A Pocket Full of Miracles

(by Pastor Joe)

The Word for today:
1 Kings 17-19

I don't presume to understand the "whys," but it is clear from the record of history and Scripture that "miracles" are few and far between. There are a good number of them in there, but it was not an every day occurrence (unless you were a child of Israel being led & fed in the wilderness.) [1]

In reality, the Biblical miracles seemed to be clustered to specific time periods and people. There is the age of Moses and Joshua with miracles such as the Egyptian plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the sun standing still. [2] That is a time period of 45-60 years. We are currently reading about the second "era" as we hear theses amazing stories concerning Elijah. Next month, we will see this ministry continued with his successor: Elisha. Once again, we see a concentration of miracles in a relatively short time period.

From that point on, there are a few scattered miracles here and there, but not much until the time of Jesus Christ and then what He empowers His church to do. This is not to say God is somehow restricted with miracles in any way, but rather, that He seems to allow for more during certain time periods and less in other time periods.

The more important matter is the fact that miracles are always secondary- they are always pointing to something greater than themselves. As I read Elijah, I am certainly stirred by what God does through him- sending food via avian air mail, sending fire from heaven, sending rain to end a drought. But even more so, I am grateful for the fact that these miracles prefigure and foreshadow one much greater than Elijah. One who not only raises the dead, but defeats death itself. One who not only multiplies food for others, but also sustains us spiritually. One who sends the greatest fire there is- the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Elijah -- like so many others in the Bible -- is merely the opening act for the real reason we are all here- Jesus Christ.

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[1] Exodus
[2] Exodus 7- 14, Joshua 10