Miracles

[thinkfreelivefree]

I was watching the news today, mostly negative stuff, and I began to think about miracles. During the biblical times, miracles, often in front of large numbers, seemed to happen on a regular basis. Members here often bring up all the miracles Christ/God performed as a integral part of why they believe what they do. Those miracles, however, are usually isolated to the Bible.
Moving on to contemporary times, "miracles" do not happen the way they did back then. Meaning, "miracles" are often isolated to a single person (seeing the Virgin Mary in a piece of toast, being the only survivor of a crash) or a small group of people, easily disprovable at times or often presented without proof of it being an actual miracle, rather an elaborate hoax (faith healers, crop circles, etc..). Why aren't there "mass miracles" anymore such as the hand of God parting the Red Sea or anything that could be witnessed by hundreds of thousands or even millions of people? Even something that could be recorded and shown to the world. Should miracles be considered history since they do not happen anymore?
Thanks for reading.

 

[HypnoToad]

Most of the miracles in Scripture served the specific purpose of verifying that a message was from God. God's revelation is complete, He has already given His message. Since the main reason for miracles is over with, we'd expect to not really see them anymore.

 

[thinkfreelivefree]

Most of the miracles in Scripture served the specific purpose of verifying that a message was from God. God's revelation is complete, He has already given His message. Since the main reason for miracles is over with, we'd expect to not really see them anymore.

I may be wrong (and I'm off to search) but doesn't the Bible mention miracles of the future? I may be thinking of the prophecies...

 

[ebia]

I was watching the news today, mostly negative stuff, and I began to think about miracles. During the biblical times, miracles, often in front of large numbers, seemed to happen on a regular basis. Members here often bring up all the miracles Christ/God performed as a integral part of why they believe what they do. Those miracles, however, are usually isolated to the Bible.
Moving on to contemporary times, "miracles" do not happen the way they did back then. Meaning, "miracles" are often isolated to a single person (seeing the Virgin Mary in a piece of toast, being the only survivor of a crash) or a small group of people, easily disprovable at times or often presented without proof of it being an actual miracle, rather an elaborate hoax (faith healers, crop circles, etc..). Why aren't there "mass miracles" anymore such as the hand of God parting the Red Sea or anything that could be witnessed by hundreds of thousands or even millions of people? Even something that could be recorded and shown to the world. Should miracles be considered history since they do not happen anymore?
Thanks for reading.

Miracles (in the sense of things 'out of the ordinary course', so to speak) happen for a purpose. For instance those performed by Jesus are an integral part of his teaching and demonstrating the future kingdom. For the most part that's not the sort of miracle currently required.

 

[HypnoToad]

I may be wrong (and I'm off to search) but doesn't the Bible mention miracles of the future? I may be thinking of the prophecies...

I said "most", not "all".

 

[Whitestone]

If there were large spread miracles it may force non believers into following Jesus. G-d wants people to come to Him of their own free will. Not by the use of fear, force, or grand parlor tricks.

 

[tapero]

I was watching the news today, mostly negative stuff, and I began to think about miracles. During the biblical times, miracles, often in front of large numbers, seemed to happen on a regular basis. Members here often bring up all the miracles Christ/God performed as a integral part of why they believe what they do. Those miracles, however, are usually isolated to the Bible.
Moving on to contemporary times, "miracles" do not happen the way they did back then. Meaning, "miracles" are often isolated to a single person (seeing the Virgin Mary in a piece of toast, being the only survivor of a crash) or a small group of people, easily disprovable at times or often presented without proof of it being an actual miracle, rather an elaborate hoax (faith healers, crop circles, etc..). Why aren't there "mass miracles" anymore such as the hand of God parting the Red Sea or anything that could be witnessed by hundreds of thousands or even millions of people? Even something that could be recorded and shown to the world. Should miracles be considered history since they do not happen anymore?
Thanks for reading.

Excluding the toast bit, which is not a miracle is what people think something looks like;

Many miracles do occur, and mainly in persecuted countries where the church is spreading as same as occured in Acts is occuring in such lands.

Often read of miracles occuring to missionaries as well.

Also there are Christians who have experienced miracles.

It appears in the bible God gave them at least in nt, to show that Jesus is God as well as apostles were given power to perform miracles. This appears to be past and does not occur today; men are not giving what apostles are given, tho may occur, but again in persecuted countries. Read of healings and no one lays a hand for the one to be healed; God heals.

We also know from ot and nt that there are those with demonic abilities so it's important people (mainly non c's) are not decieved by those who by demonic abilities do things. However they will be decieved as is talked about during the tribulation time.

And are being decieved in general without miracles due to the lies and deception of satan to keep men from God.

