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

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

A miracle is an extraordinary act of God that defies normal expectations of nature or circumstance. God is not bound by the laws of nature because He made creation and its “laws.” Throughout Scripture, He works miracles to glorify Himself, rescue His people, validate His messengers, and accomplish His redemptive plan. Therefore, miracles are not random displays of power but purposeful signs that point to God’s character and will. In the Old Testament, they often accompanied deliverance, such as the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14), or judgment, such as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1-29). In the New Testament, they marked the arrival of the Messiah (Luke 1–2) and the foundation of the church (Acts 2). These acts were never ends in themselves—they testified to greater truths. God is still able to work miracles today, but He does so according to His own wisdom and timing. Miracles are never guaranteed or normative, and claims of them must always be tested against the truth of Scripture. The primary miracle still happening today is the miracle of salvation, the spiritual resurrection of a sinner. It is the greatest display of His supernatural power.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• No specific Bible passage calls God the “God of miracles.” However, the idea is found throughout Scripture. A miracle, by definition, is something that defies expectations of the natural order of things. We consider it supernatural because it “violates” the observed natural laws. However, because God created and sustains everything (Genesis 1:1) He created the “natural laws” and can change them at will. So, when we talk about God being a God of miracles, we mean that He does what is impossible either for us or according to observed laws of nature.
• The Old Testament shows many miracles, each serving key purposes: 1) authenticating God’s messengers, 2) revealing His glory, 3) delivering His people, and 4) bringing judgment. For example, Aaron’s staff turning into a serpent confirmed God’s message to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:9–10), and Elijah’s fire consuming a water-drenched altar proved his prophetic authority (1 Kings 18:34–38). God revealed His glory to Moses through the burning bush that was not consumed (Exodus 3:2–3) and demonstrated His power over Egypt’s gods via the ten plagues (Exodus 7–12). God delivered Israel by parting the Red Sea, saving them and defeating the Egyptians (Exodus 14:16, 30), and miraculously provided food in the wilderness for 40 years with quail and manna (Exodus 16:12–13, 35). He judged enemies like Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone (Genesis 19:24–25) and destroyed Korah’s rebellion by opening the earth to swallow the rebels (Numbers 16:31b–33). These and many other miracles show that God sovereignly does what is impossible by natural means to fulfill His purposes.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• In the New Testament, miracles serve distinct purposes focused on Jesus: to prove 1) He is the Son of God, 2) He is the Messiah, and 3) to authenticate His apostles. Jesus demonstrated His divine authority by forgiving and healing a paralytic, showing He alone can forgive sins (Mark 2:7–11). Nicodemus recognized Jesus’ miracles as proof He came from God, eventually understanding His true identity (John 3:2; John 19:39–40). Jesus fulfilled Messianic prophecy by healing the blind, lame, lepers, deaf, raising the dead, and preaching the gospel, confirming He is the promised Messiah (Isaiah 53:4-5; Luke 7:21–22).
• The apostles also performed miracles to authenticate their message and authority from Jesus. After Ananias and Sapphira’s judgment, many signs and wonders were done through the apostles, inspiring awe and fear (Acts 5:1–12). Paul defended his apostleship by citing the miracles he performed as evidence of his divine commission (2 Corinthians 12:12). These miracles confirmed Jesus and His messengers as God’s true representatives.
• 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). Even though we know only a small number of the miracles Jesus performed, 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). While miracles 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

Believing that God is a God of miracles doesn’t mean we expect Him to give us a miracle whenever we want one. It means that we trust that He can and does act in extraordinary ways to fulfill His perfect will. What a great thought it is that we serve a God who is not confined by natural limits!

As we think about God’s miracles, however, we should temper our expectations. Scripture never promised miraculous interventions today. In fact, even though the Bible recorded many miracles, they were each done for the specific purpose of glorifying God and proving that Jesus is who He says He is. God is fully capable of doing anything He wants, including doing a miracle today. However, far more often, He sustains and grows us through trials rather than making our problems disappear (James 1:2–4). Either way, His power is at work.

Besides, our faith should not rest on miracles but on the unshakable Word of God, which Peter called even “more fully confirmed” than seeing something awesome (2 Peter 1:19). Certainly, we should rejoice when God heals or rescues someone, but we should rejoice even more in the subtle, daily miracle of transformed hearts and lives through the gospel.

The God of miracles humbles us. Everything—salvation, sanctification, and the Church’s growth—are not the result of natural processes. Instead, they are supernatural works of grace. This reminds us that our confidence should not be in what we can do, but in what God has done and still does by His mighty hand.

UNDERSTAND

• God sovereignly intervenes in creation through miracles that defy natural laws because He created and sustains those laws.
• Biblical miracles serve key purposes, showing that God is truly a God of miracles.
• While God can still perform miracles today, His greatest ongoing miracle is the spiritual transformation and salvation of sinners, and our faith should rest on Scripture rather than miraculous signs.

REFLECT

• How does knowing that God sovereignly controls miracles affect your trust in His power and plan?
• When have you experienced or witnessed God’s miraculous work that deepened your faith?
• How do you balance hoping for miracles with trusting God’s timing and purpose in your daily life?

ENGAGE

• Why are miracles powerful yet not solely sufficient for our faith?
• How do miracles recorded in the Bible or today help us understand God’s character and mission through Jesus?
• How can we encourage one another to rely on God’s Word and character rather than solely on miraculous signs for our faith?