When something extraordinary happens today, it is sometimes exclaimed by someone, “It’s a miracle!” However, is that a justifiable statement or explanation?
It is vital that we always use Bible words in the way that the Bible uses those terms. The word “miracle” is certainly a Bible term, and it is defined as “works of a supernatural origin and character, such as could not be produced by natural agents and means.” The word is sometimes used in connection with or interchangeably with the words “wonders” (to emphasize the effect that Bible miracles had upon witnesses) and “signs” (to emphasize that the miracles had a purpose to fulfill).
It is of interest to note that the Bible is not full of miracles from beginning to end. Some people who have never read the Bible expect that it tells of miracles on every page and throughout human history. However, such is not the case. In fact, there are only five main periods of Bible history in which one reads about miracles: (1) Creation, (2) the time of Moses and Joshua, (3) the time of Elijah and Elisha, (4) the time of Daniel and certain prophets, (5) the time of Jesus and the early days of the church. In each of these periods, the miracles demonstrated the power of God, in order to prompt the people to turn to God and follow Him.
However, the Bible teaches us that the time of miracles has ceased. This can be understood from three main points. First, there are two key passages that indicate that miracles would “fail…cease…vanish away…be done away” (1 Cor. 13:8-13), and that they would only last “till we all come to the unity of the faith” (Eph. 4:7-14), when “that which is perfect” (or complete) “has come.” When all the books of the New Testament (i.e., the faith) had been “once for all delivered” (Jude 3) and the New Testament “complete,” the miraculous abilities would cease.
Second, miracles would cease when they had fulfilled their purpose. The purpose of miracles was to “confirm the word” that was being preached (Mark 16:17-20; Heb. 2:1-4). When “the word” was completed in written form, miracles were no longer needed to confirm the spoken word, and therefore, having fulfilled their God-given purpose, they ceased.
Third, miraculous abilities could only be transmitted from one person to another “though the laying on of the apostles’ hands” (Acts 8:14-18). Without an apostle, no one could be given the ability to do miracles, therefore, once the apostles died, the ability to do miracles ceased.
Today, miracles do not happen. Wonderful things can happen, but nothing beyond “natural agents and means.” That’s what the Bible says, and we must not go beyond that!