Beth-El Baptist Church
04/09/06
Greg Tomlinson
How are we to understand miracles of the Bible?
Last week we looked at how to understand the Bible and how to interpret its message. This week we will be looking at some particular miracles with the goal to understand what in reality happened in history. Only a small sample of miracles will be discussed. Other miracles could be evaluated later as specific requests are raised. The hope is that through this study, the understanding of many of the miracles will be easier to discern?
Before starting this lesson there are a few things to remember:
Genesis 1:1 – God is creator
Luke 1:37 – Nothing is impossible for God
Titus 1:2 – God cannot lie
2 Timothy 3:16 – Scripture is the Word of God and is therefore infallible.
1. How long were the days of Genesis 1?
Genesis 1:1-8
Exodus 20:8-11; 27:20-21; 29:39
2 Kings 16:15
Job 38:1-7
Mark 10:6
Each of the days of Genesis chapter 1 and 2, the days of creation, are days just like we have today. Notice some of the key words associated with the six days of creation. Specifically mentioned is ‘the evening and the morning’ and the ‘first’, ‘second’, ‘third’, ‘fourth’, ‘fifth’, and ‘sixth’ days. Add to the linguistics of the verses, the references to it in Exodus (for in six days) and Mark (from the beginning of creation) and it is clear that the scriptures are teaching standard days like we experience now.
2. How large was the flood of Genesis 7?
Genesis 6:11-8:3
Matthew 24:35-39
Luke 17:26-27
Hebrews 11:7
1 Peter 3:18-20
2 Peter 2:4-5
In the primary flood chapters of Genesis (6-8), the word ‘earth’ is used 33 times. 25 times earth is used from 6:1-8:3. As we look through the verses, is ‘earth’ used in the context of ‘world’ or ‘globe’ or is it used in the context of ‘Mesopotamia’, ‘Israel’, ‘Canaan’, etc.
6:12-13 – destroy ‘all flesh’ upon the earth
6:17 – ‘destroy all flesh … from under heaven’
6:19-20 ‘two of every sort … of fowls … of cattle … of every creeping thing’
7:14-15 ‘all … cattle … creeping thing … fowl … all flesh’
7:19 ‘all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered’
7:20 ‘mountains were covered’
Clearly the scriptures are pointing to the entire world, globe, or sphere of the earth. For if the flood was some sort of localized flood, the birds and animals could have migrated to higher land, but there was no higher land to migrate to. Include the other passages that point to the survival of only 8 souls through the flood. People could have also walked, swam, and floated to higher ground.
3. What happened at the tower of Babel? (Genesis 11)
Genesis 11:1-9
Exodus 4:10-12
Acts 2:7-11
Revelation 5:9, 14:6
Although we do not have as many examples related to the tower of Babel, but the scriptures are clear that all of the people of the world were still in one small/general area on the earth and they had a common language. As a result they were able to more effectively cooperate with one another and they wanted to be known. God, the one who created the mouth, tongue, and language of man is surely capable of causing a difference in their linguistic abilities in a moment of time.
4. What could Joshua’s long day occur? (Joshua 10)
Genesis 1:16-18
Joshua 10:8-14
Job 9:1-8, 38:12
Mark 4:37-41
It is God that created the heavens, the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars and everything else. God has told us that he commands them, therefore when Joshua asked God to hold the sun and the moon still, the relationship of the sun, moon, and stars stopped moving. God in his infinite power and might caused it to occur.
5. What happened in Hezekiah’s moving shadow? (2 Kings 20)
2 Kings 20:8-11
Other than the basics of the particular situation, see question 4. In essence the God who created the sun and the earth could easily adjust the relationship to cause the shadow, and most likely the effective time of day, to be modified at the hands of God.
6. How could Balaam’s donkey talk? (Numbers 22)
Numbers 22:19-35
Exodus 4:10-12
2 Peter 2:15-16
The same God that created the mouth of man also created the mouth of the donkey. Notice what the scriptures say (Numbers 22:28) ‘the LORD opened the mouth of the ass’. Animals do not normally speak because the LORD has not opened their mouth, but in this case God considered it appropriate and necessary to enable the donkey to speak to Balaam in order to deliver the message of God. The donkey spoke to Balaam because of the hand and spirit of God.
7. How could Gideon defeat the Amalekite and Midianite armies with trumpets, torches, pitchers and shouting? (Judges 7)
Judges 7:12-23
Exodus 14:10-14
Deuteronomy 1:30; 3:20; 20:4
Joshua 10:25
Nehemiah 4:20
Romans 8:28-32
Gideon defeated the army of the Midianites because it was not Gideon who fought against Midian, but it was God who fought against them. The key is in Judges 7:21 “all the host ran, and cried, and fled”. The fear that the army had toward the God of Israel is incomprehensible. The knowledge that they were fighting not against Gideon and the army of Israel, but against the God of Israel was more than they could handle.
8. How could the wall of Jericho fall? (Joshua 6)
Joshua 6:1-21
Much of the answer is also in question 7. For it was not Israel who caused the wall to fall, but it was God, the creator of heaven and earth. The God who can do anything that he desires. At the command of Joshua, the blast of trumpets, and the shouts of the people, they demonstrated their faith in God to bring about what he said. As a result of their obedience, God caused the walls of Jericho to fall.
9. What really happened with Elijah and the armies of Israel? (2 Kings 1)
2 Kings 1:1-16
See also question 7. The God of all creation destroyed the captains and their fifty soldiers for they believed they were more powerful than the man of God. They had no fear of God and if God is behind you, then no man has any power over you. Remember also that God is the one who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in it. He is the one who commands the winds, rains, thunder, lightening, and all that is on the earth. Nothing is impossible for God. Therefore as Elijah commanded fire from God to destroy the soldiers, God sent fire from heaven to consume them.
