Topical Encyclopedia In the biblical narrative, miracles are extraordinary events that manifest divine intervention in human affairs. Throughout Scripture, individuals who performed miracles consistently disclaimed any power of their own, attributing the miraculous acts to God. This acknowledgment underscores the biblical principle that God is the ultimate source of power and authority.Moses and Aaron Moses, one of the most prominent figures in the Old Testament, performed numerous miracles during the Exodus. Despite his role, Moses consistently attributed these acts to God. When confronted by Pharaoh, Moses and Aaron performed signs and wonders, yet it was clear that these were acts of God. In Exodus 7:17 , God declares, "By this you will know that I am the LORD: With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood." Moses and Aaron acted as instruments of God's will, emphasizing that the power was not their own. Elijah and Elisha The prophets Elijah and Elisha also performed miracles, yet they too disclaimed personal power. Elijah, for instance, called down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel to demonstrate the power of the true God over the prophets of Baal. In 1 Kings 18:36-37 , Elijah prays, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so that this people will know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again." Elijah's prayer highlights his role as a servant and God's sovereignty in performing the miracle. Elisha, Elijah's successor, performed many miracles, including the raising of the Shunammite's son. In 2 Kings 4:32-33 , Elisha enters the room, prays to the LORD, and then performs the miracle, indicating his reliance on God's power rather than his own. Jesus Christ In the New Testament, Jesus Christ performed numerous miracles, yet He consistently pointed to His Father as the source of His power. In John 5:19 , Jesus states, "Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does." Jesus' miracles served as signs of His divine authority and His unity with the Father, yet He humbly acknowledged that His works were in accordance with the Father's will. The Apostles The apostles, empowered by the Holy Spirit, performed miracles in the early church. However, they too disclaimed any personal power. In Acts 3:12-13 , after healing a lame man, Peter addresses the crowd, saying, "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus." Peter's words make it clear that the miracle was a testament to Jesus' power and glory, not the apostles' own abilities. Paul The Apostle Paul also performed miracles, yet he was quick to attribute them to God. In Acts 14:8-15 , after healing a man in Lystra, the crowd attempted to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods. Paul responded by tearing his clothes and declaring, "Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them." Paul's reaction underscores his commitment to directing glory to God alone. Throughout Scripture, those who performed miracles consistently disclaimed any power of their own, directing all glory and honor to God. This pattern reinforces the biblical truth that God is the ultimate source of all miraculous works, and His servants are merely vessels through which His power is displayed. Torrey's Topical Textbook Acts 3:12And when Peter saw it, he answered to the people, You men of Israel, why marvel you at this? or why look you so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? Torrey's Topical Textbook Library The Healing Power of the Name The Counsel of Gamaliel. Abraham, his Trial in Egypt; his Humility According to which principle or hypothesis all the objections ... The Herald of the King Resources What does it mean that God is a God of miracles? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the spiritual gift of miracles? | GotQuestions.org What does the Bible say about demonic/satanic miracles? | GotQuestions.org Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit of Different Kinds Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit were not to Be: Despised Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit were not to Be: Neglected Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit were not to Be: Purchased Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit were to be Sought After Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Christ Was Endued With Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Communicated by the Laying on of the Apostles' Hands Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Communicated for the Confirmation of the Gospel Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Communicated for the Edification of the Church Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Communicated: Upon the Preaching of the Gospel Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Counterfeited by Antichrist Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Dispensed According to his Sovereign Will Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Enumerated Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Foretold Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Might be Possessed Without Saving Grace Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Poured out on the Day of Pentecost Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Temporary Nature of Related Terms |
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