Have you ever read something in the Bible and thought, “Wait. What?”

If so, you’re in good company!

The Bible is full of stories and mysteries that make us stop and read a second time, certain that we missed something.

But the Bible includes these stories on purpose.

Why?

Because strange stories with characters and plots beyond our comprehension reveal the nature of our God, who would ultimately come to us through Jesus Christ.

Our God can be known (that’s why we study the Bible!), but we will never fully know Him. Some parts of Him are incomprehensible.

We can see God’s vastness throughout Scripture, but today we’re looking at five specific stories that highlight creation behaving strangely. These stories show that God the Creator is not bound by the same limits we humans are.

No, He has unlimited power and is King over everything, including creation.

So, let’s take a little tour of five stranger stories of creation and what they can teach us about our God!

A Man Walks on Water

Matthew 14:22–33

In this story, the disciples are out on the water in the middle of the night when a storm rolls in, and then they see Jesus walking toward them–on the water.

Peter eventually steps out of the boat, too, and for a moment he walks on water because Jesus told him to come. Still, don’t focus so much on Peter that you miss what Matthew is showing us about Jesus.

If we go back to the Old Testament, we can read how Job describes God’s authority over the sea. When we read Matthew 14 again in this context, we see Jesus demonstrating God’s power over creation by walking on the water.

Don’t miss this: Once Jesus gets into the boat, the wind stops. In verse 33, the disciples worship Jesus and say, “Truly, you are the Son of God.” Why? Because Jesus just demonstrated that He, too, like God, has authority over the sea.

Lions Don’t Eat

Daniel 6:16–23

Daniel is thrown into a den of hungry lions, and this should be the end of the story.

Except…the lions don’t eat him, and Danielle comes out of the den unharmed.

This isn’t a story about Daniel being brave. This is a story about God’s deliverance.

Daniel tells us how he survived: God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths.

Daniel was faithful, but God delivered him. And even though Daniel was faithful, his faithfulness didn’t keep him out of the lions’ den. God showed His power while Daniel was in it!

This story shows us that God will guard, provide for, and deliver those who are faithful to Him. Even if it means interfering with the “natural” order of things, His will will be done!

Water Doesn’t Flow

Joshua 3:14–17

Picture this: the Israelites are standing at the Jordan River.

They’re ready to enter the Promised Land, but there’s a problem.

The river is overflowing its banks.

What do they do?

The priests step into the water carrying the ark of the covenant, and as they begin to carry the ark across the river, the water stops.

It doesn’t just die down or get shallower. God’s people cross through on dry ground.

Why does this matter?

A generation earlier, God made a way through the Red Sea. He parted the sea so the Israelites could escape, on dry ground, from Pharaoh as they fled the land of Egypt.

Now, a new generation is entering the Promised Land, and once again, God makes a way through the water. What this generation heard about from their ancestors, they now experienced for themselves.

This story shows us that God can stop or start anything in creation whenever He sees fit; in this case, stopping the water so the Israelites could cross safely fulfilled a promise He made to Joshua in verse 7 of this same chapter. God told Joshua that this miracle would show Israel that He is with Joshua just as He was with Moses, and it happened.

We can count on God to do what He says, even when it doesn’t make sense to us!

Dead Wood Grows

Numbers 17:1–11

In this story, God tells Moses to collect a staff from each tribe of Israel and place them before the Lord.

The next morning, Aaron’s staff has sprouted, budded, blossomed, and even produced almonds.

A dead piece of wood is growing.

And God did this for a reason.

This story comes right after Israel rebelled against the leadership God had established. God used this unusual sign to make it clear that He had chosen Aaron for the priesthood.

The miracle wasn’t simply that dead wood came to life; the miracle pointed to God’s choice and authority. He used creation to stamp His approval and anointing on Aaron, and He did it strangely so everyone knew it was from God Himself.

Fire Doesn’t Burn

Exodus 3:1–6

In this last story, Moses sees something strange in the wilderness.

While tending sheep, Moses notices a bush on fire…but it isn’t burning up. 

Moses goes over to get a closer look, and God speaks to him from the bush.

The burning bush gets Moses’ attention, but the bush isn’t really the point. This is where God calls Moses and identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

God used this peculiar act of nature to grab Moses’ attention and show him who He is.

God tells Moses to take off his sandals because where he is standing is “holy ground,” but there’s nothing about the ground or bush that made that piece of land holy; it was holy because God was there.

If God can meet Moses in the middle of the wilderness through a burning bush, just think of all the ways God can meet with you!

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These five strange stories, which show creation behaving in ways we wouldn’t expect, tell us a lot about our God.

They show us that God is in control.

They show us that He is not limited by space, time, or the “laws” of nature.

They show us that God will use whatever means necessary to confirm His Word and identity to us.

And they show us that no matter what, God will make a way to meet with us.

So, the next time you read something in Scripture that makes you think, “Wait. What?”

Don’t skip past it.

Get curious.

Slow down.

Ask why it’s there.

Look a little closer.

Because even the strangest passages teach us something beautiful about the God we’re reading about.