All throughout the bible, we see evidence of ancient miracles. Some are extraordinary feats and are quite famous stories, well known by the public at large regardless of whether or not they believe these events actually occurred. Some examples are the Parting of the Red Sea, Noah’s Flood, and one of the greatest – the resurrection and ascension of Yeshua Messiah (Jesus).
Other miracles are less well known such as the talking donkey of Balaam, the water from the rock of Horeb, casting demons into a herd of pigs, three men not harmed in a burning furnace, and the death of Korah – as he was sucked deep into the earth while still alive! There are many more and each is fascinating in its own way.
But what about today?
Are there modern miracles occurring as we speak, or were miracles reserved only for ‘biblical times’?
Has God gone silent?
Today I Googled ‘modern miracles’ and received 39,800,000 search results.
People are talking about such things.
The internet is flooded with information and/or speculation regarding the idea of current, modern miracles.
But is there truth in any of it?
Let’s first start by discussing “biblical times.”
Many people refer to ancient times, thousands of years ago, as biblical times.
This concept requires us to set chronological boundaries based on the authorship of our biblical canon.
When I read my bible, I see ‘all of time’ spoken of:
–Past
–Present
–Future
–Not to to mention all of eternity!!
I believe that ALL times are biblical times.
There are no boundaries that men can establish; not successfully anyway. We can try, but this is foolish. We can’t put God in a box, nor can we put time in a box.
If today and tomorrow are referred to in scripture, then we live in biblical times.
Right now, as we live!!
I have great faith that Yahweh (God) can accomplish miracles today just as we read about in times 2000 to 6000 years ago.
In fact, I have witnessed such things with my own eyes.
In my small family of five, we have experienced extraordinary things.
Here is a brief summary:
JD Anderson (me): When I was three years old, a bright white light ‘visited’ me. This was witnessed by my mother and sister as well, and they remember this event in great detail, as do I. In 2013, I prayed to Yah for confirmation of my understanding of some scriptures. That same day, I was again visited by a similar ball of white light. I have since learned these balls of light are angels, and when photographed (the second occurrence) they look exactly the same as close-up photographs of stars in the night sky (which leads me to believe the stars are angels, and angels are stars).
I was a US Navy Diver and served on submarines. I was unconscious 140 feet under water in 1989 on scuba equipment (not hard hat diving, but with a regulator in my mouth). I was in this condition for 8 to 9 minutes until another diver found me and brought me to the surface. Surviving this event is (to me) a complete miracle, and professional divers will say this is not a survivable event. And yet, here I am…
Tracy (my wife): When our first son was born, Tracy had a very difficult labor, and our son ended up in neo-natal intensive care (more about this later). I went to NICU with Josh, while Tracy was moved from the Labor and Delivery wing to the Maternity wing in the hospital.
A nurse came to me in NICU and asked me to come and see Tracy. I explained to the nurse that she and I had agreed we would not leave our baby alone, ever. I let her know I needed to remain in NICU with Josh. She told me that Tracy was hemorrhaging to death, and may not make it. She said I needed to “say my goodbyes” before it was too late. Tracy was rushed into emergency surgery and she survived, praise Yah! She had been placed under the care of a recent nursing school graduate who was working her very first shift as a nurse. This young lady was unsupervised on her very first day and had absolutely no idea what she was doing as Tracy bled to death under her care. She did not even recognize that Tracy was faltering.
The labor and delivery nurse (with 30 years of experience) finished her shift and had left the hospital. She felt ‘compelled’ to return to the hospital to check on Tracy. She found Tracy near death with internal bleeding. Had this woman not inexplicably returned to the hospital, Tracy would not have survived.
Josh (our oldest of three sons): As I mentioned above, Tracy had a very difficult labor with Josh and nearly lost her own life. During the last 4 to 6 weeks of this pregnancy, Tracy had to see her doctor multiple times due to failed ‘stress tests’. No baby movement was noted on multiple occasions, and there was concern for the baby’s health. As it turns out, the placenta was degrading and the umbilical cord was damaged and partially detached from the uterus wall. He was born alive and without any defects. The doctor, after seeing the condition of the placenta and umbilical cord, declared that Josh was a miracle baby. He said it is not possible for Josh to have survived the pregnancy, and yet he did.
