Question #301

Many people say that miracles are not for today, but that they ended in the First Century, with the apostles. Is that true? JJK

Thank you for your question! Firstly, where does it say in scripture that the miracles would end with the apostles? No where! The miracles were intended for the whole of the Church age. Peter, quoting from Joel said: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams" (Acts 2:17).

Are the last days over yet? From the Tabernacle pattern, the central section (Holy Place) speaks of the Church age. The number that governs the holy place is "2000." They're about 2000 years given to the church age. If a day is as a thousand and a thousand years as a day (2 Pet. 3:8), that means there are two days to the Church age. "In the last days..."

The scripture does seem to indicate that the miracle gifts will end in the Millennium - when He is come! The church will no longer have to prove that he still lives, for every eye shall see Him! The book of Acts is one book that does not conclude with an "Amen!" The only other books with no "Amen" are the personal letter to Gaius, in 3 John, and the letter of James.

Jesus spoke of the "greater works" that His church would do… When did they happen? The early Church never did anything to surpass what our Lord did upon earth. The whole of scripture points to the greatest revival, as the one that climaxes the Church age! James said this:

"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain" (James 5:7).

Has this latter outpouring taken place since James wrote this? We know that the early rain was initiated during the feast of Pentecost. The early rain (naturally speaking) was the "planter" rain in Israel. The latter rain (naturally speaking) was the rain that brought the harvest to completion. It has been said that the latter rain was 7 times greater than the early rain! This latter rain will fulfill the last great feast on our spiritual calendar: the "Feast of Tabernacles" - also known as the "Feast of Ingathering" at the years end (Ex. 23:16, and Ex. 34:22).

When we consider the faith chapter of Hebrews (chapter 11), we must note that all of the great exploits of faith were only a shadow of something that the church must fulfill. Let us consider a few verses:

"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Heb. 11:13).

"And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:" (Heb. 11:39).

"God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect (completed)" (Heb. 11:40).

These all died in faith having not received the promise. They lived their lives according to the vision… they saw it afar off - but we (the Church) must complete the vision. In other words, we must enter into the things, which they saw from a distance. This was written after the early church had done the greater part of their miracles. In fact, the church was in decline.

No, the day of miracles is not over. Our Lord always saves His best wine for the last; and so shall it be as this age concludes. The greatest revival, the greatest miracles, the greatest ingathering, and the "greater things" are reserved for our day. May we continue to be faithful so that God might grant us the privilege to be a part of it!