BIBLE RECORDS | 124 MIRACLES (68)

1. What are "Miracles"?

a) Miracles are those acts that only God can perform; usually superseding natural laws. Baker’s Dictionary of the Bible defines a miracle as “an event in the external world brought about by the immediate agency or the simple volition of God.” It goes on to add that a miracle occurs to show that the power behind it is not limited to the laws of matter or mind as it interrupts fixed natural laws. So the term supernatural applies quite accurately.

b) Miracles are also known as Signs and Wonders.

c) Here we have one of the 124 miracles recorded in the Bible.

2. Miracle 68: INSTANT BLINDNESS—Syrian army smitten with blindness at Dothan (2 Kings 6:18). 

a) Syrian army smitten with blindness.

2 Kings 6:18 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁸ So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

b) Blind.

i) Blind beggars are frequently mentioned (Matthew 9:27; 12:22; 20:30; John 5:3).

ii) The blind are to be treated with compassion (Leviticus 19:14; Deuteronomy 27:18).

iii) Blindness was sometimes a punishment for disobedience (1 Samuel 11:2; Jeremiah 39:7), sometimes the effect of old age (Genesis 27:1; 1 Kings 14:4; 1 Samuel 4:15). Conquerors sometimes blinded their captives (2 Kings 25:7; 1 Samuel 11:2).

iv) Blindness denotes ignorance as to spiritual things (Isaiah 6:10; 42:18-19; Matthew 15:14; Ephesians 4:18).

v) The opening of the eyes of the blind is peculiar to the Messiah (Isaiah 29:18).

vi) Elymas was smitten with blindness at Paul’s word (Acts 13:11).