Fast forward to 2014, and Josh ended up in ICU in a coma and on life support at the very same hospital. A CAT scan showed that he was brain dead, with absolutely no neural activity. Homicide detectives showed up and declared his body a crime scene at about 2:30am on February 1, 2014. Homicide detectives began their investigation of his death. Twelve hours later, Josh was conscious and awake, in perfect health, with no loss in brain function or cognitive ability. For the second time in his life, doctors in the same hospital referred to him as an unexplained miracle. I have witnessed the raising of the dead, at the will and at the hand of Yahweh!!
Jonah (our second born son): In December 2015, Josh and Jonah were walking to high school. They had to cross one of the busiest streets in downtown Colorado Springs. Josh had his learner’s permit and was driving at this point, and he had become accustomed to watching other cars. Jonah was not yet driving, and had not developed this habit to generally be alert with regard to traffic.
When the light changed and the crosswalk sign came on, Josh and Jonah began to cross the street. Josh noticed that a car was going to run a red light at approximately 40mph and jumped back, but Jonah did not notice. Jonah was struck in the middle of the cross walk dead center of the car, shattered the windshield, flew in the air, and landed in the street about 30 feet away. He was struck so hard that his shoes were missing, and they were never located or found, even though people looked for them!!
It was expected that he had suffered severe injuries. First responders arrived and an ambulance transported him to the Level 1 Trauma Center instead of the typical emergency room.
After many tests, we learned that he had no broken bones, no internal injuries, and did not even have any visible scratches or bruising. He was sore for a few days, but miraculously was not injured!! Again, praise Yah!
And that leaves our third and last son Ethan: While he has not experienced any miraculous events during his life, the fact that he exists at all is spectacular. Tracy and I decided that two children were enough and that we were finished, but Yah had other plans. Even though I had a vasectomy, Ethan was conceived and born afterwards by the will of Yah!!
I could go into much greater detail regarding each of these stories/events, but I just wanted to summarize some of the things that we’ve experienced as a family.
Some people believe all of these things are coincidental.
Some people simply think that I am lying about these circumstances, and that they never actually occurred.
We have witnessed each of these unusual events, as have others.
They actually happened!
But, are they miracles?
Or are they just quirky life anomalies?
I for one consider these events to show the hand of Yahweh at work in our lives. As a man of great faith, I have no other explanation for it than supernatural intervention at times.
After Josh’s death and then inexplicable survival, I began to reach out to other families going through similar events with their children. This type of thing happens everyday somewhere. Many families deal with the tragedy of a lost or severely injured child, resulting in waiting out a coma in ICU while on life support.
Sadly, I have found that most families do not have a storybook ending.
Most families do not get their kids back.
And this left me perplexed for a number of years.
I’ve prayed about it many times.
I’ve prayed for other kids on life support and in a coma.
I’ve pleaded for other families to get their miracle.
On a couple of rare occasions, I’ve seen it happen. But mostly, these kids pass on from this life, and families are left shattered and broken.
For the last five years, I’ve wondered why?
Why has my family received not one, but several miracles, while other families experience disaster?
The only thing I’ve had to settle on is Yah’s will.
I know that He is a just God, and that His will is perfect to accomplish His plan.
Always.
As a human being, I do not get to question why He does what He does.
I am just the dirt of the earth, and He is the Creator and Author of life, and He knows the number of each of our days.
He knows how many breaths and how many heart beats is allotted for each and every one of us. Nothing is outside of His knowledge or His control.
Isaiah 46 tells us this:
I am God, and there is none like Me—
declaring the end from the beginning,
from ancient time, what is yet to come,
saying, “My purpose will stand,
and I will accomplish all that I please.
Yahweh knows the end from the beginning.
He knows the end results of all that will ever occur, and He’s known in advance, since the beginning of time!
Nothing is secret to Him.
Nothing is unknown to Him.
He does not need to see it play out as we do. He already knows the end result before it has happened.
He knows who will be His, and who will not be His.
We see this in John 6:44-45
44 No one can come to Me unless My Father who sent Me draws him—and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has listened and learned from the Father comes to Me.
And in Romans 8, we see a similar statement:
Now we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified.
31 What then shall we say in view of these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
And John 6 again
37 Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and anyone coming to Me I will never reject. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will but the will of the One who sent Me. 39 Now this is the will of the One who sent Me, that I lose not one of all He has given Me, but raise each one on the last day.
And in 2Thessalonians 2
13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth…
I’m not trying to turn this idea into a discussion of ‘predestination’.
What I am trying to say is that Yah knows who are His, and He has known from the beginning who will be His.
Whether we call it predestination/pre-selection without free will, or simply that Yah knows who will end up choosing Him is irrelevant.
The end result is what matters.
Yahweh knows and has always known who are His, who will be His.
