Define miracle

[tonychanyt]

Here are some examples of miracles:

1. God struck Miriam with leprosy. 2, Naaman was healed when he dipped himself seven times in the River Jordan.
2. The wall of Jericho fell after the Israelites shouted on the seventh day of the marches around the city.
3. Jesus turned water into wine.

Changes in the horizontal (natural, physical) realm usually are continuous in time. In the case of a miracle, a sharp, discontinuous change in the horizontal realm has been effected instantaneously and materialized. The changes are instantaneous.

In terms of duration, there is another kind of miracle:

1. The parting of the Red Sea.
2. Jesus walked on water.

These miracles are sustained for an interval of time.

2 Kings 6 shows both the horizontal and the vertical realms:

17 Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

A vertical-horizontal intervention can be defined as a process that produces an observable result due to invisible causes. The vertical realm somehow intervenes in the natural course of events within the horizontal realm and disrupts the ordinary course of physical happening. When this intervention happens, it is a miracle.

What were the Hebrew and Greek words for 'miracle'?

God spoke to Moses in Ex 4:

13 "Take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”

I.e., miracles

Strong's 226: A signal: flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence

De 4:

34 Has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs [H226], by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

Strong's Hebrew: 4159. מוֹפֵת (mopheth or mopheth) — 36 Occurrences

BDG:

1. wonder, as special display of God's power
2. sign or token of future event

OT used H226 or H4159 for the concept of miracles.

Ac 2:

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works [G1411] and wonders [G5059] and signs [G4592] that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.

Strong's Greek: 1411. δύναμις (dunamis) — 120 Occurrences

BDAG:
③ a deed that exhibits ability to function powerfully, deed of power, miracle, wonder

Strong's Greek: 5059. τέρας (teras) — 16 Occurrences

BDAG:
τέρας, ατος, τό (Hom. et al.) someth. that astounds because of transcendent association, prodigy, portent, omen, wonder

Strong's Greek: 4592. σημεῖον (sémeion) — 77 Occurrences

BDAG:
① a sign or distinguishing mark whereby someth. is known, sign, token, indication
② an event that is an indication or confirmation of intervention by transcendent powers, miracle, portent

NT used G1411, G5059, or G4592 for the concept of miracles.

In both OT and NT, miracles were often referred to as signs.

See also The vertical realm interacts with or H5060-touches the horizontal realm.

 

[Mark Quayle]

Here are some examples of miracles:

1. God struck Miriam with leprosy. 2, Naaman was healed when he dipped himself seven times in the River Jordan.
2. The wall of Jericho fell after the Israelites shouted on the seventh day of the marches around the city.
3. Jesus turned water into wine.

Changes in the horizontal (natural, physical) realm usually are continuous in time. In the case of a miracle, a sharp, discontinuous change in the horizontal realm has been effected instantaneously and materialized. The changes are instantaneous.

In terms of duration, there is another kind of miracle:

1. The parting of the Red Sea.
2. Jesus walked on water.

These miracles are sustained for an interval of time.

2 Kings 6 shows both the horizontal and the vertical realms:


A vertical-horizontal intervention can be defined as a process that produces an observable result due to invisible causes. The vertical realm somehow intervenes in the natural course of events within the horizontal realm and disrupts the ordinary course of physical happening. When this intervention happens, it is a miracle.

See also The vertical realm interacts with or H5060-touches the horizontal realm.

As you probably know, my reasoning places these definitions in the realm of man's reasoning, temporal, and not God's point-of-view.

From God's point-of-view, (and granted, this is stated still from my necessarily temporal expression), it may well be that what we consider his 'inserting himself' into the temporal, is no more so than his upholding existence is.

But yes, while I think all fact is miracle, or, at least, miraculous, I acknowledge that Miracle may be defined as an interruption of what would otherwise be expected to continue naturally.

 

[tonychanyt]

it may well be that what we consider his 'inserting himself' into the temporal, is no more so than his upholding existence is.

Interesting insights. Thanks