Friday, 20 July 2012

Unfamiliar Old Testament Miracles


Old Testament Miracles
The Old Testament has many stories of the great miracles that God performed for his people---you know about the Sea dividing so that the Isrealites could pass through on dry land (Exodus 14:1-22);about Arron’s staff budding(Numbers 17:1-9; the plagues in Egypt (Numbers 16:46­-50); Samson’s strength (Judges 14:6; 16:3,29,30); Elijah being taken up to heaven (2 Kings 2:11)  

BUT do you know about these miracles???

Isaiah 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8

As a sign of His promise the Sun turns back… 

In those days Hezekiah become sick and was at the point of death.  The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord; Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.”
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord: “Remember me, O Lord, I implore you, how I have walked before you in faithfulness with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.”  And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of your ancestor David: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life.  I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and defend this city.”
Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a lump of figs, and apply it to the boil, so that he may recover.”  Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he has promised: “See I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps.”  So the sun turned back on the dial ten steps by which it had declined.

Numbers 22:23-30

Balaam's Donkey Speaks

23 The ass seeing the angel standing in the way, with a drawn sword, turned herself out of the way, and went into the field. And when Balaam beat her, and had a mind to bring her again to the way, 24 The angel stood in a narrow place between two walls, wherewith the vineyards were enclosed. 25 And the ass seeing him, thrust herself close to the wall, and bruised the foot of the rider. But he beat her again: 26 And nevertheless the angel going on to a narrow place, where there was no way to turn aside either to the right hand or to the left, stood to meet him. 27 And when the ass saw the angel standing, she fell under the feet of the rider: who being angry beat her sides more vehemently with a staff. 28 And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said: What have I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now this third time? 29 Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served me ill: I would I had a sword that I might kill thee. 30 The ass said: Am not I thy beast, on which thou hast been always accustomed to ride until this present day? tell me if I ever did the like thing to thee. But he said: Never. 31 Forthwith the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he worshipped him falling flat on the ground. 32 And the angel said to him: Why beatest thou thy ass these three times? I am come to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse, and contrary to me: 33 And unless the ass had turned out of the way, giving place to me who stood against thee, I had slain thee, and she should have lived. 34 Balaam said: I have sinned, not knowing that thou didst stand against me: and now if it displease thee that I go, I will return. 35 The angel said: Go with these men, and see thou speak no other thing than what I shall command thee. He went therefore with the princes. 36 And when Balac heard it he came forth to meet him in a town of the Moabites, that is situate in the uttermost borders of Arnon.

Joshua 10:6-14

The sun and the moon stand still

But the inhabitants of the city of Gabaon, which was besieged, sent to Josue, who then abode in the camp at Galgal, and said to him: Withdraw not thy hands from helping thy servants: come up quickly, and save us, and bring us succour: for all the kings of the Amorrhites, who dwell in the mountains, are gathered together against us. 7 And Josue went up from Galgal, and all the army of the warriors with him, most valiant men. 8 But the Lord said to Josue: Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thy hands: none of them shall be able to stand against thee. 9 So Josue going up from Galgal all the night, came upon them suddenly. 10 And the Lord troubled them, at the sight of Israel: and he slew them with a great slaughter, in Gabaon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent to Bethoron, and cut them off all the way to Azeca and Maceda. 11 And when they were fleeing from the children of Israel, and were in the descent of Bethoron, the Lord cast down upon them great stones from heaven, as far as Azeca: and many more were killed with the hailstones, than were slain by the swords of the children of Israel, 12 Then Josue spoke to the Lord, in the day that he delivered the Amorrhite in the sight of the children of Israel, and he said before them: Move not, O sun, toward Gabaon, nor thou, O moon, toward the valley of Ajalon. 13 And the sun and the moon stood still, till the people revenged themselves of their enemies. Is not this written in the book of the just? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down the space of one day. 14 There was not before, nor after, so long a day, the Lord obeying the voice of a man, and fighting for Israel.

1 Kings 17:1-6

Elijah is fed by ravens

1 And Elias the Thesbite, of the inhabitants of Galaad, said to Achab: As the Lord liveth, the God of Israel, in whose sight I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to the words of my mouth. 2 And the word of the Lord came to him, saying: 3 Get thee hence, and go towards the east, and hide thyself by the torrent of Carith, which is over against the Jordan; 4 And there thou shalt drink of the torrent: and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. 5 So he went, and did according to the word of the Lord: and going, he dwelt by the torrent Carith, which is over against the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the torrent.


2 Kings 6:1-6

Causes the axe to float

1 And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha: Behold, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. 2 Let us go as far as the Jordan, and take out of the wood every man a piece of timber, that we may build us there a place to dwell in. And he said: Go. 3 And one of them said: But come thou also with thy servants. He answered: I will come. 4 So he went with them. And when they were come to the Jordan, they cut down wood. 5 And it happened, as one was felling some timber, that the head of the ax fell into the water: and he cried out, and said: Alas, alas, alas, my lord, for this same was borrowed. 6 And the man of God said: Where did it fall? and he shewed him the place: Then he cut off a piece of wood, and cast it in thither: and the iron swam.

 

2 Kings 14:14-17

Joash Shooting  the Arrow

Elisha’s Deathbed Prophecy.

14When Elisha was suffering from the sickness of which he was to die, Joash, king of Israel, went down to weep over him. “My father, my father!”* he exclaimed, “Israel’s chariot and steeds!”c15Elisha said to him, “Take bow and arrows,” and he took bow and arrows.16* Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Rest your hand on the bow,” and he rested his hand on it. Elisha placed his hands over the king’s hands17and said, “Open the window toward the east.” He opened it. Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot. He said,
“An arrow of victory for the LORD!
An arrow of victory over Aram!
You will beat Aram at Aphek and finish him!”

18Then he said to the king of Israel, “Take the arrows,” which he did. Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Beat the ground!” He beat the ground three times and stopped.19The man of God became angry with him and said, “You should have beat five or six times. You would have beaten Aram and finished him. Now you will beat Aram only three times.”
20And so Elisha died and was buried.


2 Kings 13:20-21

The dead man was restored to life

20 And Eliseus died, and they buried him. And the rovers from Moab came into the land the same year. 21 And some that were burying a man, saw the rovers, and cast the body into the sepulchre of Eliseus. And when it had touched the bones of Eliseus, the man came to life and stood upon his feet.


 


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