“This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in Him.” (John 2:11)
Jesus chose as his first miracle the changing of water into wine. Ever wonder why? It seems rather ordinary, almost unnecessary compared to His later miracles such as raising the dead, casting out demons, and healing sick people. But Jesus never did anything that was unnecessary or ordinary. He always did that which glorified His Father and blessed us sinful human beings.
One reason Jesus performed this miracle was to demonstrate God’s love and concern for individuals. At Cana, Jesus wanted to spare the bridegroom and his wife humiliation. A wedding was a major celebratory event in Jewish life. It was a reminder of God’s covenant relationship, a joyous celebration which recalled the Lord’s love for His people. Wine was a major factor in that celebration for it enhanced the joy of the celebrants. It also reminded them of God’s coming kingdom and of the Messiah who would provide them with the wine of rejoicing. Since a Jewish wedding celebration lasted a few days it would be a disaster if the wine ran out.
In the third year of the pandemic, people in our world are in desperate need of miracles. But the fact is, they take place every day all around us, if we are willing to look for and acknowledge them. Each day is a miracle that God creates. New babies are as well. So too are those medical miracles such as the COVID vaccines and the antiviral medications that are being created and used to combat it. They are researched and produced by scientists and medical professionals who, whether they realize it or not, are using principles established by God when He created the universe.
Every miracle demonstrates the love of God for us. He is concerned about our normal everyday crises. He is involved in every aspect of life. He has freed us from the slavery of the Law and freed us to love Him. He has come to prepare us to be His bride, to enter into a deep and intensely intimate relationship with Him that human marriages merely foreshadow.
The miracle at Cana marked the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. His time was near at hand. Three years later He would pour out His life-blood on the cross to confirm the covenant between God and man, a covenant which is symbolized by marriage itself. The miracle at Cana proclaimed the love and glory of the Lord and the arrival of the Messiah. Jesus came and perfectly fulfilled the law for us, meeting all of its requirements. The salvation He procured through His sacrifice on the cross makes it possible for men to enter into the joy of His Kingdom.