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

from the old testament

• The Hebrew words mowpheth and pala translate as “wonder” in the Old Testament. Mowpheth refers to “a splendid or remarkable work” or “miracle.” The word is used when we see the phrase “signs and wonders” in the Bible as in Deuteronomy 26:8.
• The word pala has a slightly different meaning. It means, “wondrous works” or “marvelous deeds” or to be “distinguished.” Many of the psalms, such as Psalm 75:1, use pala: “We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks, for Your name is near; men declare Your wondrous works (pala)” (NASB, 1995). God’s wonders are far greater than any human reaches of power or ability. He is a God of wonders.
• “God of wonders” means that the Lord does what is impossible either for us or according to observed laws of nature. Solomon noted that only God can perform wonders. He said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things” (Psalm 72:18). This means that even when humans did wonders, it was God, not the man, who was performing them.
• The Old Testament gives numerous examples of God’s wonders, which served four key purposes: to authenticate His messengers, reveal His glory, deliver His people, and bring judgment on His enemies:
• Authenticating His Messengers: When Pharaoh refused to listen, God told Aaron to throw down his staff, which became a serpent—showing it was God working through him (Exodus 7:9–10). Later, Elijah challenged Baal’s prophets by calling down fire from heaven. After drenching the altar, Elijah prayed, and “the fire of the LORD fell” (1 Kings 18:34–38), proving he was God’s true prophet.
• Revealing His Glory: God first revealed His glory to Moses through a bush that burned but wasn’t consumed (Exodus 3:2–3). Later, through ten plagues, God showed He was greater than Egypt’s gods (Exodus 7–12), demonstrating His unmatched power and glory.
• Delivering His People: When trapped between the sea and Pharaoh’s army, God told Moses to part the waters, and the Israelites crossed on dry ground. God destroyed the Egyptians and saved His people (Exodus 14:16, 30). In the wilderness, He miraculously provided food for forty years—first with quail (Exodus 16:12–13) and then with manna daily until they reached Canaan (Exodus 16:35).
• Judging His Enemies: God judged the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by raining down fire and brimstone, destroying them completely (Genesis 19:24–25). Later, when Korah rebelled against Moses, the earth opened and swallowed the rebels alive—then closed again—causing terror among the people (Numbers 16:31–34).
• God showed that He alone does wonders, defying what is naturally possible and revealing His power, justice, and care. Even Nebuchadnezzar, a pagan king, confessed: “How great are His signs and how mighty are His wonders!” (Daniel 4:3).

from the new testament

• Jesus, the Son of God, came also performing wonders. His wonders prompted praise in some and envy in others—but they were unmistakable (Matthew 21:15).
• Like the Old Testament, the New Testament is filled with wonders, but the focus shifts to Jesus. These wonders served to show that 1) Jesus is the Son of God, 2) Jesus is the promised Messiah, and 3) to authenticate the apostles and their message about Him:
• Jesus is the Son of God: Jesus forgave a paralytic’s sins and then healed him to prove His authority to forgive sins—something only God can do (Mark 2:7–11). Nicodemus, a Pharisee, recognized Jesus’ miraculous signs as proof that He came from God (John 3:2), which eventually led to a deeper understanding of Jesus’ divine identity (John 19:39–40).
• Jesus is the Messiah: Fulfillment of Messianic prophecy is demonstrated through Jesus’ miracles, including healing the blind, lame, lepers, and raising the dead—signs foretold in Isaiah 53 and confirmed when Jesus told John the Baptist’s followers to report these wonders as evidence of His Messiahship (Luke 7:21–22; cf. Isaiah 53:5–6; ).
• Authenticating the Apostles: Just as Jesus authenticated Himself through miracles, His apostles confirmed their divine commission by performing signs and wonders. After Ananias and Sapphira’s judgment instilled fear (Acts 5:1–11), “many signs and wonders” were done through the apostles (Acts 5:12). Paul also pointed to miracles as proof of his apostolic authority (2 Corinthians 12:12). The God of wonders revealed Jesus and authenticated His witnesses.
• John ended his Gospel saying, “there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25). Apparently there are many wonders that Jesus did that we just do not know. However, John recorded what He did “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). However, while wonders are fascinating, they are not the “main thing.” Rather, they were done to show us who God is and to point us to Jesus as the only way for salvation.

implications for today

To say that God is a God of wonders is to say that He is not tame, boring, or distant. He acts in ways that shake the proud (Psalm 33:10), deliver the vulnerable (Psalm 146:7), and inspire worship (Psalm 95:6). His wonders are meant to reveal who He is and draw us into worship, not just give us stories to admire. This truth humbles us. It reminds us that God’s work in the world is not limited to what we can predict or control. He is not bound by scientific probability or human planning. When God acts, He leaves no doubt that He alone is God.

At the same time, we must be cautious not to chase after signs and wonders for their own sake. Jesus warned that some seek miracles but have no desire for the truth they point to (Matthew 12:38-42). Genuine faith trusts in God’s character, whether or not it sees the extraordinary.

Still, we should not dismiss the possibility of God doing great things today. While the foundational signs of redemptive history are complete, God may still act in striking ways for His glory. Every answered prayer, every conversion, every moment of divine intervention is a fresh testimony that the God of wonders is still at work. May we respond as Scripture commands—not merely with amazement, but with reverence, faith, and joyful praise.