Page 81 - Advanced Apologetics and World Views Revised

that night killing the firstborn, nor was there any necessity for the Israelites to sprinkle blood on their
doorposts. Then the foreshadowing of the shed blood of Jesus on the cross is voided, which puts the
crucifixion itself into doubt. Once we begin to doubt the reality of any miracle, we have to discount
everything the Bible says came about as a result of the miracle, which puts all of Scripture in doubt.

Among the best-known Old Testament miracles is the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14), during which
Pharaoh and much of his army were drowned. If the miracle is symbolic, then how do we know what
parts of the rest of the story are literal? Did the Israelites really leave Egypt? Did Pharaoh’s army really
follow them, and, if so, how did the Israelites escape? Psalm 78 is one of the many passages where God
reminds the Israelites of the miracles, He performed in releasing them from the Egyptian bondage.
God’s mighty miracles proved to the surrounding nations that the Lord is the one, true God. The pagan
idols of wood and stone were capable of no such things. Only the God of miracles deserves worship.

In the New Testament, Jesus performed numerous miracles beginning with His first one at the wedding
in Cana where He turned water into wine (John 2:1-10). One of His most spectacular miracles was the
raising of Lazarus after he had been dead four days (John 11). All the miracles He did were to prove that
He was indeed who He said He was—the Son of God. When He calmed the storm in Matthew 8, even
the disciples were astonished: "The men were amazed and asked, 'What kind of man is this? Even the
winds and the waves obey him!'" (v. 27). If Jesus’ miracles were not real, then the gospel accounts of
Jesus’ healings were just nice stories, and those people remained afflicted by diseases, calling into doubt
His compassion (Matthew 14:14; 10:34; Mark 1:41). If He didn’t really feed thousands of people with a
few loaves and fishes, those people remained hungry and Jesus’ words “I tell you the truth, you are
looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill”
(John 6:26) have no meaning at all. But Jesus did heal, He did create food for thousands, He did turn
water into wine, and He did raise Lazarus from the dead. John 2:23 tells us that many believed in Him
because of the miracles.

Here is a list of the miracles of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels:

1. Born to a virgin
2. Changing water into wine
3. Healing of the royal official's son
4. Healing of the Capernaum demoniac
5. Healing of Peter's mother-in-law
6. Healing the sick during the evening
7. Catching a large number of fish
8. Healing a leper
9. Miracle of healing a centurion's servant
10. Healing a paralyzed man
11. Healing a withered hand
12. Raising a widow's son
13. Calming the storm
14. Healing the Gerasene man possessed by demons
15. Healing a woman with internal bleeding
16. Raising Jairus' daughter
17. Healing two blind men
18. Healing a mute demon-possessed man
19. Healing a 38-year invalid

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