When something amazing happens we often say, “it was a miracle,” when in reality it probably was not a miracle even though it was really amazing.
“Miracle” is a technical term in the Bible and Biblical miracles are rarely seen today, but amazing things are often seen today, so let’s consider the difference.
An amazing thing is something that happens that we would refer to as a “close call” or a “near miss” or an “if” moment. If it would have been one more second longer or if it would have been one inch closer there would have been a disaster. “If” moments are amazing but not miracles.
How about two people the same age with the same robust health and lifestyle both being diagnosed with the same type of stage four cancer at the same time? One year passes with both receiving the same medical treatment. One goes home completely healed and the other goes to the funeral home. It is amazing that one was healed with treatment, but not a miracle. If a miracle would have occurred then no medical intervention would have been administered and either one or both would have been healed completely and immediately. The medical community then confirms the miraculous healing.
A Biblical miracle is something that God does that supersedes natural processes, natural time and natural order and can be observed as a drastic and immediate change. When Jesus turned water into wine, his first recorded miracle, it transcended natural process and time.
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When the man born blind was healed his vision returned immediately. When the crippled man was healed, he immediately took up his bed and walked. The storm at sea stopped suddenly. In the Old Testament there are also many recorded miracles, things that happened defying the natural process of time and interrupting nature, like during the crossing of the Jordan river.
I used to say it is a miracle that I am still alive because I have had, like most of you I’m sure, my share of close calls. Now I say it is amazing I am still alive. God has been very gracious to me. A miracle is a technical Biblical term. It refers to an event that happens immediately and completely, rather than an event that takes the normal time and energy to happen.
I will also address the hype of some present-day preachers promoting the “Health and Wealth and Healing” teachings and calling it “Gospel” or “Bible” or “Miracle” phenomena. In large part it is a distraction from the solid core teachings of the Bible and the miracles recorded in the Bible. We are to be holding Jesus up front and center and to be declaring that heaven is only attained by believing in Him. However, even though I am not a supporter of some of these things, I rest in God’s grace, trusting Him to use all ministries for His glory.
God is amazing; we have all noticed the amazing things that happen. God also does miracles at times but for the most part what we observe in these days are not miracles of God, rather they are amazing things of God. There were seasons of miracles in the Bible — Moses and the Exodus, Elijah and Elisha, Jesus and the Apostles, and there will be one more to come in the final days. In between those times God did a lot of amazing things along with some miracles, during Daniel’s time for instance. We are currently in an “in between” time while we wait for the return of Jesus.
Let’s keep our eyes open to see the amazing things God is doing and who knows, we may at times even see a Biblical miracle.
