Day 7/8 – A Lesson on Miracles

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Thoughts from the Diary of a Desperate Man by Walter A Henrichsen (“Walt”)
A Lesson on Miracles
Day One Hundred Eighty-nine

“Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it, and said, Thus says the Lord, I have made this water wholesome; henceforth neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.”‘ II Kings 2:21

The spring watering the city of Jericho was unfit for drinking. The prophet cured the spring by pouring salt into it. Not only was the water now drinkable, they no longer had a problem; the salt not only cured the water, but the spring itself. From this we can draw two related conclusions:

First, a miracle is an event contrary to our understanding of how things work. Salt naturally destroys the usability of water; it does not restore it. Not only did the salt heal the waters, one application gave the spring a permanent cure. Second, a miracle assumes an ordered universe where things don’t happen by chance. We assume that inviolable laws govern the universe, and thus the breaking of a law is a miracle. This in turn assumes the existence of a transcendent God who established the laws by which the universe functions.

Contrary to most people’s assumption, those skeptical of miracles logically believe in the existence of God. If you deny God’s existence, you deny the existence of the laws governing the universe. All you have left are degrees of probability. In such a universe what you normally call miracles would be common occurrences. You would expect people to occasionally walk on water and raise the dead. Within a world of limitless possibilities, salt would normally corrupt water, but could, in different circumstances, have the opposite effect. If you are a skeptic, logically you accept that what the Bible calls miracles could and probably did happen, for everything exists and operates by chance.

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Job 36-37 Acts 15:22-41 (New King James Version)

Job 36-37
Elihu Proclaims God’s Goodness
36 Elihu also proceeded and said:
2
“Bear with me a little, and I will show you
That there are yet words to speak on God’s behalf.
3
I will fetch my knowledge from afar;
I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4
For truly my words are not false;
One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5
“Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one;
He is mighty in strength [a]of understanding.
6
He does not preserve the life of the wicked,
But gives justice to the oppressed.
7
He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous;
But they are on the throne with kings,
For He has seated them forever,
And they are exalted.
8
And if they are bound in [b]fetters,
Held in the cords of affliction,
9
Then He tells them their work and their transgressions—
That they have acted [c]defiantly.
10
He also opens their ear to [d]instruction,
And commands that they turn from iniquity.
11
If they obey and serve Him,
They shall spend their days in prosperity,
And their years in pleasures.
12
But if they do not obey,
They shall perish by the sword,
And they shall die [e]without knowledge.
13
“But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath;
They do not cry for help when He binds them.
14
They[f] die in youth,
And their life ends among the [g]perverted persons.
15
He delivers the poor in their affliction,
And opens their ears in oppression.
16
“Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress,
Into a broad place where there is no restraint;
And what is set on your table would be full of richness.
17
But you are filled with the judgment due the wicked;
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18
Because there is wrath, beware lest He take you away with one blow;
For a large ransom would not help you avoid it.
19
Will your riches,
Or all the mighty forces,
Keep you from distress?
20
Do not desire the night,
When people are cut off in their place.
21
Take heed, do not turn to iniquity,
For you have chosen this rather than affliction.
22
“Behold, God is exalted by His power;
Who teaches like Him?
23
Who has assigned Him His way,
Or who has said, ‘You have done wrong’?
Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty
24
“Remember to magnify His work,
Of which men have sung.
25
Everyone has seen it;
Man looks on it from afar.
26
“Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him;
Nor can the number of His years be discovered.
27
For He draws up drops of water,
Which distill as rain from the mist,
28
Which the clouds drop down
And pour abundantly on man.
29
Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds,
The thunder from His canopy?
30
Look, He scatters His light upon it,
And covers the depths of the sea.
31
For by these He judges the peoples;
He gives food in abundance.
32
He covers His hands with lightning,
And commands it to [h]strike.
33
His thunder declares it,
The cattle also, concerning [i]the rising storm.
God’s Works and Wisdom
37
“At this also my heart trembles,
And leaps from its place.
2
Hear attentively the thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
3
He sends it forth under the whole heaven,
His [j]lightning to the ends of the earth.
4
After it a voice roars;
He thunders with His majestic voice,
And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard.
5
God thunders marvelously with His voice;
He does great things which we cannot comprehend.
6
For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’;
Likewise to the [k]gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength.
7
He seals the hand of every man,
That all men may know His work.
8
The beasts go into dens,
And remain in their lairs.
9
From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind,
And cold from the scattering winds of the north.
10
By the breath of God ice is given,
And the broad waters are frozen.
11
Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds;
He scatters His [l]bright clouds.
12
And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance,
That they may do whatever He commands them
On the face of [m]the whole earth.
13
He causes it to come,
Whether for [n]correction,
Or for His land,
Or for mercy.
14
“Listen to this, O Job;
Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God.
15
Do you know when God [o]dispatches them,
And causes the light of His cloud to shine?
16
Do you know how the clouds are balanced,
Those wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge?
17
Why are your garments hot,
When He quiets the earth by the south wind?
18
With Him, have you spread out the skies,
Strong as a cast metal mirror?
19
“Teach us what we should say to Him,
For we can prepare nothing because of the darkness.
20
Should He be told that I wish to speak?
If a man were to speak, surely he would be swallowed up.
21
Even now men cannot look at the light when it is bright in the skies,
When the wind has passed and cleared them.
22
He comes from the north as golden splendor;
With God is awesome majesty.
23
As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him;
He is excellent in power,
In judgment and abundant justice;
He does not oppress.
24
Therefore men fear Him;
He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart.”
Footnotes:
• Job 36:5 of heart
• Job 36:8 chains
• Job 36:9 proudly
• Job 36:10 discipline
• Job 36:12 MT as one without knowledge
• Job 36:14 Lit. Their soul dies
• Job 36:14 Heb. qedeshim, those practicing sodomy or prostitution in religious rituals
• Job 36:32 strike the mark
• Job 36:33 Lit. what is rising
• Job 37:3 Or light
• Job 37:6 Lit. shower of rain
• Job 37:11 clouds of light
• Job 37:12 Lit. the world of the earth
• Job 37:13 Lit. a rod
• Job 37:15 places them

Acts 15:22-41
The Jerusalem Decree
22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas,[a] and Silas, leading men among the brethren.
23 They wrote this letter by them:
The apostles, the elders, and the brethren,
To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, [b]saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment— 25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one [c]accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual[d] immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.
Farewell.
Continuing Ministry in Syria
30 So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. 32 Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. 33 And after they had stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to [e]the apostles.
34 [f]However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there. 35 Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
Division over John Mark
36 Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” 37 Now Barnabas [g]was determined to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, being [h]commended by the brethren to the grace of God. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Footnotes:
• Acts 15:22 NU, M Barsabbas
• Acts 15:24 NU omits saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”
• Acts 15:25 purpose or mind
• Acts 15:29 Or fornication
• Acts 15:33 NU those who had sent them
• Acts 15:34 NU, M omit v. 34.
• Acts 15:37 resolved
• Acts 15:40 committed