Sonderbooks Book Review of Miracles of Our Lord

Reviewed February 23, 2005.
Johannesen, Whitethorn, California, 2000. Published with The Hope of the Gospel. 440 pages.

In this book, George MacDonald looks at all the miracles of Jesus that were recorded in the New Testament. I didn’t find this volume as enlightening as some of his other books, but he did have some good things to say.

He divides the miracles into interesting categories: Miracles of healing unsolicited, miracles of healing solicited by the sufferers, miracles granted to the prayer of friends, the casting out of devils, the raising of the dead, the government of nature, miracles of destruction, the Resurrection, and the transfiguration.

In talking about turning water to wine, he says: “I wonder how many Christians there are who so thoroughly believe God made them that they can laugh in God’s name; who understand that God invented laughter and gave it to his children.”

In the section on miracles granted to the prayer of friends, he says, “If ever there was a Man such as we read about here, then he who prays for his friends shall be heard of God. I do not say he shall have whatever he asks for. God forbid. But he shall be heard. And the man who does not see the good of that, knows nothing of the good of prayer; can, I fear, as yet, only pray for himself, when most he fancies he is praying for his friend.”

When talking about raising the dead, he says, “In a word, when he raised the dead, the Son did neither more nor less nor other than the work of the Father—what he is always doing; he only made it manifest a little sooner to the eyes and hearts of men.”

And about the Resurrection, he says, “If Christ be risen, then is the grave of humanity itself empty. We have risen with him, and death has henceforth no dominion over us. Of every dead man and woman it may be said: He—she—is not here, but is risen and gone before us. Ever since the Lord lay down in the tomb, and behold it was but a couch whence he arose refreshed, we may say of every brother: He is not dead but sleepeth. He too is alive and shall arise from his sleep.”

Reviews of related books:
Exploring Universalism
Phantastes

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Book Reviews by Sondra Eklund

****Miracles of Our Lord*

by George MacDonald