To be an eyewitness to any unusual phenomena is significant for the observer. Scripture is filled with many examples of miraculous events: the manna in the wilderness, the parting of the Red Sea, the draught of fishes, the stilling of the tempest, and many other spectacular events too numbers to mention.

Isn’t it true that it frequently takes the unusual to make us conscious of God’s omnipotence in the realm of nature? (Rev. Hofman’s personal experience of the earthquake in the northwestern United States testifies to this fact.)

In a recent article of a leading scientific journal there is a very interesting communication entitled “Do Fish Fall From the Sky?” In it a world life biologist relates his unique experience. While partaking of his morning breakfast he was called outdoors to observe fish raining from the sky. To his consternation fish varying from two to nine inches in length and representing some five different species lay scattered over a wide area. Imagine the perplexity and excitement of the people! There were fish lying on roofs of houses, fish being run over in the streets, fish dropping on porches and sidewalks. All of the species were fresh water types found in local waters, and some individual who were struck by them claimed they were frozen. The fish proved to be strictly fresh and fit for human consumption. (No game laws were enforced as to the size and limit of the “catch”!)

The amazing thing was that there was no violent storm or tornado at the time. In fact, the wind velocity did not exceed eight miles per hour and a rather heavy fog hung over the area. However, the state weather bureau had recorded several small tornados during the previous day in the vicinity. It was surmised that the fish were carried up into the higher altitudes and dropped the following day.

We cannot but be astounded at the divine power displayed in this phenomena—fish removed from their natural habitat, carried to the heights above, supported for some twenty-four hours in this cold atmosphere, and deposited in the manner of rain over street and housetop in the same locality.

Nearly 2000 years ago Athanasius recorded a similar occurrence of falling fish in his work entitled “De Pluivuea Piscium.” Since that time approximately eighty such events have been recorded. At Essen, Germany, the fish that rained from above were recorded to have all been frozen. The largest fish to have fallen was reported in India and weighed over six pounds. The previous reports of “fish rains” have been described accompanying terrific storms as tornadoes of thunderstorms. Of course, the naturalist finds satisfaction in explaining this by seeking a natural cause and result relationship. However, to us who believe in the omnipotent God, the “seemingly natural” is “essentially supernatural.”