The Mighty Hand of God for Times Like These: Scripture and Stories to Challenge Us to Know and Trust God in the Tough Times of Life

By Matt Buckles and Kendra Buckles Watson

Do you ever wonder what the Bible means when referring to the mighty hand of God or how His hand would apply to your own life?

Matt Buckles and his daughter Kendra Watson, both devoted believers, weave biblical references to the hand of God with real-life stories to ignite the faith of believers and to inspire nonbelievers to find the Lord.

They reveal how the hand of God is still at work, showing the truth of what is in God’s heart and how He keeps His promises to those who believe. They also answer questions such as:

• How can we make a spiritual connection between the biblical account of God’s hand at work to His hand upon us today?
• What can we learn from examples that seem to suggest we are trapped in a downward spiral of humanity?
• How can we defend the historical Christian faith and oppose the progressive, deadly version of it?
Fellow believers must unite to trust, love, and serve our Heavenly Father, who seeks to work in each one of you, as He has done in us. By spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and extending His kingdom through discipleship, you’ll be carrying out what God wants you to know and do.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9781664295865

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Unless otherwise noted, all scripture taken from the New King James Version®.

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I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works;

I muse on the work of Your hands. I spread out my hands to You;

My soul longs for You like a thirsty land.

—Psalm 143:5–6 (NKJV)

This work is dedicated to

the First Baptist Church, Vicksburg, Mississippi, where His hands in love are at work.

—Matt Buckles

That all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty.

—Joshua 4:24

____________

This work is dedicated to Karen D. Buckles.

He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

—Psalm 91:4

Contents

Authors’ Note

Preface

Part I: Introduction, Biblical Basis and His Hands & Ours

Chapter 1     Anthropomorphism (Understanding God in Human Terms)

Chapter 2     The Hand of God in the Bible

Chapter 3     The Touch, Laying On, and Writing of Hands

Chapter 4     Jesus’s Hands—His Love for Us

Chapter 5     An Interview with Physical Therapists

Chapter 6     The Lifting Up of Holy Hands

Chapter 7     People Pictures of His Hands Today

Chapter 8     Kendra’s Stories of His Hand at Work

Part II: What Does the Hand of God Do for Us?

Chapter 9   The Hand of God Created the World

Chapter 10   The Hand of God Created Me—God Does Not Need a Sonogram

Chapter 11   The Hand of God Saves

Chapter 12   The Hand of God Carries Out His Purposes

Chapter 13   The Hand of God Holds Every Life

Chapter 14   The Hand of God Encourages

Chapter 15   The Hand of God Guides

Chapter 16   The Hand of God Supplies

Chapter 17   The Hand of God Affirms

Chapter 18   The Hand of God Forms Us to Be Like Christ

Chapter 19   The Hand of God Disciplines and Forgives

Chapter 20   The Hand of God Grows Our Faith

Chapter 21   The Hand of God Blesses

Chapter 22   The Hand of God Protects

Chapter 23   The Hand of God Keeps Each Promise.

Chapter 24   The Hand of God Controls, Blesses, and Destroys Nations

Chapter 25   The Hand of God Lifts Up the Fallen

Chapter 26   The Hand of God Works Secretly

Chapter 27   The Hand of God Honors

Chapter 28   The Hand of God Empowers to Serve

Chapter 29   The Hand of God Heals

Chapter 30   The Hand of God Leaves Evidence

Chapter 31   The Hand of God Comforts

Chapter 32   The Hand of God Is Missionary

Chapter 33   The Hand of God Secures Eternity

Chapter 34   The Hand of God Cares for the Orphan, Widow, and Helpless

Chapter 35   The Hand of God is Everywhere—Keep Watching

Part III: Stories, Music, Prayers, and Studies/

Sermons About the Hand of God

Chapter 36   More Stories of God’s Hand at Work

Chapter 37   Music Involving God’s Hand

Chapter 38   Prayers Focused on God’s Hand

Chapter 39   Studies-Sermons on The Hand of God

Conclusion

Resources

Acknowledgments

The image of a hen nestling chicks under her wing endures as a vivid picture of motherhood. The hen protects her chicks from the dark night. She shields them from the rain. With her wings she herds them through the barnyard. An often-used illustration also suggests that a mother hen sacrifices herself in fire by spreading herself over her chicks.

