"MIRACLES * PROVIDENCE * PRAYER"

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Question A. What are some passages on the providence of God?

Questions about miracles versus providence:

Question #1 > Question: How is providence different from a miracle and does God's word provide us with any examples that God calls providence? I know that he provides examples that he calls miracles.

Question #2 > Is prayer natural or supernatural? A miracle or providence? By that I mean, the fact that we (you and I), believe that God hears and answers our prayers - what would you call that? And if not one of those things, what would you call it?

Question #3 > "One other thing - why are you connecting prayer with miracles?"

Slide Lesson on the Subject of "Signs Serving and Ceasing" (click below)

If you have another question about "miracles, providence, prayer", please let us know and we will try and answer your question with the Bible answer.- gwest004@tampabay.rr.com

Question: How is providence different from a miracle and does God's word provide us with any examples that God calls providence? I know that he provides examples that he calls miracles.

The best way to understand any word is to observe how it is used in the context and/or consult a dictionary of the how the word was used in the time period in the associative language.

1. EXAMPLES OF "MIRACLES" (AS THE WORD IS USED IN THE KING JAMES VERSION)

DEFINITION of "miracle" IN ENGLISH:
mir-a-cle n. 1. An event that appears inexplicable [inexplicable: 'Difficult or impossible to explain or account for.'] by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God. 2. One that excites admiring awe. 3. A miracle play. (AMERICAN HERITAGE Dictionary of English).

King James Version's total use of the word "miracles":
OLD TESTAMENT; THE WORD "MIRACLES" (in reference to the EGYPTIAN contest with Pharaoh):
Numbers 14:22 "Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;"

Deuteronomy 11:3 "And his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land;"

Deuteronomy 29:3 "The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles:"

Judges 6:13 "And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites."

NEW TESTAMENT: THE WORD "MIRACLES" AND JESUS

Definitions:
Strong's: Greek⁴⁵⁹² se-meion say-mi'-on
Neuter of a presumed derivative of the base of G4591
[indicate*; signify];
an indication, especially ceremonially or supernaturally:
- miracle, sign, token, wonder.
[*in-di-cate tr.v. indi-cat-ed, indi-cat-ing, indi-cates. 1. To show the way to or the direction of; point out. 2. To serve as a sign, symptom, or token of; signify. 3. To suggest or demonstrate the necessity, expedience, or advisability of. 4. To state or express briefly.]

note: Greek se-meion is translated "signs" (not miracles) in American Standard Version, Basic English Version, Darby's, Montgomery's, New King James, RSV, 20th Century NT, World English, Young's. Basic English Version does not even have the word "miracles" or "miracle" in their New Testament. Darby only uses the word "miracle" one time in the New Testament and "miracles" three times.

John 2:23 " Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles⁴⁵⁹² which he did."

John 3:2 "The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles⁴⁵⁹² that thou doest, except God be with him."

John 6:2 "And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles⁴⁵⁹² which he did on them that were diseased."

John 6:26 "Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles⁴⁵⁹², but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled."

John 7:31 "And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles⁴⁵⁹² than these which this man hath done?"

John 9:16 "Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles⁴⁵⁹²? And there was a division among them."

John 10:41 "And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle⁴⁵⁹²: but all things that John spake of this man were true."

Note: It is interesting to me that there was no greater person than John, but he did not do miracles. "

John 11:47 "Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles⁴⁵⁹²."

John 12:37 " But though he had done so many miracles⁴⁵⁹² before them, yet they believed not on him:

Acts 2:22 "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles [dunamis --power compare to Romans 1:4 resurrection of Jesus] and wonders and signs ⁴⁵⁹², which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:"

Note: The translators saw fit to translate the word translated in the book of John as miracle into the English word "sign" [one of the meanings of se-meion ]. –GW

>>>>> The singular word "miracle" is also found in Mark 6:52 (miracle in italics—not in original), Mark 9:39 1411 [forbid not other disciples using power] , Luke 23:8⁴⁵⁹² [Herod wants to see a 'sign'], John 4:54[2nd 'miracle' ⁴⁵⁹²], John 6:14⁴⁵⁹², John 12:18 ⁴⁵⁹² references the resurrection of dead."

