What does it mean that God is a God of miracles?

Answer

God is a God of miracles: “You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples” «Thou art the God that doest wonders: Thou hast declared thy strength among the people. », (Psalm 77:14). Who can study the universe and doubt His power in creation? Who can study the history of Israel and fail to see His providential arrangement of events? In contrast to the handiwork of the God of miracles, the work of man is insignificant and trivial. God does marvelous things, and He does them all with His own power, with no help from others.

The Bible uses three main words to refer to a miracle: sign, wonder, and power. These three words help us better understand what the phrase God of miracles means. Basically, a miracle is an act of God beyond human understanding that displays God’s power, inspires wonder in humans, and acts as a sign that God is at work in the world.

From a human perspective, a miracle of God is an extraordinary or unnatural event (a wonder) that reveals or confirms a specific message (a sign) through a mighty work (power). From the God of miracle’s vantage point, a miracle is nothing extraordinary or unnatural. It is simply a divine display of His might (power) that attracts the attention of humans (a wonder) to His Word or His purposes (a sign).

The God of miracles uses supernatural power to reveal Himself to people on earth. The Greek word translated “miracle” is dunamis (the root of our word dynamite) and means “power.” God’s miracles often defy or overpower the laws of nature, but not always. God can also work within nature to perform a miracle. When God parted the Red Sea, He used a powerful wind: “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided”«And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. », (Exodus 14:21). God does not use miracles merely to authenticate Himself to people, but to reveal Himself to those with eyes of faith to perceive.

The God of miracles performs extraordinary wonders to seize people’s attention. The exceptional, supernatural nature of God’s miracles demands our attention. When the Lord caused a bush to burn without being consumed, Moses took notice: “The angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that although the bush was on fire, it did not burn up. So Moses thought, ‘I will go over and see this unusual sight—why the bush does not burn up.’ When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ And Moses said, ‘Here I am’” (Exodus 3:2-4). The marvel of it all sparked Moses’ interest and led him to a place where he was prepared to receive God’s message.

The God of miracles employs signs to communicate a message or unveil truth. Those who seek signs often desire entertainment, like Herod in Luke 23:8. However, God never performs miracles for our amusement; they always have a purpose. Their ultimate goal is to glorify God. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He affirmed this purpose: “Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me’” (John 11:40-42). Then Jesus called Lazarus back from the dHeaded to life. Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary witnessed this astounding miracle. Consequently, they placed their faith in Christ and acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus demonstrated to the disciples, and the world, that He has authority over death (verses 43–45).

The power discloses the origin of the miracle: God. The marvel unveils the essence of the miracle: marvelous, awe-inspiring, deserving of attention. The sign discloses the intention of the miracle: to affirm a message or convey a truth.

The Bible depicts God as a God of wonders, a God who has manifested His power to us and is deserving of praise: “Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds” «Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only doeth wondrous things. », (Psalm 72:18). His miracles proclaim His complete dominion over nature, events, people, and forces. His miracles unveil who God is and awaken humans to His presence and the presence of His Kingdom. God operates through miracles to reveal His glory, affirm His message, and convey His intentions and truths to those who perceive Him with eyes of faith. His most remarkable miracle is that He bestowed His one and only Son to become a man who, through His sacrificial death on the cross, conquered the power of death through resurrection. Jesus paid the ultimate price, the penalty for our sin, and accomplished the miracle of salvation.