By God’s grace, my own mother’s wing has covered me through my life. Despite my age and stage of life, Karen Buckles has shielded me, guided me, and protected me. She has held me at my lowest, served me when I was most needy, and celebrated with me in the heights of joy. As I age, I treasure the comfort of her wing in increasing measure.

At no point in my life have I needed my mom more than on my triplet journey. My mother sacrificed months of her own schedule, the comforts of her own home, and the rest she deserved in retirement to serve my family faithfully. She kept my eldest child, James, during the day while I was in the hospital three weeks prior to the triplets’ birth. She stayed with him for months after so I could be with them in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during the day. Once they arrived home, she worked tirelessly throughout the day and night, helping Thomas and me take care of them, keeping our home afloat, and investing time in James. More amazingly, she had a smile on her face and joy in her heart every moment.

Anything I have accomplished (especially in the past four years) has been due to her support and the gift of her time. With no hesitation, I easily dedicate my words to her. I pray that I mother my own chicks as well as she has mothered me. May they see the love of Christ through me, as I have seen it through my mother.

—Kendra Buckles Watson

Authors’ Note

We have confidence in God and know that what concerns us could not be in better hands.

Calm reliance on God is our assurance at all times, ages, and stages of life.

We believe in the every moving of His hand in our lives. We also affirm our conviction in His noiseless footsteps and unseen hand. The pages of our lives are marked with the silent and sure impressions of God’s handprints. We see the work of His hand every day.

Our lives are to be a useful vessel for His purpose, an instrument in His hand for His pleasure and glory.

In 2020–2022 it was hard to see the hand of God, but He was there all the time.

We believe in the unseen, unbreakable, and unconquerable hand of our God. It is difficult sometimes to find His kind heart behind that strong hand, but it is there.

Preface

An Idea … Procrastination … Completion

In April 2010 I was convinced of an idea for a book. As a pastor, avid reader, compiler of biblical study materials, and student of history, I was certain that I could write this book. My daughter Kendra Buckles Watson was graduating the next month from Dallas Theological Seminary with a master’s degree in Christian media and journalism. I put a few ideas on paper and presented it to her as a graduation gift. Kendra tearfully accepted the gift. She and I were to coauthor a work entitled The Hand of God for Times like These. My gift then was nothing more than the basic ideas of a work about the hand of God from Holy Scripture, intertwined with personal stories. This book was to be a father-daughter work.

Her husband Thomas was accepted to the University of Alabama Law School, and they moved from Dallas to Tuscaloosa that summer. For the next three years, he studied hard and graduated with honors. Kendra was on the staff of the Calvary Baptist Church, located adjacent to the campus on Bryant Drive. Her role was media and communication for this faithful local church. She excelled in this ministry, as Thomas did in law school. My wife Karen and I enjoyed visiting them often in their Roll Tide world.

Procrastination is not a doctrine, but I practiced it often. I would think of the need to get back on track with this work and not procrastinate. I collected stories, illustrations, music, scriptural references, and ideas. I also used many excuses to stop me from pursuing the hard work of writing, researching, and editing. I found it easier and easier not to start. Almost weekly I would drop ideas, clippings, thoughts, and information into the Hand of God folder on my desk at the First Baptist Church in Vicksburg, Mississippi, where I have served as pastor since June 28, 2004, and retired from on January 31, 2023. I would often tell myself, Matt, you need to get back on track with this book that Kendra and you are going to write.

Have you heard the saying When all is said and done, more is said than done? That statement characterized and chided me. So did this little rhyme:

Procrastination is my sin.

It brings me naught but sorrow.

I know that I should stop it.

In fact, I will … tomorrow.

On Kendra’s end, the routines of life, school, and church occurred. Then near-tragedy struck. On April 27, 2011, devastating tornados ravaged north central Mississippi, the heart of Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama campus, and nearby areas. A tornado hit their apartment complex and upended their world.

