by Mike Edwards
If God can really do miracles, why doesn’t a loving God do many more miracles rather than letting so many suffer? If God is truly all powerful, lack of more miracles is selective love. Let’s don’t imply one doesn’t have a miracle in their life from lack of faith or some sin in their life. Jesus according to the Bible would say no (Luke 13:1-5).
Maybe though God is a non-controlling, non-coercive God, thus power is limited. Maybe God can’t do miracles. This would explain the lack of miracles that would decrease so much suffering in the world. This leads to asking if recorded miracles in the Bible are literally true or to be understood metaphorically. A metaphor is not meant to be taken literally but to create vivid imagery or convey deeper meaning. See below biblical examples.
I must confess I am influenced by my views of God
I am not one to question if miracles are possible, as many atheists do, since I believe in a Supreme God. But I can’t claim God is all-powerful because a God of freedom is a contradiction of an all-powerful God. Not even God can override free choices. If God can do miracles, why doesn’t God choose to stop so much suffering in the world, unless God can’t do miracles? Maybe God can’t do miracles without other factors involved?
One cannot deny Craig Keener’s scholarship on miracles as reliable reports exists all over the world of physical/literal miracles. I am not going to try to convince you to believe in miracles or not. But it is important to consider if miracles are possible because it can shape our views of God and God’s love. Most of us have asked God for a miracle in our life, even unbelievers. Most would admit the answer usually has been “no.” I am defining a miracle as something supernatural such as a malignant tumor disappearing in one’s body without any possible medical explanation, or walking on water. Most miracles prayed for seem to defy natural laws. Let’s consider the Bible’s input.
Why it may be important to believe miracles by God in the Bible aren’t literal?
One can believe in miracles, but the truth is lots or prayers for miracles aren’t answered. But, why does God seemingly display their power or not in a rather arbitrary fashion? Let’s reject thoughts such as unanswered prayer is due to one’s sins or one didn’t have enough faith. Even in the Bible the saint of all saints didn’t have his prayer answered for healing (2 Cor 12:1-10). It is written Paul was denied a miracle to avoid being conceited, but most of us would admit God hasn’t reveal to us God’s reason for denial. I would suggest avoiding thinking that God is trying to teach you a lesson, while hiding their reason. No loving parent or God act like that, if seeking a relationship.
God being all-loving and all-powerful are contradictions – Maybe God can’t do miracles.
It is possible that many miracles in the Bible weren’t meant to be taken literally but to illustrate God’s love for righteousness than actual events. Thus, the writer isn’t lying. Genesis talks about a magical tree of good and evil and talking snakes. A Global Flood could be a literary device to illustrate the destructiveness of human versus God’s ways. The same for the parting of the Red Sea. Maybe Jonah wasn’t really shallowed by a whale. The gullet of a whale is too small to swallow an adult. The gastric juices and lack of oxygen would not sustain human life for days such as Jonah writing a poem while inside the whale (Eric Seibert ). Was the writer trying to show God has a right to show compassion and Jonah’s misguided enthusiasm for the destruction of his enemies?
A possible explanation of biblical miracles feeding the 5000
“When Jesus feeds the multitudes with five loaves and two fish, the point isn’t the physics of multiplication. It’s a story about the nature of spiritual abundance. When shared freely, truth multiplies. When love is given, it expands. The fruits of the Spirit are not finite resources that run dry. They are gifts that are endlessly multiplied as we give them away. Once everyone has eaten their fill, twelve baskets remain; one for each tribe, one for each apostle, one for all who hunger. In other words, there’s always plenty to go around, and more left over for tomorrow. The message is that abundance is the law of love, not that an actual physical miracle took place.”
Giles gives many more examples how miracles can be interpreted metaphorical: The metaphorical miracles of Jesus
Every healing of blindness in the Gospels is a metaphor for spiritual sight. When Jesus walks on the sea, he walks upon the symbol of chaos itself. To the ancient mind, the sea represented the deep; the uncontrollable forces of nature, fear, and the unknown. Miracles maybe aren’t literal, but have a spiritual lesson involved.
God and miracles?
I prefer to assume God always desires to intervene miraculously if God can. I believe a better explanation for miracles is that various biological factors are involved such as cells and organs. If God doesn’t deny human freedom, it may not be a stretch to say God has to account for biological and natural freedom when it comes to miracles in nature. Perhaps miracles can happen when God’s uncontrolling love aligns with countless factors known and not known. God cannot intervene singlehandedly, but a loving God is dying to intervene miraculously whenever circumstances will allow. If God can do miracles, God is always wanting to do miracles, but is limited to do so based on God’s nature. Maybe miracles in the Bible weren’t meant to be understood literally.
Mike Edwards was added as a writer and has been a great addition to the site. Mike provides many interesting views and various ways of looking at things. He is not afraid to ask questions and he keeps an open mind as to teachings of the institutional church. Mike also has his own site where he writes at What God May Really Be Like
Done with Religion 