I'll never forget my pastor saying; if God wrote in the stars clearly so that when we looked up at the stars it was written Jesus is the way the truth, believe in Him for salvation, that many would say its a coincidence etc.

God performed many many miracles in OT for the Hebrews, and still they did not put their faith in God, even tho God was manifested and was with them.

Same with Jesus, they accused him of doing miracles and said was by demons, and many did not believe because of the miracles Jesus performed.

So miracles have a part, but didn't do the Hebrews who turned away in disbelief of God in the OT, so anyway, the miracle we can count on is if we believe in Christ, we are saved, and when one is saved, one surely realizes such is indeed a miracle that one was saved.

As for me, to ever come to Christ, it's a miracle.

Blessings,
tapero

 

[heron]

Many miracles do occur, and mainly in persecuted countries where the church is spreading as same as occured in Acts is occuring in such lands.

Often read of miracles occuring to missionaries as well.

Also there are Christians who have experienced miracles.

Actually, I think of it in the opposite way -- I hear of so many more miracles in daily lives of my Christian friends than the number shown in the Bible. Think about the time frame -- some Old Testament stories are hundreds of years apart.

Here's a contemporary well-documented one, for example. Members from opposing sides were interviewed on film.

During the Six-Day War, Israeli soldiers were cornered by Arab soldiers, when suddenly the Arab troops turned and ran. When intervewed later, the Arabs had said they saw a large vision of Abraham -- who they also consider their forefather -- and were afraid to go ahead with their plans.

Millions of contemporary people have visions that have served a purpose.... a surprising percentage of people get healed through prayer. It's not something worth debating, but certainly worth exploring!

I would suggest you visit the dreams and vision forum, just for a small sampling of people who expect God to work in their daily lives.

 

[gaara4158]

This topic came up on a facebook debate, and here's what i said then:
God doesn't necessarily answer all life-saving prayers because A) the wages of sin is death, so if all it took was a quick desperate prayer to prolong your life into eternity, Jesus's sacrifice would have been pointless and the wages of sin really wouldn't be death, making God a liar, B) God tends to work within the realms of scientific possibility when causing miracles, such as utilizing the wind, causing an earthquake, making a gallon of gas last longer than it should, etc. because too many extraordinary, supernatural events and we have proof that God exists, making it impossible to have faith by definition, and C) If God answered all prayers, nobody would do anything. They'd just sit around waiting for a miracle. There would be no doctors, no firemen, no inventors, nothing. We'd all still be cavemen wishing for a fire to appear every time we got cold. We don't know what we want; God knows what we want, and that's why God sometimes answers our prayers "no".

 

[heron]

B) God tends to work within the realms of scientific possibility when causing miracles ...
C) If God answered all prayers, nobody would do anything. They'd just sit around waiting for a miracle.

Good answers.

Even though the scientific range seems like a cop-out, it's not -- some of the miracles of the Old Testament are realizing scientific explanations. The timing of these was impeccable. God alerted people ahead of time, so even if there were natural occurences, God knew exactly when they would happen, and how they could help people.

Think about the Red Sea parting -- even if it was a tidal wave or wind banking against sandbars or whatever, it allowed 2 million people to cross water, and prevented the opponents from crossing. If God created natural laws and processes, then who better to use them!

 

[gaara4158]

yeah exactly, these atheists coming up with the explanations for the miracles aren't debunking them, but simply explaining the details.

 

[heron]

explanations for the miracles aren't debunking them, but simply explaining the details.

I think they're very interesting. And useful. It makes it seem much easier to ask God for help when you don't have to expect something that no one will believe.

Silly me.

 

[Merlin]

Miracles still happen.
Unless you're there though, you won't hear about it.
It goes against the agenda of the mass media.

 

[tapero]

Actually, I think of it in the opposite way -- I hear of so many more miracles in daily lives of my Christian friends than the number shown in the Bible. Think about the time frame -- some Old Testament stories are hundreds of years apart.

Here's a contemporary well-documented one, for example. Members from opposing sides were interviewed on film.

During the Six-Day War, Israeli soldiers were cornered by Arab soldiers, when suddenly the Arab troops turned and ran. When intervewed later, the Arabs had said they saw a large vision of Abraham -- who they also consider their forefather -- and were afraid to go ahead with their plans.

Millions of contemporary people have visions that have served a purpose.... a surprising percentage of people get healed through prayer. It's not something worth debating, but certainly worth exploring!

I would suggest you visit the dreams and vision forum, just for a small sampling of people who expect God to work in their daily lives.

hi, I didn't say they don't occur in every day lives, just that much more so heard about in persecuted countries.