Life set in for them and us. Thomas and Kendra moved to Jackson, Mississippi, in 2013, where Thomas still practices law today. Kendra served as a communications employee of the First Baptist Church of Jackson for one year until the birth of their first child, James, in June 2014. In August 2017 she gave birth to three premature babies: Ben, Anna, and Laura. God’s hand was at work in these challenges of our faith and examples of His faithfulness. In this book, she writes from a Christian mother’s heart about the pregnancy, birth, and three-month NICU stay of their triplets, as well as God’s constant provision for Thomas, their children, and her.

She and I also weave some stories about her older brother Doug. He and his wife Adrienne have two sons, Tyler and Brody. In March 2014 Brody was born ten weeks early and had a seven-week stay in the Mississippi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson. We witnessed God’s hand at work in sparing Adrienne’s and his lives that day and the wonderful care given to Brody by the Mississippi Baptist Medical Center NICU staff. When we look at Brody, our praise and thanks rise to our Heavenly Father for His wonderful grace and help.

Meditate on Psalm 70:5. Other stories flow from our hearts as we seek to understand better God’s love and hand upon us. We desire that our stories become an inspiration to you to trust God in difficult times: yes, in times like these.

God began urging me to restart. On February 8, 2019, I told myself, Matt, quit procrastinating and get restarted. I had gone that day with Don Milner, a faithful FBCV member, to see his ancestral home and property near French Camp, Mississippi. I opened the Hand of God folder on my desk at home that cold Friday night and perused my compilation of materials. Then I reached for the first Bible I used in my ministry, a small brown King James Version that I bought at Camp Garawya in Clinton, Mississippi, a retreat center owned by the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board.

As a student at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson, Mississippi, I attended a Baptist Student Union Leadership Retreat the weekend of April 11–13, 1975. During that time I was under heavy conviction to obey God’s call to enter the gospel ministry as my life’s vocation. In the front flyleaf of this little brown Bible, I wrote important dates in my early ministry. A crisis of faith about my future was apparent then: His will or mine?

On that February night in 2019, I noted that it was the forty-third anniversary of my call to become pastor of the Hamburg Baptist Church near Roxie, Mississippi. This small country church had extended their congregational call to me. I had publicly answered on May 4, 1975, at my home church, the Elmo Baptist Church near Fayette, Mississippi. I was then nineteen years old and had preached for less than one year, I hardly knew Matthew from Malachi. I was scared to death and yet understood that His call and purpose for my life was to be a minister of the gospel, a pastor, and a local church worker. I accepted their call and served for three and one-half years before leaving to become pastor of the Sylvarena Baptist Church near Wesson, Mississippi, in September 1979.

Our Heavenly Father directed Karen and me to two other pastorates in Mississippi. Then in August 1990, I began a nearly fourteen-year ministry with the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board in the Church Administration–Pastoral Ministry Department (now named Pastor-Leadership Development). Kendra and I share some stories from the years we lived in Madison, Mississippi, showing His handiwork for His glory.

In early 2004 He guided me through my fears and struggles to accept the call as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Vicksburg. I had hungered to be a pastor again. The joys of seeing His hand at work in this fine church cannot be described totally, just enjoyed as His love and faithfulness. In this local church His hand is evident on and in many people and ministries.

On that cold Friday-night anniversary of my first call to be a pastor, I sat in silence for an hour, contemplating the hardest part of most any works: getting started or, in my case, restarted. In those moments my feeble mind kept going back to the gift and commitment I had made to Kendra nine years earlier. I asked God for His help to restart—and then I began the work.

We were first the masters of the project, then the slaves of it, and finally the blessed from its completion. Dear reader, if God is prompting you to start or restart a work for Him, we beg you to start today.

Personal experiences are a dangerous form of argument, but Kendra and I take the risk to tell the stories of how God’s hand has been on biblical heroes, Christian history, family, friends, and us. Sometimes we moved at a snail’s pace and at other times in fast-forward. We quit procrastinating (she had real reasons with four preschoolers). We put our fingers to the laptops, our spirits in tune with the Father, and our eyes on the goal. We pray our work encourages you to trust God as seen in the works of His mighty hands.

