Miracles, Signs and Wonders
"Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But
he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation
seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the
sign of the prophet Jonas" [Matthew 12:38,39]
Today, in our churches there is a tendency to encourage the people of God to seek and to "claim" divine miracles and blessings. I'm not exactly sure why we think that is the way to go since Jesus clearly says that seekers of "signs" (semeion: an indication, especially ceremonially or supernaturally -- miracle, sign, token, wonder) are a "wicked and adulterous generation. Yet, if God's people are not actively chasing miracles they are deemed faithless--according to Jesus, just the opposite is true.
Miracles aren't bad, but they have a distinct purpose, and they are not for the comfort of those who already believe--it could be that we will experience them, but they must not be our personal goal. The goal should always be that men might believe. If we would take these final words of John's 20th chapter to heart, we would understand that: "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." That is the purpose of miracles (or "signs"); that those who don't believe yet, might be drawn to Him (through the vehicle of signs, wonders and miracles) and believe and have eternal life through His Name. Jesus confirmed this truth again in John 9, saying that the miracle He was about to perform on the blind man had nothing to do with his sin or his parents, "but that the works of God should be manifest in Him". It worked, too. In verse 8, the neighbors asked, "Is not this he that sat and begged?" It got their attention.
If miracles aren't for believers, directly (we could benefit, though if unbelievers are in our midst who need to see the Hand of God to believe), what does God have for us?
God has reserved something far greater and more precious for His children who already believe, that the world cannot receive or understand. They can only grasp the super/natural because it is natural--a heightened natural, but still natural, tangible and relatable to non-spiritual beings. Like parables they can be grasped and believed with the mind and the eye, while spiritual truths cannot be understood this way. The supernatural is merely a heightened aspect of the natural, earthly and carnal. When the disciples asked Jesus why he spoke to the multitudes in parables, He answered, "because they seeing see not; and hearing hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear." [Matthew 13:13b-16]. Jesus used the tools of parables and miracles in the same way and essentially for the same purpose--to maximize the understanding and experience of those He ministered to, that they might see and believe in Him.
What we have is so much more precious and powerful, but often we cast it aside and settle for the supernatural and earthy things that are purposed for unbelievers. The spiritual and eternal things of God that cannot be corrupted or seen with the natural eye or destroyed by man's hands--or even the enemy belong to us ("But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14). We spend very little time talking about them or focusing our attention on them--our focus is on physical health, wealth and prosperity--all temporal and corruptible things; and it is very grievous to God and to those who recognize the error--it is painful.
Jesus asked the man whose focus was like today's "church" in Luke 12 (who was busy amassing wealth and securing his future, too), who would have those things when his soul was required of him? We are to be "rich towards God", not "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life". We have twisted God's Word to suit our desire for earthly gain; even, in fact, taking a simple (very common) greeting between friends to be a declaration that God wants us to have earthly health and prosperity "even as thy soul prospereth". John simply wanted Gaius to have a safe and blessed journey; much like we say: "Be blessed!" or "Have a great day!" It doesn't mean that it will go that way, but we hope it will, right? We take this so literally (in error), but not this: "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator." [1 Peter 4:12-19]
Today, in our churches there is a tendency to encourage the people of God to seek and to "claim" divine miracles and blessings. I'm not exactly sure why we think that is the way to go since Jesus clearly says that seekers of "signs" (semeion: an indication, especially ceremonially or supernaturally -- miracle, sign, token, wonder) are a "wicked and adulterous generation. Yet, if God's people are not actively chasing miracles they are deemed faithless--according to Jesus, just the opposite is true.
Miracles aren't bad, but they have a distinct purpose, and they are not for the comfort of those who already believe--it could be that we will experience them, but they must not be our personal goal. The goal should always be that men might believe. If we would take these final words of John's 20th chapter to heart, we would understand that: "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." That is the purpose of miracles (or "signs"); that those who don't believe yet, might be drawn to Him (through the vehicle of signs, wonders and miracles) and believe and have eternal life through His Name. Jesus confirmed this truth again in John 9, saying that the miracle He was about to perform on the blind man had nothing to do with his sin or his parents, "but that the works of God should be manifest in Him". It worked, too. In verse 8, the neighbors asked, "Is not this he that sat and begged?" It got their attention.
If miracles aren't for believers, directly (we could benefit, though if unbelievers are in our midst who need to see the Hand of God to believe), what does God have for us?
God has reserved something far greater and more precious for His children who already believe, that the world cannot receive or understand. They can only grasp the super/natural because it is natural--a heightened natural, but still natural, tangible and relatable to non-spiritual beings. Like parables they can be grasped and believed with the mind and the eye, while spiritual truths cannot be understood this way. The supernatural is merely a heightened aspect of the natural, earthly and carnal. When the disciples asked Jesus why he spoke to the multitudes in parables, He answered, "because they seeing see not; and hearing hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear." [Matthew 13:13b-16]. Jesus used the tools of parables and miracles in the same way and essentially for the same purpose--to maximize the understanding and experience of those He ministered to, that they might see and believe in Him.
What we have is so much more precious and powerful, but often we cast it aside and settle for the supernatural and earthy things that are purposed for unbelievers. The spiritual and eternal things of God that cannot be corrupted or seen with the natural eye or destroyed by man's hands--or even the enemy belong to us ("But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14). We spend very little time talking about them or focusing our attention on them--our focus is on physical health, wealth and prosperity--all temporal and corruptible things; and it is very grievous to God and to those who recognize the error--it is painful.
Jesus asked the man whose focus was like today's "church" in Luke 12 (who was busy amassing wealth and securing his future, too), who would have those things when his soul was required of him? We are to be "rich towards God", not "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life". We have twisted God's Word to suit our desire for earthly gain; even, in fact, taking a simple (very common) greeting between friends to be a declaration that God wants us to have earthly health and prosperity "even as thy soul prospereth". John simply wanted Gaius to have a safe and blessed journey; much like we say: "Be blessed!" or "Have a great day!" It doesn't mean that it will go that way, but we hope it will, right? We take this so literally (in error), but not this: "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator." [1 Peter 4:12-19]
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