33
Tribute money in mouth of fish Matt. 17:24-27
Deaf and dumb man cured Mark 7:31-37
Blind man cured Mark 8:22-26
Draught of fishes Luke 5:1-11
Widow’s son raised Luke 7:11-17
Woman loosed from a spirit of infirmity Luke 13:11-17
The dropsy cured Luke 14:1-6
Ten lepers cleansed Luke 17:11-19
Malchus’ ear healed Luke 22:50-51
Water made wine John 2:1-11
Nobleman’s son cured John 4:46-54
Impotent man cured John 5:1-9
Man born blind cured John 9:1-7
Lazarus raised from the dead John 11:38-44
Draught of 153 fishes John 21:1-14
Syro-Phoenician’s daughter cured Matt. 15:21-28 Mark 7:24-30
Four thousand fed Matt. 15:32-38 Mark 8:1-9
Fig tree withered Matt. 21:18-22 Mark 11:12-24
Centurion’s servant cured Matt. 8:5-13 Luke 7:1-10
Blind and dumb demoniac cured Matt. 12:22 Luke 11:14
Demoniac in the synagogue cured Mark 1:23-28 Luke 4:33-37
Peter’s wife’s mother cured Matt. 8:14-15 Mark 1:3031 Luke 4:38-39
Leper cured Matt. 8:2-4 Mark 1:40-45 Luke 5:12-15
Paralytic cured Matt. 9:2-7 Mark 2:3-12 Luke 5:18-26
Tempest stilled Matt. 8:23-27 Mark 4:36-41 Luke 8:22-25
Demoniacs cured at Gadara Matt. 8:28-34 Mark 5:1-20 Luke 8:26-39
Jairus’ daughter raised Matt. 9:18-26 Mark 5:22-43 Luke 8:41-56
Woman’s issue of blood cured Matt. 9:20-22 Mark 5:25-34 Luke 8:43-48
Man’s withered hand cured Matt. 12:10-13 Mark 3:1-5 Luke 6:6-11
Demon cast out of boy Matt. 17:14-18 Mark 9:14-27 Luke 9:37-42
Blind men cured Matt. 20:30-34 Mark 10:46-52 Luke 18:35-43
Jesus walks on the sea Matt. 14:24-33 Mark 6:47-51 John 6:16-21
Five thousand fed Matt. 14:15-21 Mark 6:35-44 Luke 9:12-17 John 6:5-14