God’s Hands God’s Word never ever ceases to amaze me! Today I was struck by Scripture from Isaiah, John, and Revelation about God’s right hand. Many verses in the Old Testament point out the strength of God’s hand: strength to bring both his anger against those who rebel against Him and the strength to protect and take care of those who love and obey Him and the poor and needy. We are warned many times that God’s hand can bring huge wrath, even upon whole nations, and Bible history proves that to be true! But there are also some amazingly comforting verses about God’s hand! Isaiah 41:10 says in the King James Version “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.” Other translations say “with my righteous right hand.”. Not a great deal of difference that I could see there, except for me to say that I am SO glad that it is His righteousness I find in His right hand, because I certainly have no righteousness of my own. My only righteousness comes from the fact that Jesus went to the Cross for me! His hands were nailed to that Cross for me! Thank you Jesus, and thank you Father God! In John 3:35 Jesus says “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. Also, when was about to give us the Great Commission, Jesus began in Matthew 28:18 by saying, “All power is given to me in Heaven and in earth.” WOW!!! So, as Jesus was about to ascend into Heaven to prepare a place for those of us who believe in Him, the Father again placed all power into His hands. Yes, as Jesus was on the Cross, the Father would have to look away as Jesus bore the penalty for our sins. It was the only time in all eternity that Father and Son were not one! Although that was only temporary, it must have seemed like forever to the Son (”my God, my God, why have You forsaken me?). I’m totally sure that the Father grieved that whole time, too! But then, the repentant and forgiven thief and His Lord walked into Paradise together that day! The separation between Father and Son was restored and full power was again given to Jesus by the Father. But the most amazing thing about the Scriptures’ references to God’s righteous right hand comes in Revelation 1:16-17. Here we find in Jesus’ revelation of Himself to the apostle John that John is seeing Jesus standing in he middle of the 7 churches (the lampstands), holding 7 stars in his right hand (the leaders of the churches). What happens next is so phenomenal! I quote from the King James Version, Revelation 1;17-20. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. Wow! I think I would have fallen out like I was dead, too! This is, remember, that righteous right hand that was holding the stars, the leadership of the churches, but in the revelation of Himself, Jesus also reached down and placed that righteous right hand on John’s shoulder and told him not to fear. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end of all things, and He was including the apostle in His blessing and affirming his leadership. This was John whom Roman authorities had tried to boil in oil and, failing at that, banished him to a prison-like island, Patmos, where they thought he would live out the rest of his life. Didn’t work quite that way! John would return to Ephesus as a very old man and complete his Gospel, three letters, and this astounding Revelation of Jesus Christ.