| The Grapevine Number 87 September 19, 2004 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15 Right Hand of God By Jack Northart In the lands and times of the Bible and in many places today, the Eastern or Oriental culture considers a person’s right hand to be the hand of blessing. The right hand is also considered holy, powerful and sacred. The left hand, therefore is considered the hand of cursing, unholy and evil. If a person were to give a gift to a friend, he would hand it to him with the right hand, and the person receiving the gift would accept it with his right hand. If the gift were given with the left hand, it would not only be considered an insult, but it would be considered cursed and threatening of evil. Let’s look at the significance of the right hand from a record in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not they left hand know what thy right hand doeth. A person from the Oriental culture would understand this to mean that the forces of evil should not be informed or advised of what the good forces are doing. The right hand is of blessing, the left hand is of cursing. We see further significance of this Oriental custom when reading the book of Psalms. Psalm 118:16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. This shows the goodness and power of God when describing His right hand being exalted and doing valiantly. Psalm 121:5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. Shade refers to a shadow, image or likeness. The likeness of God is over your right hand. All of God’s power and might come into manifestation as we put forth the right hand to do His will. Psalm 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. As we acknowledge God, with His blessings in our lives, we shall not be moved by any adversity that we may encounter. In the book of Jeremiah, we see a verse that describes the right hand once again. Jeremiah 50:15a Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand… “She hath given her hand…” is a custom very similar to lifting the right hand to swear to uphold an office, or to testify in a court. It is an act of surrendering yourself to your duties. In the East, the person submitting himself will bow down and then give his right hand to another person – meaning he has surrendered to certain obligations, and therefore he must fulfill the conditions of the surrender. This verse is prophesying of the certain destruction of Babylon because the people had sworn their right hand to God, but they had not fulfilled the terms of their obligations. In the New Testament, we see examples of the blessings of the right hand being used once again. Acts 3:7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength. What a blessing it must have been for this man who had never walked, to be blessed with healing and to be able to walk and leap and praise God. What about God’s right hand of blessing to us? How does it relate to our day and time? Look at where God placed Jesus Christ after his resurrection and ascension into heaven. Ephesians 1:20-23 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Jesus Christ has been placed at God’s own right hand. He has been given all power and authority to carry out his responsibilities over all principalities, and power and might and dominion and every name that is named. How does this relate to us? What significance does it have to our lives? If we explore the context of this section of God’s Word, we see what God did for us, as well. Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: All spiritual blessings means just that; ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS. Now that Christ is seated at God’s right hand, all the blessings of God have been given to us as well. All of what Jesus Christ accomplished, and all of the blessings that God has made available to Christ, He made available to us too, including being seated in the heavenlies at His own right hand with Christ! Ephesians 2:6,7 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. God raised us up together and MADE us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Our standing in the heavenly realm is established. Our place is set. There is no more wondering about it. Furthermore, it states here in Ephesians that in the ages to come, God will show or exhibit the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us. What a wonderful God we have! He is full of grace and kindness and wants to show everyone about it in the ages to come. How many more blessings could He possibly come up with after making that statement? If we go back to chapter one of Ephesians, we will see more. Ephesians 1:11a In whom also we have obtained an inheritance… If you received a phone call today, and the person on the other end told you that you received a very large inheritance, how excited would you be? Your mind would race, thinking of all of the things that you could finally do now that you don’t have to worry about money ever again. Is this inheritance from God any less real? Would it be any less than could possibly be imagined? Of course it would not. It would be the biggest blessing, the biggest inheritance that we could conceive in our minds, and then much more. We should be shouting from the roof tops about all of these blessings. But wait, there’s more! Ephesians 1: 17-19 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power. We need not walk around in the dark anymore because God has opened the eyes of our understanding and showed us three major things: 1) To know the hope of His calling 2) To know the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and 3) What is the exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe. This is truly a glorious age in which to live. We have all of these blessings, rights and privileges because God seated Jesus Christ at His own right hand, and we are now seated with him at God’s right hand too. Return to main page |