God's Hand

"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?" (Isaiah 53: 1 KJV)

"But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?" (John 12: 37, 38 KJV)

By the "hand" and "arm" of God one is not to imagine that Lord God has a body and/or parts, for he is pure Spirit (John 4: 24), and undivided in his essence or substance, and cannot be limited or confined. These are therefore metaphors when used in relation to God. Thus, the "arm" or "hand" of Jehovah means nothing more than his power.

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power (his hand or his arm) and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." (Romans 1: 18-20 KJV)

God has revealed himself in creation and in providence. Yet, depraved men are blinded by sin and refuse to believe the evidence of the external revelation, the testimony from the "outside book of nature." So, in order for a sinner to be fully convinced of the existence, sovereignty, and power of God, there is moreover necessary an "eye-opening" experience that will make this external revelation of God become an internal revelation.

"The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly." (Psalm 118: 15, 16 KJV)

"O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory." (Psalm 98: 1 KJV)

The truly saved ascribe their salvation, past, present, and future, to nothing but the power of God. They do not credit any power they have, nor the power of any other creature, in heaven or in earth, but the power of God alone. They recognize the arm and hand of God at work in their lives, and they confess that it is divine power alone that has saved them. The arm, hand, and power of God is revealed to them in a marvelous and soul-transforming way.

"By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage..." (Exodus 13: 14 KJV)

"Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore." (Exodus 14: 13 KJV)

"And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians." (Exodus 18: 10 KJV)

Notice the comparison between the "hand" of God versus the "hand" of man, the "hand of Pharoah" and the "hand of the Egyptians." There is simply "no contest" when it comes to God's arm versus the arm of puny man, in this spiritual "arm wrestling" contest!

"And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life." (Job 2: 6 KJV)

Here the hand of God is contrasted with the hand of Satan. But notice that Satan could have "no hand in it" did not Lord God permit it, and Lord God also limited the hand of Satan, Lord God's own hand "over ruling" the hand of Satan.

"The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will." (Proverbs 21: 1 KJV

All is in the "hand of the Lord"! Nothing is exempt from his sovereign will, from his power and control. The heart, the will, and the understanding of men, yea, of all his creatures, is all in "God's hand." The heart and will of man, contrary to the thinking of many, is not "off limits" for God! He can as easily turn a man as he can turn a river!

"O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?" (Deuteronomy 3: 24 KJV)

To be shown the power of God, and to be brought to trust in it, is to find assurance of salvation. To have the "arm of the Lord" personally "revealed" to a person is for that person to come to know the power of the Lord in salvation and redemption, to come to know Christ, who is both the "Wisdom of God" and the "Power of God." (See I Corinthians 1: 24 KJV)

"For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever." (Joshua 4: 23, 24 KJV)

"And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me." (Judges 7: 2 KJV)

Lord God is jealous for his glory, and does not condone men robbing him of what belongs to him. When men do not credit him, and his power, but rather credit themselves, this is highly displeasing to God. Lord God has put certain preventatives in place to keep this evil tendency of man "in check," to keep him from excessive evil boasting.

"And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD'S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not." (Numbers 11: 21-23 KJV)

Even though one comes to see and to trust in God's power, especially his power to save, his faith and trust in it may oftentimes be weak, as it was with Moses on this occasion. At such times the weak need exhorting and encouraging in their faith.

"For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed." (Deuteronomy 2: 15 KJV)

"And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm..." (Deuteronomy 5: 15 KJV)

God's people, they who have come to have the arm of the Lord revealed to them, sometimes forget the superlative greatness of that power, losing heart and faith. They are therefore in need of constantly being reminded of how that power is their source of hope. They also need to recall that this arm or hand of God may be either "for" them or "against" them.

"But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers." (I Samuel 12: 15 KJV)

"And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed. Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them." (Judges 2: 14-16 KJV)

"And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand." (Acts 13: 10, 11 KJV)

The hand of the Lord will truly be "against" all they who have not had Christ revealed to them, or have not come to trust in God's power. But, that same hand will be "for" all those who remain faithful to Christ.

"Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD's hand double for all her sins." (Isaiah 40: 2 KJV)

A man "receives" from the "hand" of God either help and salvation, or destructive judgment for unforgiven sin. To find forgiveness with God is to see your relationship to God's hand change! Rather than receiving from his hand the reward for sins, one rather receives pardoning grace and saving mercy!

"For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he." (Jeremiah 31: 11 KJV)

"Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear." (Isaiah 59: 1 KJV)

"Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The LORD." (Jeremiah 16: 21 KJV)

Thank God for his promise! He says he will be faithful to reveal his arm to many! He will cause them to "know his hand"! To "know his might"!

"And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the LORD Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord." (Acts 11: 20, 21 KJV)

God has his "hand" in salvation! His people also have a hand in it, being instruments in God's hand to bring his saving message to others. Oh the hand of the Lord as seen in Christian conversion! A powerful arm!

"Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy: That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, LORD, hast done it." (Psalm 109: 26, 27 KJV

"Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts. I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight." (Psalm 119: 173, 174 KJV)

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness...For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." (Isaiah 41: 10, 13 KJV)

"For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." (Isaiah 41: 13 KJV)