NEW TESTAMENT: THE WORD "MIRACLES" IN BOOK OF ACTS, ETC.

Acts 4:16 "Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle⁴⁵⁹² hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it."

Acts 4:22 "For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle⁴⁵⁹² of healing was shewed."

Acts 6:8 " And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles se-meion among the people."

Note: It is interesting to me that not one wonder, sign, or miracle is performed outside the apostles until the apostles lay their hands on the "seven" deacons. GW

Acts 8:6 "And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles⁴⁵⁹² which he did."

Acts 8:13 "Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs⁴⁵⁹² which were done." {miracles...: Gr. signs and great miracles - KJV note}

Acts 15:12 "Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles⁴⁵⁹² and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them."

Note: It is interesting that these "miracles" are performed by the apostles appointed by Jesus or those that they had laid their hands on; I can't find an instance of prayer being required in the performance of these "miracles".

Acts 19:11 "And God wrought special miracles [dunamis*] by the hands of Paul:

* dunamis From Greek #1410 [ability]; force (literally or figuratively); specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle itself): - ability, abundance, meaning, might (-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle (-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.
compare to the English word "dynamite".

1 Corinthians 12:10 "To another the working of miracles [dunamis]; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

1 Corinthians 12:28 "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles [dunamis], then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. {diversities: or, kinds}

1 Corinthians 12:29 "Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles [dunamis]? {workers...: or, powers? KJV note}

Galatians 3:5 "He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles [dunamis] among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"

Hebrews 2:4 "God also bearing them witness, both with signs⁴⁵⁹² and wonders, and with divers miracles [dunamis], and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? "{gifts: or, distributions KJV note}

Revelation 13:14 "And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles⁴⁵⁹² which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live."

Revelation 16:14 "For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles⁴⁵⁹², which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."

Revelation 19:20 "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles⁴⁵⁹² before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."(KJV)

2. EXAMPLES OF "PROVIDENCE" AS THE MEANING IS USED IN CONTEXTS

prov-i-dence n. 1. Care or preparation in advance; foresight. 2. Prudent management; economy. 3. The care, guardianship, and control exercised by a deity; divine direction. (AMERICAN HERITAGE)

Genesis 22:8 "And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together."

Genesis 45:7 "And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God:"

Psalms 78:20 "Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?"

Job 10:12 "You have granted me life and favor, and Your providence has preserved my spirit."(MKJV)

2 Corinthians 2:12 "Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord"

NAVE'S TOPICAL BIBLE

To the topQuestion #2: #2 -- Is prayer "natural" or "supernatural"? A "miracle" or "providence"? By that I mean, the fact that we (you and I) believe that God hears and answers our prayers - what would you call that? And if not one of those things, what would you call it?

Definition: nat-u-ral adj. Abbr. nat. 1. Present in or produced by nature. 2. Of, relating to, or concerning nature. 3. Conforming to the usual or ordinary course of nature. 4.a. Not acquired; inherent. b. Having a particular character by nature. c. Biology. Not produced or changed artificially; not conditioned. 5. Characterized by spontaneity and freedom from artificiality, affectation, or inhibitions. 6. Not altered, treated, or disguised. 7. Faithfully representing nature or life. 8. Expected and accepted. 9. Established by moral certainty or conviction. 10. Being in a state regarded as primitive, uncivilized, or unregenerate. 11.a. Related by blood. b. Born of unwed parents; illegitimate.

Definition: su-per-nat-u-ral adj. 1. Of or relating to existence outside the natural world. 2. Attributed to a power that seems to violate or go beyond natural forces. 3. Of or relating to a deity. 4. Of or relating to the immediate exercise of divine power; miraculous. 5. Of or relating to the miraculous.--su-per-nat-u-ral n. That which is supernatural.