Accurate biblical language about God is never out of date, but our convictions and memories of His works need to be refreshed often. Our satisfaction is the work itself, not the adulation of others or some other reward. Kendra and I offer you a book that examines scripture and different people (albeit the main focus is Christians) in various times and places to show the hand of God. We hope you enjoy our biblical and often autobiographical work, The Mighty Hand of God for Times like These.

Kendra’s Take on Our Procrastination

When I graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary in May 2010, my dad gave me a precious gift—the invitation to write a book with him. My undergraduate and master’s degrees included a writing component, and I accepted the gift with tears and eagerness to start.

Immediately after graduation, my husband Thomas and I moved from Dallas to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, so he could begin law school. I joined the staff of Calvary Baptist Church and became immersed in ministry, marriage, and making friends. Once we finally settled in and Thomas had a year of law school behind him, a tornado struck Tuscaloosa. The aftermath and recovery put all of life on pause—even the idea of undertaking the project with Dad.

When Thomas finished law school, we moved home to Jackson, Mississippi. It felt like we hit a fast-forward button when we made that move: parenthood, home ownership, moves, job changes. Life happened rapidly, with great ups and downs.

A constant remained, however—the book. Guilt began to erode some of the joy. Was Dad upset? Did he think I had forgotten or didn’t care? I kept promising myself I would get to it next. When James turned one. When we got settled into the new house. When the triplets were older. The procrastination continued.

Little did I know (and now you know too) that Dad also struggled to get started during this time. When I read his preface, I was comforted by his own admissions of procrastination. It wasn’t just me!

At Christmas 2019, Dad presented me with a second chance to get involved. He re-presented me with a lengthy draft of this work, graciously allowing me to jump back into the project by writing my stories (found in chapter eight) and making other valued contributions. We were back on track. We chose WestBow Press, and our determination was fueled.

As I now reflect on my decade of guilt and procrastination, I clearly see the irony. It wasn’t that I was ignoring the book during those years. God was writing the book better during those years. Sure, I could have said some great things about the hand of God at age twenty-six, as a recent graduate of a world-class seminary. It would have been an accurate, theological, and academic work. But it would have paled in comparison to what I can say ten years—and four children—later.

I am thankful that God turned my procrastination into a beautiful story that highlights His handiwork and, I hope, brings more glory to His name. Our words are intended to move you to one action—to take the hand of God extended to you in faith, hope, and love. Dad and I seek for our Christian faith to be embodied in these words. We want these words about His love and hand to become the common property of all who follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Our wonderful stories of God at work are seasoned with true joy. We want our work to be biblical, wise, good, and beneficial to the faith of each reader.

Thank you for joining us as we reflect on how the hand of God has woven our stories together with His—the gospel story of His love. We pray that they are woven into yours and pray that He blesses despite our procrastination. As father and daughter, we write about what we know best and love well.

We say again to you, dear reader, We have found God’s hand in the most unusual places, even at the end of our ropes and in the joys of sunshine. We believe in His hand’s sufficiency in the midst of this world’s deficiency. Halfway is nowhere near God. His hand brings you up close and personal to Him. Look for His hand and take it, and your life will be transformed. God knew our every address and met every need we had.

Prayer: Lord, lift us up by Your strong hand that we may be enabled to meet the challenges and opportunities that these times present. Help us to see Your hand of providence and heart of love in all experiences that touch our lives.

A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul.

—Proverbs 13:19

Part I

Introduction, Biblical Basis

and His Hands & Ours

Introduction

Why a book on the mighty hand of God?

The main reason behind this book is to give testimonies to His work from biblical times throughout the centuries and in our difficult days (impeachment, COVID-19, terrorism, LGBTQ, riots, anger, war, supply chain problems, etc.). Our times are not upward climbs of enlightened minds, but downward spirals of darkened hearts. Every day we are presented with examples of this downward spiral of humanity.

A second reason is to declare true biblical theology about God’s Person and Word. In this postmodern world (a post-Vietnam War and 9-11-2001 world), every kind of corruption of biblical doctrine is found. We want to defend the orthodox, historical Christian faith and oppose the progressive, deadly version of it.