Yahweh knows who is in His Kingdom and who is not in His Kingdom, regardless of timeframe.
And now for a difficult question…
Does this information, knowing who are His, affect who might get a miracle and who does not?
In difficult and tragic times, a few people/families get miracles, while many lose loved ones under what seem to be the exact same circumstances.
Is the reason beyond us, and not available to us?
That is where I’ve been settled for a number of years.
I am forever grateful for the actions Yah has taken in our lives, and I’m saddened when I see others experience loss and hardship.
But I’m faithful in both circumstances.
I’m trusting and faithful that Yah is just in all things, even if I do not understand them.
That is a good note to finish up on these thoughts…
Be faithful, no matter what.
Be trusting, no matter what.
But there is more.
A friend recently showed me one simple verse in the scriptures that may explain why some get a miracle and some do not.
I absolutely believe the outcome of all things, good or bad, is orchestrated and that Yah is in control of all, even if we can’t see the intricate workings of His will.
And that literally is enough.
Faith and trust.
I don’t need more than these.
But in Hebrews chapter 1, we see the angels are spoken of, and it seems to relate to this very idea of miracles on earth.
I’d like to concentrate on verse 14, but I’ll post the entire section for context:
Hebrews 1:1-14
Superiority of the Son
1 At many times and in many ways, Yahweh [God] spoke long ago to the fathers through the prophets. 2 In these last days He has spoken to us through a Son, whom He appointed heir of all things and through whom He created the universe. 3 This Son is the radiance of His glory and the imprint of His being, upholding all things by His powerful word. When He had made purification for our sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4 Thus He became as far above the angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
5 For to which of the angels did Yahweh [God] ever say,
“You are My Son. Today I have become Your Father”?
And again,
“I will be to Him a Father, and He will be to Me a Son”?
6 And again, when He brings the firstborn into the world, He says,
“Let all the angels of God worship Him.”
7 And regarding the angels He says,
“He makes His angels winds, and His servants a flame of fire.”
8 But regarding the Son He says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your Kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your companions.”
10 And, “In the beginning, Yahweh, You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands. 11 They shall pass away, but You remain. And they will all wear out like clothing. 12 And like a robe You will roll them up, and like clothing they will be changed; but You are the same, and Your years shall never end.”
13 But to which of the angels has He ever said, “Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet”?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out for service to those about to inherit salvation?
In this passage, Paul is quoting various scriptures in reference to Yeshua Messiah. He goes to great lengths here to differentiate Yeshua from the angels.
That is the point of this passage, but verse 14 gives us a bit of insight into the purpose of angels (or at least one of their purposes).
Hebrews 1:14
14 Are they [angels] not all ministering spirits, sent out for service to those about to inherit salvation?
I try to make it a point to NOT read into things.
I try NOT to include speculation with my thoughts and words.
In this case, though, verse 14 seems to refer to what mankind commonly calls “Guardian Angels.”
We are clearly told that the angels minister to those who will inherit salvation.
And this might very well be (and I clarify maybe) the answer to my question above.
Why do some people get a miracle and others do not?
What if…
[And I clarify this is a what if…]
What if angels are sent to minister to (intervene in the affairs of men)…
…those who will end up in the Kingdom?
What if Yahweh knows who will be His in the end, and He sends angels to ‘minister’ to them during the events of their lives?
And in this case, I don’t mean ‘counselling, advising, or doing a bible study together’ when I say ministering.
I’m speaking of supernatural intervention in the affairs of men.
Intervention in the affairs of life and death, and protection, and health.
What if miracles are Yahweh sending angels to ‘minister’ to the ones that He knows will be His, the ones who are to inherit salvation as it is stated in Hebrews 1:14?
I find this concept/idea to be absolutely fascinating.
For one, I survived the unsurvivable long before I came to an understanding of Torah.
I received a miracle, and then even more within my family, long before I began loving the ways of the Father.
But what if He knew that is where I [and others] would end up?
What if Yahweh knew that I’d get there, that I would submit my heart and my life to Him?
And for that reason, angels ‘ministered’ in my life [and in the lives of others], allowing me to survive until the day I chose to walk in the ways of the Father?
Does Hebrews 1:14 tell us this?
No. I’m asking a bunch of what-if questions.
Verse 14 states as fact that angels do minister to those who will have salvation, so I don’t think this concept is a stretch.
So I looked into the scriptures to find evidence this idea might be true.
