Biblical Miracles: Part II

Purpose of Miracles

The purpose of miracles was two fold: To indicate new revelation was coming and to authenticate the messenger.

God did this, each time as the three parts of the Bible were spoken. The overflow of miracles, if you look in the Bible, happened only three times. At the time that the Law, the Prophets and the New Testament was about to be written.

Miracles were set up to really be for God to say, “Here I come to speak!”

Miracles were the opening act, so to speak, on the night for the headlining band to play.


Look to 2 Corinthians 12:12 and we’ll start to see this play out.

The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles.

Notice, also that when Paul says this he is speaking in past tense. Indicating here that the miracles TOOK place and were not taking place or were at least dying down.

To continue look to Hebrews 2:2-4

For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.


Notice again, that this is past tense. Also, if you know when the actual books took place you’ll notice that the miracles that are reported, only happen in the early books. It was in the Gospels, Acts and 1 Corinthians.

Later books = No indication of miracles but just the opposite

Look to 2 Timothy 4:19,20 and also Phil 2:25-28

Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus.
2 Timothy 4:19-20

But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need; because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you.
Philippians 2:25-28

As we can see from these two verses Paul speaks about leaving people sick, even to the point of death. It would seem that the reason is plain and simple. Unlike those who choose to teach that your sickness is by the lack of your faith, Paul is showing us that these people were not healed for the mere fact that the reason miracles existed was for the glory of the Gospel, not to make men merely healthy for the sake of themselves and “their faith.”

I would contend that the power of miracles were being faded because they were not needed anymore. The Gospels and early epistles were written and there was sufficient evidence of the miraculous power of God through the miracles that were already shown throughout the lands.

What these “miracle” people need to realize is the reason for miracles. It is NOT for the sake of the Christian nor the miracle worker. There is only one reason that any miracle ever takes place: for the glory of God. Specifically, God uses miracles for the sign of His coming word. Does God still do miracles today? Yes, of course. But not in the way that Benny Hinn would make us think. But we will get to that in our last installment.

So as we take a look at miracles, we need to understand that their purpose was to authenticate the message and the messenger. As the New Testament was written, the miracles started to fade away.