Another reason is to encourage fellow believers to trust, love, and serve our Heavenly Father. He seeks to work in each of you as He has done in us. We are confident of God’s handiwork in believers for our good and His glory. His handiwork beats ours every day.

The last reason is to help spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and extend His kingdom through discipleship (teaching fellow believers to know more who Jesus is and what He wants us to know and do, being led by the indwelling Holy Spirit, all to God’s glory).

The hand of God is one way to understand, know and trust Him

His hand is an extension of His heart of grace, peace, hope, power, and wisdom. We should take from His heart and hand what He has for us and place in His hand what we must.

Some observations about the hand of God in the Bible

No description of the hand of God is found in scripture, only actions. The Spirit inspires us by familiarity with His actions to love and serve Him. Hand is found nearly fifteen hundred times in the Bible and hand of God more than two hundred. It is an expression of His person and character, an extension of His love, power, sovereignty, and wisdom over us. Our protest is healthy against any theology that downplays Him, historic orthodox doctrine, and the wonderful biblical anthropomorphic terms.

Several adjectives describe the hand of God in scripture: outstretched (Jeremiah 21:5), strong (Exodus 6:1; Psalm 136:12), strength (Exodus 13:3), right hand (Exodus 14:22, 29, 15:6, 12), mighty (Joshua 4:24; Deuteronomy 7:8; 1 Peter 5:6) and determined (Acts 4:28). If we understand the greatness of His hand, then as believers we will be more spiritually powerful and purposeful. Thus we should submit to His mighty hand and be lifted up in His time.

The human hand serves as a great reminder of the hand of God in the Bible

A simple focus on our human hands can cause us to backtrack to the biblical stories of the hand of God at work in His people. Conversely, a better understanding of His hand from the pages of inspired scripture, well-known Christian heroes, and ordinary folks challenges us to use our hands in worship, evangelism, discipleship, missions, ministry, and fellowship. We remind ourselves that public opinion is not a reliable measuring tape for the truth of the hand of God. We must never measure the unlimited power of His hand by the limited power of others or ours.

Our hands have the power to do much good and much evil

We must do good daily. Our hands often tell the story of God at work. His hand helps us to be skilled craftsmen at the trade of life. Any amount of faith, life, and service is always more than enough when placed in God’s hand. Join us now on this spiritual adventure by focusing on His hands. We pray you experience firsthand the mighty hand of God.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for my

ears to hear You, my mouth to

praise and proclaim You, and my hands and feet to serve You.

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Chapter 1

Anthropomorphism (Understanding

God in Human Terms)

L et’s get the big word out of the way— anthropomorphism . This compound word is derived from two Greek words: anthropos , meaning man, and morphe , meaning form or likeness. This word is the Bible’s way to picture God in the form of a man. He has never been, is not now, and never will be a human. To think of God this way does not depersonalize Him but allows us to see Him in the ways that inspired scripture presents Him. In summary, anthropomorphisms are figures of speech that attribute human forms, acts, and affections to God. ¹

Israel avoided two extremes that were common in antiquity—removing God from the world into a heavenly realm (a detached God) or making Him so much a part of the world that His deity was limited (a materialistic God).

The latter extreme provided a great temptation to Israel, for other religions, such as that of Egypt, boldly portrayed deities in human and animal form and advocated image-worship … Israel’s faith, however, raised a strict prohibition against making any material, graven image of Yahweh or conceiving him in the likeness of anything in the realm of creation (Exod. 20:4) … attributing to him human form (anthropomorphism) and human feelings (anthropopatheism) … [I]ndeed, Israel broke with the theriomorphism (representation of deity in animal form) … [and] insisted that language drawn from personal relationships was most adequate for expressing faith in Yahweh.²

The second commandment (Exodus 20:4–6) expressively forbids the making of an idol or graven image to attempt to materialize or visualize the God of Israel, who is spirit and truth.

