THE MYSTERY OF THE HAND OF GOD!

THE MYSTERY OF GOD'S HAND!

INTRODUCTION:

When the Bible speaks of God's hand, many imagine it in human terms: an arm followed by a five-fingered palm. Yet, in reality, this biblical expression is often a metaphor that can be understood and interpreted in many ways.

In this new teaching on "THE MYSTERY OF GOD'S HAND," I will guide you through an in-depth thematic study where we will discover together the mysteries hidden behind this biblical expression: "THE HAND OF GOD."

By reading the Bible, we already understand that, biblically, the hand of God is not a formal concept, but an expression, a metaphor, a way of speaking. That is why I want to begin this teaching by striving to help you first understand the true meaning of this biblical expression: "THE HAND OF GOD."

NOTE:

The complexity of our topic lies in the fact that it is not a formal theme

(LOVE, REPENTANCE, SIN, etc.), generally easy to address, but an expression directly linked to divine manifestation, which theology calls "THEOPHANY."

WHAT IS THEOPHANY?

Theophany (from the Greek theophaneia, simply meaning "appearance of God"). Etymologically, this term comes from the combination of the two Greek words theos, meaning (God), and phain, meaning (to appear).

Theologically, these words refer to the manifestation of God in a form perceptible to human beings. This term is used in theology to describe the moments when the invisible God, creator of the universe, reveals himself tangibly, often through extraordinary visual phenomena and auditory apparitions.

Therefore, a theophany involves a visible or audible manifestation of God, and it is often a purely internal or spiritual experience that can be experienced individually or collectively, depending on the circumstances.

SOME EXAMPLES OF THEOPHANIES IN THE BIBLE:

1. THE OX OF FIRE:

God appears to Moses in a burning bush to entrust him with the mission of liberating his people (in the book of Exodus). During this theophany, the prophet Moses distinctly hears God's voice, like a human voice. This is an auditory manifestation of God, which can also be called a theophany.

EXODUS 3:2-6

2 The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from within a bush. Moses looked, and behold, the bush was on fire, yet it was not consumed. 3 Moses said,

“I will go over and see this great thing, why the bush is not consumed?” 4 When the Lord saw that he was approaching to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 God said, “Do not come near. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At these words, Moses covered his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

2. AT THE BAPTISM OF JESUS:

In the Christian tradition (Orthodox and Evangelical), we believe in the Trinity, that is, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. At the baptism of Jesus, those present clearly heard the voice of the Father, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus, the Son of God, like a dove. This is a beautiful example of a theophany in the Gospel.

MATTHEW 3:16-17

16 As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on him. 17 And a voice came from heaven: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

3. KING BALTHAZAR AND HIS VISION:

King Belshazzar had a vision: the fingers of a human hand were writing on the whitewashed wall of the royal palace, opposite the lampstand (Daniel 5:5-8 and 24-25). This is another good example of a theophany.

DANIEL 5:5-6

5 Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the whitewashed wall by the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched as the hand wrote. 6 His face turned pale, and he was so afraid that his legs shook and his knees buckled.

DANIEL 5:24-25

24 Then he sent the hand that had written the inscription.

25 “This is the inscription that was written: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin.”

THE KEY VERSE:

The key verse for the phrase "the hand of God" in the Bible is often Ezra 7:28, where Ezra says, "The gracious hand of my God was upon me," thus expressing divine favor and protection in his life.

But the phrase "THE HAND OF GOD" also appears in many verses throughout the Bible and often symbolizes the manifestation of divine power, guidance, or direction. It also expresses God's intervention in the lives of his people and sometimes even his wrath or judgment upon the earth or upon his people's enemies. This is seen in some Psalms (for example, Psalm 34:7), as well as in Proverbs 21:1, where God guides the hearts of kings.

The hand of God is one of the most frequent metaphors in the Bible. There are many references to the hand of God in the Pentateuch, particularly in the account of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.

SOME INTERPRETATIONS AND PROPHETIC MEANING OF “THE HAND OF GOD”:

The expression “the hand of God” lends itself to several biblical interpretations and explanations. For, literally, God does not have a hand of flesh and blood, since he is Spirit, as the Bible describes; but he possesses [figuratively] a hand that can be interpreted in different ways.

Here, then, are seven ways to understand the expression “THE HAND OF GOD.”

1. DIVINE PROTECTION:

The hand of God is the expression of His protection over us, His people; it protects us from the dangers of the enemy (Psalm 34:7). When the hand of God rests upon you, you become untouchable and indestructible in this world and in the spiritual realm.

Psalm 34:7

“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”

(This verse is often associated with divine protection.)

2 Samuel 22:49

“You deliver me from my enemies; you set me above my foes; you deliver me from the violent man.”

2. DIVINE GUIDANCE:

The hand of God is the expression of His authority over His people; it guides you and shows you the way so that you do not stray from your destiny (Proverbs 21:1). When you are guided by His hand, you will go from glory to glory, from success to success, for He leads you on the path of success.

Proverbs 21:1

The king's heart is like a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He pleases.

3. DIVINE FAVOR:

The hand of God is the expression of His favor toward His people; when God's hand is upon you, everything you undertake will be blessed and prosperous, for His favor accompanies all that you do. His hand brings blessing and success.

Psalm 145:16

“You open your hand and give to every living creature what it desires.”

Deuteronomy 28:12

“The Lord will open for you the heavens, the treasures of his flesh, to send rain on your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands.”

Psalm 145:14

“The Lord upholds all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down.”

4. THE POWER OF GOD:

The hand of God is the expression of His power manifested toward His people. When it works in you or with you, it strengthens you, and divine power is manifested in everything you do. It works for you so that you can accomplish God's purposes

(Ezra 7:11). It empowers you and makes you an influential person in the world.

Acts 11:21:

“The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.”

Isaiah 40:10:

“Behold, the Lord God comes with power, and his arm rules for him.”

5. DIVINE EXALTION:

The hand of God is also an expression of His exaltation toward us, for it is God who exalts at the appointed time. And when He lifts you up, no one can bring you down. For not only does He lift you up, but He also upholds you with His hand in that time of exaltation, so that no one can bring you down by their malice. (1 Peter 5:6-11)

1 Peter 5:6

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.”

6. DIVINE INTERVENTION:

The hand of God is also a manifestation of His intervention on our behalf. In the difficult times of our lives, He comes like a father to intervene in the face of illness, financial difficulties, social problems, marital problems, and so on. He intervenes powerfully to demonstrate His authority over our enemies.

Exodus 13:16:

“They shall be as a sign on your hand and as a bandage between your eyes; for it was by his mighty hand that the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”

Ezra 7:28:

“The hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the enemy.”

7. JUDGMENTS AGAINST OUR ENEMIES:

The hand of God can also express His anger and judgment toward our enemies, thus rendering us justice in the face of the difficulties they try to impose upon us. When He intervenes, it is also to judge our enemies, those who fight us without cause.

Psalm 35:1-2:

“Lord, fight against those who fight against me! Conquer those who fight against me! Take hold of the shield and the javelin, and rise up to help me! Draw the spear and the javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, ‘You are saved!’”

Psalm 44:3-4:

“For it was not by their sword that they gained the land, nor were they saved by their own arm, but by your right hand, by your arm, and by the light of your countenance, because you have favored them.” »

In conclusion:

The expression “hand of God” is a common biblical metaphor used to describe the power, presence, and action of God in the lives of men and his people.