How can we deny the Divine intervention of the Lord? Are there not critical times in world history that lives and nations are saved by the hand of God? More specifically, can we look back at history, use everyday logic, and roughly calculate divine providence? I believe the answer is yes! Take for example a series of miracles that occurred during the American Revolution.

It was barely a month and a half after the Declaration of Independence ( July 4th, 1776). The British had just suffered a humiliating defeat in Boston and now targeted New York to swiftly end the revolution. The British started a military buildup on Staten Island. By August 12, 1776 four hundred British ships, 8,000 Hessian Soldiers, and a total of 32,000 troops were camped on Staten Island. (“Battle of Long Island”, Wikipedia, McCullough 2006, p. 152) The Battle of Long Island on August 27, 1776, could have been the end of the revolution and the end of America. General Washington’s actions, however, and especially the will of God would preserve an army and a nation yet to be born!

At night, on August 26, 1776, 10,000 men of the British army marched through the Jamaica Pass to outflank the Americans. A separate British and Hessian force attacked at Guan Heights and deceived the Americans, leaving them in a total panic. General Stirling had ordered all of the American troops to fall back and cross Gowanus Creek. The Maryland 400 fought aggressively against the British, allowing the rest  of the army to fall back to Brooklyn Heights. (McCullough 2006,p.177)

The first of many critical miracles would occur at this point to preserve the American army. General Howe, for some unknown reason, halted the attack. Howe’s British officers protested, Howe, however chose to dig in and set up for a siege, figuring the Americans were cornered with their backs to the East River, almost a mile across to Manhattan Island. The majority of the Continental Army – 9,000 men- were encircled by 20,000 British and Hessians, and the fate of America hung in the balance.

Then another miracle:”on the afternoon of August 28th, it began to rain, and Washington had his cannons bombard the British well into the night. On August 29th, torrents of rain and wind kept British ships from coming up river to block the Americans possible exit. Washington sent a letter to General William Heath to send every flat bottomed boat and sloop without delay and at 11:00 pm the Continental Army began evacuation. “Wagon wheels were muffled and men were forbidden to talk.” Artillery, supplies, and troops were all evacuated across the river. The evacuation did not go as fast as Washington had anticipated, and daybreak soon came. ( McCullough 2006, p.p. 185, 186-190)

A third major miracle would occur, obviously from God. A very heavy fog settled in over the area, ” and the rest of the Continental Army was able to conceal their movements from the British. As the fog lifted, the British were left in amazement, as the Continental Army was gone.” (The fog that saved an army, 1776 History.com)

This incredible string of perfectly timed miracles preserved the American Army and the future existence of the United States. So what are the rough odds of everything occurring at the right time, in the right place, and in the right order as they did?

– Howe halted his advancement on the Americans at the right time. For sake of argument, we’ll say 50/50 chance or 1/2

– A very heavy rain and wind hit West Long Island at the exact right time in August. We don’t have daily climate information relating to New York weather in 1776. We do however have typical daily weather statistics for the same area from the National Weather Service at La Guardia Airport in 2015. The climatology report lists 13 days a year with over an inch of rain. 13/365 = 1/28 chance of extreme rainfall.

– The Americans were saved by a sudden dense fog. The same report for La Guardia shows dense fog averages 23 days a year with under a 1/4 mile visibility. 23/365 = 1/16 chance of dense fog.

– The fog occurred on an exact day and hour that was even more miraculous. Had it occurred at any other time, it would not have saved the Americans. 1/365 x 1/24 ( hours per day )

The very rough odds of the British halting their advance at such a critical time, the rain and wind stopping British advances, and a concealing fog allowing the Americans to escape unnoticed at one critical day and hour are as follows:  1/2 x 1/28 x 1/16 x 1/365 x 1/24 = 1/7,848,960 or  7,848,960 to one!

Of course this still doesn’t include the wind mitigating effects pushing back British ships from cutting off a water escape. Secondly, the logistics of moving 9,000 men at night, unheard, in small flat bottomed boats without a single loss of life or equipment.

The divinely providential preservation of the entire Continental Army, clearly saved by God, would extend and allow 5 more years of battle and the victory at Yorktown. Without God at this moment in time, there would be no United States as we know it and the entire world would look quite different!  Only God knows if you would have even been born!

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of Their lands.  Acts 17:26 (NIV)

Thankyou  Dimitri Skopos