Yes, it is there…
Acts 15:5-11
5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were ]keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”
And we see this in Isaiah 63
7 I will remember the loving kindnesses of Adonai, the praises of Adonai, according to all that Adonai has granted us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He has granted them according to His compassion, and according to the abundance of His loving kindnesses.
8 For He said, “Surely they are My people,
children who will not deal falsely.”
So He became their Savior.
9 In all their affliction He was afflicted.
So the angel of His presence saved them.
In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them,
then He lifted them and carried them
all the days of old.
Daniel 6:20-24
20 At dawn the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 21 As he reached the den, he cried out to Daniel with a voice of anguish. The king spoke out to Daniel saying: “Daniel, servant of the living God, was your God, whom you serve continually, able to rescue you from the lions?”
22 Daniel spoke to the king: “May the king live forever! 23 My God sent His angel to shut the lions’ mouths[a] so that they haven’t harmed me, because I was found innocent before Him. Nor have I committed any crime against you, O king.”
24 Then the king was overjoyed, and ordered Daniel taken up out of the den.
Daniel 3:26-29
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and exclaimed, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out from the middle of the fire. 27 When the satraps, administrators, governors and royal ministers had gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men. Not a hair of their head was singed, nor were their robes scorched, nor was there a smell of fire on them.
28 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him! They defied the king’s edict and to gave up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I hereby decree that any people, nation or language that says anything slanderous against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego will be torn limb from limb and their house made a pile of rubble, because there is no other god that is able to deliver in this way.”
Matthew 18:10
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father in heaven.
Psalm 91:11-16
11 For He will give His angels charge over you,
to guard you in all your ways.
12 Upon their hands they will lift you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.[a]
13 You will tread upon the lion and cobra,
trample the young lion and serpent.
14 “Because he has devoted his love to Me,
I will deliver him.
I will set him securely on high,
because he knows My Name.
15 When he calls on Me, I will answer him.
I will be with him in trouble, rescue him, and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him My salvation.”
Psalm 34:7-10
7 This poor man cried, and Adonai heard,
and saved him out of all his troubles.
8 The angel of Adonai encamps around those who fear Him,
and delivers them.
9 Taste and see how good Adonai is.
Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.
10 Fear Adonai, His kedoshim,
For those who fear Him lack nothing.
2Kings 6:15-17
15 Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was surrounding the city. So his attendant said to him, “Alas, my master! What are we going to do?”
16 “Fear not,” he replied, “for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “Adonai, please open his eyes that he may see.” Then Adonai opened the eyes of the young man and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
There are more references in the scriptures such as these, showing that angels do in fact visit the earth and intervene in the affairs of men, in order to accomplish the will of Yahweh. There is evidence in the scriptures that angels (seen and unseen) have executed miracles in the lives of men.
The idea that miracles do occur today is much easier to believe, having reviewed these scriptures.
Figuring out why some people get a miracle while others do not is still a mystery, although we’ve scratched the surface in exploring the idea.
In the end, all that matters is that Yahweh is in control and He will accomplish His purposes.
We can have trust in that.
Yahweh can accomplish His good and perfect will with events that seem eiterh good or bad from the perspective of men.
What do I take away from these thoughts?
1. I am grateful each and everyday for the wonderful things that have occurred in my life, and in the lives of my wife and children.
2. I am grateful and thankful each day that Yah has lifted my veil and given me understanding of His Torah. This is described in 2Corinthians 3:14-16
14 But their minds were hardened. For up to this very day the same veil remains unlifted at the reading of the ancient covenant, since in Messiah it is passing away. 15 But to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart. 16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
3. I am grateful that if this idea is true [or even if it isn’t], that Yahweh has protected me from certain death at a time when I had not yet submitted my heart to Him, thus allowing me to continue living until I did so.
4. This idea/concept gives me great faith and great hope for two of my children who currently reject the Torah and reject Yahweh. If Yah saved them because He knows where they will end up, then it gives me great comfort to know they will eventually turn their hearts to Yah. I do pray this idea is true for this reason… My kids and many countless others throughout the world.
The things I’ve written in this article are very difficult things.
They smash the boundary between normal and expected vs. extraordinary and unbelievable.
I’m not trying to hype a strange idea here.
I’m just spilling my thoughts out in an effort to process these events that I have experienced and the scriptures that might explain these events.
I don’t know everything.
In fact, I think I know very little.
But I have faith.
And I have trust.
I know that Yahweh my Creator is sovereign over all that there is, including time, physics, and even life and death. And I know that His perfect will shall be accomplished, regardless of what that means for all of us as individuals.