10. What really happened with Elijah and the prophets of Baal? (1 Kings 18)
1 Kings 18:17-40
See also question 7-9. The same God who controlled the fire from heaven to consume disobedient and proud soldiers also controlled the fire from heaven to consume ‘prophets’ of a false god who is powerless.
11. How could Israel cross the Red Sea? (Exodus 14)
Exodus 14:10-31
Exodus 11:7
See also questions 7-11. According to scripture, God sent a powerful wind that pushed back the water and dried the land. This made an opening in the Red Sea by which Israel could walk past. Think how powerful that wind would have to be to push back such a force of water that could later drown over 600 men, horses and chariots. With a wind that strong, there is no indication that Israel had any difficulty crossing what would most likely be a head wind blowing against their progress, therefore what occurred is that God created yet another difference between Israel and the Egyptians. At the command of God, the winds blew but did not harm the people of Israel. At the command of God, the winds ceased and destroyed Egypy.
12. How could anyone come back from the dead? (Luke 24)
Luke 24:1-6, 12-16, 30-39
Acts 2:22-24
Romans 6:23 cmp Hebrews 4:15
Ezekiel 18:4
It is God who owns every soul, every person. He is the one that created our life and he can give life to who ever he wants. Jesus was perfectly sinless and thus death was incapable of maintaining its hold on him. Without sin in his life, it is impossible for him to die but God restored his life to him since his life was taken wrongly.
13. Why did the Syrian army leave Jerusalem? (2 Kings 7)
2 Kings 7:3-7
See also questions 7-12. Also see 2 Kings 7:6. God caused the Syrian’s to hear what sounded like a great army coming against them. Rather than fight the army that was apparently much greater then them, they fled and left everything behind in order to preserve their lives.
14. How did Peter escape from prison? (Acts 12)
Acts 12:1-11, 19
Luke 24:30-31
John 20:19-20
Just as Jesus could appear in a shut and locked room, he could enable Peter to leave from a shut and locked room. Notice the facts that are laid out: 1) 16 soldiers were charged with keeping track of Peter (v4). 2) Penalty of death for the escape of the prisoners, they would not have fallen asleep (v19). 3) Peter was specifically chained to two soldiers (v6). 4) Guards at the door of the prison (v6). After looking at Peter’s situation, it would seem hopeless, but notice also that Peter slept (v6). As a result of God’s desire for Peter, he released him from the chains and from the prison and through several sections or wards of the prison (v10) until they were outside the prison. None of the 16 specially charged soldiers saw Peter walk out. This is because it was the work of God and not of men. God accomplished what is seemingly an impossible feat, yet well within his power and his authority.
15. How were the Moabites destroyed? (2 Kings 3)
2 Kings 3:13-25
See also question 7-12. As a result of the obedience of the armies of Israel, Edom, and Judah, God filled the valley with water for the armies to drink, this is well within his power (See Judges 6 and Gideon’s fleece). When the Moabites saw the water, they thought they saw the blood of the armies of Israel, Edom and Judah. With no army to fight against, they were totally unprepared when they walked into their camp where God, through the Israel, Edom, and Judah armies destroyed the Moabites.
16. How was the Syrian army captured? (2 Kings 6)
2 Kings 6:8-23
See questions 7-12. God the creator of our bodies chose to blind the Syrian army to be lead to the king of Israel in Samaria where their blindness was taken away and they were thus captured by the hand of God and not by the hand of Israel or by the hand of Elisha.
17. How was the Assyrian army destroyed? (2 Kings 19)
2 Kings 19:14-37
Exodus 12:12-13
By looking at a couple of key verses: v14 – Hezekiah took the words of the enemy to God for his intervention. V18 – Hezekiah recognized that Assyria has destroyed other nations and gods, but they were only wood and stone and not the true God, which is the God of Israel. V34 – The LORD will defined Jerusalem for his own sake or purpose and for David’s sake. V35 – God sent his angel to destroy the army just like he did in Egypt.
18. How did the Disciples speak in different languages? (Acts 2)
Acts 2:1-12
See also questions 3 and 6. God the creator of every living creature placed his own spirit within the people so that they would be able to communicate His message of redemption to all that were around. Notice that all of the people did not hear idle conversation but “the wonderful works of God” (Acts 2:11).
19. How did Peter know about Ananias’ and Saphira’s deception? (Acts 5)
Acts 5:1-10
John 14:26
Specifically noticed what Peter said in verse 3 “Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost”, verse 4 “thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God”, and verse 8 “tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, “Yea, for so much.” As a child of God, an Apostle of Jesus, he had the Holy Spirit within him that knew all things and was thus able to expose the deception to Peter and hold them accountable for their words. The commandment of God is that those who lie are guilty before God of sin and subject to death. In this case, God chose to carry out the sentence immediately rather than delay his judgment until later. What a mighty lesson for the church at the time and us today.
20. How did Paul get converted? (Acts 9)
Acts 9:1-9
John 6:44, 12:32
Matthew 19:24-26
The conversion of Saul is much like the conversion of any of us, but his was more visual and clear. In Saul’s case, God intervened in a miraculous way so that he would see the Light of Jesus (just like us upon hearing the word of God) and exposed to Saul the truth of his sinfulness and his need to turn his attention and efforts toward Jesus the creator of heaven and earth, the savior of our souls.
Here we only have a few samples of the miracles recorded in scripture. When you understand the nature and character of God and the nature of scripture then it is easy to understand that what God says, he does and he is capable of doing. Trust in God, trust in his written word and follow after him. While we may never now the exact details of what happened at any particular event, we have enough information to know what God did do.