The Right Hand of God

I was reading the scriptures one day while in campus at around the year 2009 and could not help but notice the extensive use of the phrase “the right hand of God”. I began to wonder and search to understand the meaning of it. What the Holy Spirit revealed to me, becomes the subject of this blog post.

Just to drift a bit, most of you may have watched the famous series: game of thrones. You must be aware of “the hand of the king”. The Hand of the King (or King's Hand) is the most powerful appointed position in the Seven Kingdoms, second only to the King in authority and responsibility.

The Hand is the King's closest advisor, appointed and authorized to make decisions in the King's name. The Hand of the King is the highest-ranking member of the Small Council, and leads meetings of the council as proxy for the king when the monarch is absent.

During the reign of strong and able kings, the Hand is the chief agent for coordinating and carrying out the king's plans. During the reign of weakA or ineffectual kings, the Hand is often the real power behind the throne, and the man chiefly responsible for holding the realm together.

Game of thrones attempts to replicate how medieval kingdoms were governed and functioned.

But before even human kingdoms begun, the government of God existed. It is numerously cited in the Bible “the right hand of God”. I was curious why there is no mention of the left hand. Why specify it is the right hand of God.

In most of these scriptures, the right hand of God is depicted as a hand of power, a hand that saves and delivers, a hand full of righteousness and victory and further as a hand that is exalted. Moses says in Exodus 15:6 after crossing the red sea and seeing the great power of God, "Your right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has dashed the enemy in pieces."

King David, in the psalms, has extensively referred to the right hand of God and through it, he sought salvation and vengeance against the enemies. He writes;

Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand. (Psalm 20:6, NKJV)

According to Your name, O God, So is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness. (Psalm 48:10, NKJV)

You have a mighty arm; Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand. (Psalm 89:13, NKJV)

The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." (Psalms 110:1, NKJV)

The voice of rejoicing and salvation Is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. The right hand of the LORD is exalted; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. (Psalms 118:15 -16, NKJV)

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11, KJV)

In Isaiah, God swears by His right hand. Why? Of what significance is His right hand?

The LORD has sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength: "Surely I will no longer give your grain As food for your enemies; And the sons of the foreigner shall not drink your new wine, For which you have labored. (Isaiah 62:8, NKJV)

Psalm 80:17, says it all, “Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself." Who is this man of God’s right hand in whom God’s hand should be upon? Who is this son of man whom God made strong for Himself?

The bible is clear that not even an angel was told to sit at the right hand of God. Only one man, Jesus Christ was told to sit at the right hand of God.

Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." (Mathew 26:64, NKJV)

Stephen, the man of God full of the Holy Spirit saw the heavens open and the Son of God standing at the right hand of God. So many scriptures in the new testament testify to the fact that Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God. I quote but a few;

Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, (Hebrews 1:3, NKJV)

Who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. (1 peter 3:22, NKJV)

My eyes, mind and understanding were opened to see that “the right hand of God” is indeed Jesus Christ. Yes He sits at the right hand of God but more than that He is the right hand of God. Jesus Christ is the right hand of God that brings salvation and deliverance; the right hand of God that fights the enemies of God and brings victory; the right hand of God that is filled with righteousness and strength; the right hand of God that is exalted and in Him are pleasures forever more.

May the right hand of God intervene in your situation. May Jesus Christ intervene in your situation.

Shalom.

The Mystery of God’s Wisdom

Exactly what does it mean when Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom is the principal thing”.Further, it emphasizes that in all you aim to get, get understanding!

The beginning of Wisdom is:get Wisdom (skillful and godly Wisdom)! [For skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal thing.] And with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation).

The answers are well outlined in the scriptures and without much ado, I highlight the following reasons.

1. Wisdom will promote and honor you

Prize Wisdom highly and exalt her, and she will exalt and promote you; she will bring you to honor when you embrace her. She shall give to your head a wreath of gracefulness; a crown of beauty and glory will she deliver to you. (Proverbs 4: 8 – 9, Amp)

2. Wisdom will give you riches and wealth

Richesand honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness (uprightness in every area and relation, and right standing with God). (Proverbs 8:18, Amp)

3. Wisdom will give you life

For whoever finds me [Wisdom] finds life and draws forth and obtains favor from the Lord. But he who misses me or sins against me wrongs and injures himself; all who hate me love and court death. (Proverbs 8:35-36, Amp)

It is evident that it is better to have wisdom than riches. Yet we spend most of our time, effort and energy on the wrong priorities!

My brothers and sisters, there is a heavenly type of wisdom and an earthly one. When you boast you are wise but still has jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry and selfish ambition), this [superficial] wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual (animal), even devilish (demoniacal). Where this wisdom exists there will also be confusion (unrest, disharmony, rebellion) and all sorts of evil and vile practices.

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure (undefiled); then it is peace-loving, courteous (considerate, gentle). [It is willing to] yield to reason, full of compassion and good fruits; it is wholehearted andstraightforward, impartial and unfeigned (free from doubts, wavering, and insincerity).

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:13 -17, NIV)

One of my favorite bible extracts about wisdom is derived from Proverbs chapter 8. For many years I was confused by the words in this chapter, but not anymore. Wisdom is a persona representing Christ who is speaking out here. I have chosen these scriptures but you can go through the whole chapter. Let’s go through them with Christ in mind.

For skillful and godly Wisdom is better than rubies or pearls, and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

I have counsel and soundknowledge, I have understanding, I have might and power.

By me kings reign and rulers decree justice.

By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges andgovernors of the earth.

I love those who love me, and those who seek me early anddiligently shall find me.

My fruit is better than gold, yes, than refined gold, and my increase than choice silver.

The Lord formed and brought me [Wisdom] forth at the beginning of His way, before His acts of old.

I [Wisdom] was inaugurated and ordained from everlasting, from the beginning, before ever the earth existed.

When He prepared the heavens, I [Wisdom] was there; when He drew a circle upon the face of the deep and stretched out the firmament over it,

When He gave to the sea its limit and His decree that the waters should not transgress [across the boundaries set by] His command, when He appointed the foundations of the earth—

Then I [Wisdom] was beside Him as a master and director of the work; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing before Him always,

That not being enough, in the New Testament, we read;

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1 Corinthians 1:30)

That is the mystery of God’s wisdom! That indeed Christ became to us wisdom. He was there before the foundation of the world and was present during creation as a master and director of God’s work. In all your getting, you must get Christ. Those who reject him court death, but those who love him, he will love, honor and exalt.

God’s Wisdom is so pure, so accurate and so right. Everything that comes your way dear friend has gone through the sieve of God’s wisdom: It’s not too much that you cannot bear. Trust His wisdom. This Wisdom knows about your future.

Only God’s Wisdom knows how to deliver men from the burning fiery furnace of Nebuchadnezzar. This Wisdom knows how to shut the mouth of lions so that the godly are preserved. It knows how to make provision during famine so that the floor and oil do not cease. God’s Wisdom is at work in my life. I have God’s Wisdom. I have Christ.

Happy New Year! May the grace of our LORD Jesus Christ be with you. Shalom.