Miracle n. an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs
Around 700 B.C. “The Assyrians” captured most of Judah and Israel. Sennacherib, (Sin-ak-er-ib) their king with 185,000, fully-equipped, crack troops surrounded a weak Jerusalem, blaspheming God and His power to save the city. (I don’t know about you, but that sounds hopeless.) Soon, they’d all die.
Let’s consider how large his fully-equipped army was. (The city of St. Louis is approximately 345,000 people in an area of 62 square miles.) This army with its horses, supply wagons, battering rams, support staff, cooks/kitchens, bathrooms, etc. would have had to take up considerable space. But let’s say it was only 11% of St. Louis’ land area or 7 square miles. That’s a lot of soldiers!
Gravely concerned, Hezekiah ordered the Jerusalem’s inhabitants to pray while he sought advice from the prophet Isaiah. (I Corinthians 14:3 defines prophecy as edification, exhortation and comfort to men NOT prediction of the future.) Hezekiah was told, “Fear Not!” Sennacherib shall NOT come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, etc. “For I (God) WILL defend this city to save it for My own sake.”
Question: Would you believe a national leader backed by 185,000 troops at your doorstep – or GOD?
Isaiah’s account says: The Angel of the Lord killed all the Assyrian soldiers. The next day when the people of Jerusalem awoke, there were all the corpses – 185,000 crack troops – dead! Jerusalem’s situation was changed swiftly by God! It was so significant that the Bible documented the event in 3 books by different authors in 3 different places – Isaiah 36-37; II Kings 18-19 and II Chronicles 32.
How could 185,000 crack troops occupying 7 square miles, surrounding Jerusalem be killed overnight without making enough noise to awaken Jerusalem? The largest number killed in one day by mankind was about 70,000 by a very noisy Atomic Bomb at Hiroshima (lots of collateral damage), yet the Angel of the Lord did it selectively and silently.
Is it likely or even possible that another army could have sneaked up and killed the 185,000 Assyrians? Wouldn’t that have erupted in a battle that would have awakened the city? But Isaiah’s eyewitness account reads “when the people of Jerusalem awoke, there were all the corpses.
Some folks refuse to accept miracles, but they are impossible to explain away. When people can’t understand them, plausible stories are fabricated. For hundreds of years people said; Mary, the mother of Jesus, didn’t have God’s child, but was promiscuous, became pregnant and made up the story so she wouldn’t be condemned to death as unfaithful to her husband. Today, doctors routinely help women get pregnant through artificial insemination. (This would be no big deal for an Almighty God!)
Others discount miracles. The Red Sea’s waters parted so Moses, with 1,000,000+ Israelites walking 5,000 abreast, could cross in only 1 night. Doubters say the water was only inches deep, so it was no big deal. They don’t acknowledge a potentially even greater miracle – Pharaoh’s army chased after the Israelites, got mired down and drown in pursuit in only the same couple inches of water.
You can choose to not believe or explain miracles away, but for me and my household we will follow the Lord and benefit by His miracles. All Scripture is God Breathed and useful to teach us what is true, and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way – fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do! – II Timothy 3:16
I know all things work together for good for those who love God and those who are the Called according to His purpose. I know in spite of any current predicament, I’m always in the “Midst of a Miracle!” So are you! Suddenly, God changes situations for good! He has done it (and continues to do it) over and over and over. So put your trust in Him. He’ll never let you down!
