the unique role of miracles in the bible

THE UNIQUE ROLE OF MIRACLES IN THE BIBLE

There are three unique role of miracles in the bible.

FIRST- The first miracle was that of Moses and Joshua. That period lasted the Exodus to about 1445 B.C. through the career of Joshua that ended in about 1380 B. C. . In other words that first period of miracle lasted about 65 years.

SECOND- The second wonder started, when miracles were common during the ministries of Elijah and Elisha. Putting again the biblical chronology together, they ministered from about 800 B.C, until 795 B.C. . Again a period of only 65 years

THIRD- The third time of miracle was with Christ and His Apostles. Obviously, it began with Christ's ministry and lasted at the very longest, until the death of the Apostles. Again a period of about 65 years , from about 30 A.D. to about 95 A.D.

Looking at these three unique role of miracles in the bible, it is only obvious that God had showed miracles for a total time of about 165 years, out of 6017 years, God dealing with people on earth.

From Adam to Moses ------------------------2500 years+/-

From Moses to Malachi ----------------------1100 years +/-

From Malachi to birth of Christ-------------- 400 years +/-

From birth of Christ to present -------------2017 years +/-

Total number of years------------------------6017 years +/-

Obviously, after the bible was completely written, God ceased to show His unique role of miracles to people like He did to Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, and finally like what Jesus and the Apostles did in the new testament.

It does not mean that God never do miracles in our time. He does. But if He does it is rare and very different than the 3 unique role of miracles in the bible.

Unfortunately, there are some people today who are very desperate to raise money for their ministry, even by using the bible for miracles, only to blaspheme God. The most favorite verses they use is in ( Acts 19:11-12) - It says- " God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that have touched him (Paul) were taken to the sick, and their illness were cured and the evil spirits left them". This is the only incident in the bible, like this, that ever took place including the day we live. It is almost blasphemous for anyone to sent out a little handkerchief and claim there is power in it.

Today, this is a very popular gimmick of the prosperity gospel ministries to raise funds for their church. They would tell their members that the handkerchief they send could heal if only they believed. My friend, there will be no power whatsoever on the handkerchief without God.

If you read (Acts 19:11-12) again - God did extraordinary miracles through Paul and the handkerchiefs or aprons that have touched him where taken to the sick and their illness were cured and the evil spirits left them. The handkerchiefs or aprons were actually, we could call them sweat cloths. Paul used them as he worked. Remember that Paul was a tentmaker and this time was in a warm weather. While he was working, he would be perspiring. He would use these cloths to wipe his face. They were dirty. They had perspiration from Paul's body on them. People would come and pick these dirty cloths and would be healed of their diseases.

In that area there were the mystery religions which used white garment and emphasized that everything must be very clean and white. Everything had to be right and just. It seems that God was rebuking all of that sort of thing. He used these dirty sweaty cloths to heal people. This reveals the extraordinary power that was granted to the apostle Paul.

I truly believe that the 3 unique role of miracles in the bible cannot be duplicated because they are extraordinary. They are having no like or equal. They are unparallel. They are the one and only. All the unique role of miracles in the bible came from God alone, with one specific purpose, that is why they cannot be duplicated.

At this time, I would like to give some examples of authentic miracles that I heard from other people's story.

(1)--A man who was a mountain climber, while he was climbing to the peak of the mountain, fell from the top. And before reaching the ground, he felt that somebody was carrying him to the ground and nothing happen to him. This Is a miracle.

(2)--A group of missionaries in South America where being pursued, to be captured by the bandits, because they want to rob them. Before sundown they were cornered against the wall and they cannot move anywhere. They were waiting for the bandits to capture them. The bandits were looking at them but they could not see them. One of the bandits said " I feel they are around us but I could not see them". They were saved by God . This is a miracle.

(3)--When two cars are about to collide in the street intersection, one car flew over the other one, and the passengers were astonished to what happen, and they did not know what to do except to thank God. This is a miracle.

(4)--There was a story of a missionary woman , somewhere in Eastern Continent, when one day she commuted from the town, passing a jungle, to her residing village. At night she rested in the jungle to sleep, because she still had a long way to her residing village. Without her knowledge, a group of people followed to rob her. When she was already sleeping, these group of people were ready to attack her and rob her, but they were frightened when they saw numbers of giant people guarding her . So the robbers left the place because they got scared. The next day, when the missionary went to town again, somebody approached her who was one of the robbers. He told her the story about what happened that night . The missionary woman answered, she was all alone the whole night in the jungle.

When the missionary woman came back to her mother church, somewhere in America, she told her story during the prayer meeting. When she was asked about what time the incident occurred, the time she gave was exactly the same time while they were praying for her. Meaning, the incidence occurred on the same time on both places. Also, the number of people who were praying for her, at that time. are the same number of people who were guarding her during the incidence. This is a miracle.

Written by Osmundo S. Sabado

Edited by Orman L. Sabado