     Perhaps, the question could also be stated as "Does the Supernatural One (#1 above) use natural or supernatural (adjectives) means to answer prayers?"

    Let's look at how God worked to answer our prayers for my grandson Zachary. Did God use things "present in or produced by nature" (1)? Or, did He use means "conforming to the usual or ordinary course of nature"(3)? Wouldn't we have to say "yes" to one or both? If the science of modern medicine was not advanced enough to provide adequate answers, Zach's brain growth would have continued unabated.

      I recall that Oral Roberts (during the fifties) claimed that God could heal miraculously without a doctor. Then he changed his doctrine and asked for money to build a hospital; and concurrently (as I recall) changed his affiliation from Pentecostal to another denomination. From then on I would meet people in the hospitals who were recovering because of a miracle. Before that, I had not heard such language.

     According to the Bible Jesus used "supernatural" means to prove His deity. He raised the dead (#2 above)? He "immediately" healed (#4). John 20:30 explains why we are told about this: "And truly Jesus did many other signs⁴⁵⁹² in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." (NKJV)
(The word "signs" is in the Greek⁴⁵⁹² se-meion - an indication, especially ceremonially or supernaturally: - miracle, sign, token, wonder.) In other words, what Jesus did was not just a supernatural feat, it was a sign of proof for observers. Do signs occur today?

Further on "providence":
    Matthew 5:44-45, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."

     One doesn't have to pray for rain (e.g., a hardened sinner) to receive the natural provision of rain, but God will "send" it to him and others according to His pleasure (via natural means).

   He "makes" the sun to rise on us as well. God is providing through natural means.

   What if a righteous person prays for rain? Will God miraculously drop rain from the sky (outside of natural means)? That is, no clouds; no humidity. Does God just drop water from Heaven? Indeed, this would meet the definition of the English word "miracle" or "sign".

   Remember Gideon's request of God. A miracle! Condensation does not naturally occur that way. What about Hezekiah? The sundial does not work that way (the sun going "back"). Recall Joshua's "sun standing still"; nature does not work that way.

   Agnostics try and explain away these Biblical "miracles" by inserting "nature" in their explanations. It is just as wrong to make a natural event into a miracle as making the miracle into a natural event. The Bible clearly distinguishes the two and it takes man to confuse them.

      I believe Abraham Lincoln asked his audience how many sheep (or cows) would there be if you called the dog a sheep (or cow). When they incorrectly added the dog into the total, Abe is reported to have said "No"; just calling a dog a "sheep" did not make him one. Abraham Lincoln quoted a lot from the Bible but he also had a lot of down home common sense.

      Oh, by the way, James 5:16-18 is a promise of answering prayer by providence (not by miraculous acts): "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit."

    Elijah was a righteous person and he was a person with a nature like yours and mine. God answered Elijah's prayer about rain and He did it by natural means:

1 Kings 18:42-45 "And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And seven times he said, "Go again."
Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rising out of the sea!" So he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot , and go down before the rain stops you.'"
Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain."

The Bible clearly points out that "signs" (or "miracles") accompanied the initial giving of the gospel for its proof or its confirmation. Mark 16:20 "And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs [miracles]. Amen." (NKJV)

Question #3: "One other thing - what does your comment regarding prayer have to do with miracles?"

Wouldn't this be a pertinent comment to the above questions on miracles and providence? Since we are talking about prayer producing miracles or prayer producing providence, wouldn't the comment be very appropriate? I can't find any passage that mentions the apostles or prophets praying for a miracle? Can you?

Peter tells the lame man in the temple to rise up and walk. Acts 3: 4-9 " And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, 'Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.' And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God:"

Indeed there was a miracle. A lame man who was known by the public for his disability was told by Peter to "Rise and walk in the authority of Jesus Christ". That's all. No prayer. Immediate healing. No doctors. No hospital. No recovery. It was simply a "true miracle" that was a sign to the public of who Peter was.

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