“That is why the Book of the Wars of the LORD says:
‘ … Zahab in Suphah and the ravines, the Arnon …’”

— Numbers 21:14

Each week in synagogue, Jews read through the Torah from Genesis to Deuteronomy. The Torah portion for this week is Chukat, which means “requirement,” from Numbers 19:1–22:1.

Often, I am asked whether I am fearful of living in Israel and raising my children in a world overwhelmed with so many dangers. And it’s true. We are constantly surrounded by risks and uncertainty where anything could happen to us or our loved ones.

But I’m not fearful because I know that  the LORD almightyperforms countless hidden miracles every single day on our behalf.

The Hidden Miracles of God

In this week’s reading, we read about a song that the Israelites had sung after surviving crisis after crisis on their way to the Promised Land. One of the verses reads: “Zahab in Suphah and the ravines, the Arnon.” The literal understanding of this verse in Hebrew is this: “the gift of Suphah – a reference to the Sea of Reeds [Red Sea] known in Hebrew as the Yam Suph – and the rivers of Arnon.” The Jewish sages taught that this verse refers to God’s hidden miracle that occurred at the rivers of Arnon – one on par with the splitting of the Sea of Reeds. 

According to Jewish tradition, as the Israelites approached the Promised Land, their enemies hid in the crevices of the cliffs and rocks. The Amorites’ plan was to ambush the Israelites as they came through. However, God miraculously moved two cliffs together, thereby crushing the would-be attackers and demolishing the entire army of the Amorites.

The children of Israel would not have even known that they had been in such grave danger had it not been for the blood that trickled down the cliffs and into the rivers of Arnon. It was then that they recognized the hidden miracle of God done for them, and they gave thanks in song.

The truth is we are all the recipients of the hidden miracles of God. Some we may later recognize, and others, we will never know about. How many car accidents have been miraculously avoided at the last second? 

Praise God and give thanks for the many miracles that He does on our behalf – both hidden and revealed. May He continue to do so and bless His people with peace!

Your turn: Perhaps you have experienced a miracle in your life that you only found out about much later. I would love to hear about it!