Anthropomorphism is the language of analogy that portrays the personal character of the God of the Bible. This language that ascribes to Him human characteristics and feelings is called anthropopatheism.³ Anderson further comments,

Nevertheless, just as the self in its relation with other persons, discloses certain traits or characteristics, so God’s relations with His people provide the basis for theological understanding of who God is and of His character as known within covenant.⁴

Anthropomorphic images of God are illustrated perfectly in Psalm 34:15–16: The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

Barr notes, Within the Bible anthropomorphic expressions appear to be more concentrated in earlier sources than in later, in the OT rather than in the NT, and in narrative or prophetic rather than in priestly or wisdom materials.⁵ A study of the hundreds of references to the hand or hands of God in scripture reveals agreement with him. He states, Important elements of biblical thought seek to deal with these problems. The ‘image of God’ in humans may establish a proper relation between God and humans while avoiding the suggestion that God is a larger man.⁶ Historic normative Judeo-Christian theology affirms He has never been a man nor will ever be anything other than what He is now, the Lord God.

In orthodox Christian theology, God is pictured as a person. The attributes of a person are seen in His actions and declarations in scripture. Yet the Bible never presents Him as a man who elevated upward to become God. The thoughts, feelings, actions, and language of God in anthropomorphic terms clearly show His person. A short list of His personal actions and declarations reveal Him as God, yet in the highly personal terms of anthropomorphism. In the Old Testament He walks in the Garden of Eden, seeking Adam and Eve. He speaks to an early hero, Enoch; closes the door of the ark; smells the sacrifice of Noah; comes down from heaven to see the works of Babel; defeats Egypt in a personal battle with Pharaoh by the ten plagues to release His people; confronts Moses in the wilderness; convicts David of his sin; reveals His glory to Isaiah; calls men and women to serve Him; keeps Israel in covenant with Himself; pours out feelings of a jilted husband for a wayward wife (Hosea 1–3); anguishes as a heartbroken father over His rebellious son (Hosea 11); regrets what He has done on several occasions (not from the standpoint of mistake or sin); identifies Himself as Father, Lord, Shepherd, and God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and manifests feelings over His people’s covenant rebellion. In the New Testament He reveals Himself fully and finally in His Son, Jesus Christ. The intimacy of His person is displayed in the life and ministry of Jesus, the dedicated church as His body, and the intense writings about Him through the inspired apostles. Indeed He is a personal God. For example, in Isaiah we read references to My hand or My hands in multiple verses (1:25, 19:25, 29:23, 43:13, 45:11–12, 48:13, 49:2, 16, 22, 50:2, 11, 51:11, 16, 60:21, 65:2, 66:2). Like Isaiah, Jeremiah has many My hand references.

In descriptions of His person, the Bible declares that He is not a man (Numbers 23:19; Malachi 3:6), will not change (1 Samuel 15:29), and remains the same throughout eternity (Hebrews 13:8). Israel heard a voice and did not see any visible form of their God at Sinai (Deuteronomy 4:12), consistent with the second of the Ten Commandments. Yahweh cannot be likened to anyone or anything, but He is incomparable in majesty, wisdom, and power (Isaiah 40:12–16).⁷ This metaphor of His hand or hands is one of deep accuracy, permanence, and intimacy. It is often used as a reference to His personal authority, strength, and comfort.

In summary, hand is used figuratively to describe God’s might, activity, and power in creating the universe (Psalm 102:25; Hebrews 1:10); in upholding and preserving (Luke 23:46); in being the present, protecting, and abiding One (Luke 1:66; Acts 5:21); in punishing (Acts 13:11; 1 Samuel 12:25; Hebrews 10:31); and in determining and controlling the destinies of humans (Acts 4:28; 1 Peter 5:6).⁸ The hand of God is God: His person, power, presence, and purpose.

A brief comment about the adjective mighty and the noun might is in order. These words are common in the Bible to describe God and His works (Psalms 24:8, 50:1, 71:16, 106:2, 145:4; Proverbs 23:11; Isaiah 2:19, 9:7, 40:26; Ephesians 1:19, 6:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:7). Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness (Psalm 145:6). God revealed Himself to Abraham as God Almighty (Genesis 17:1–2). The Hebrew name El Shaddai suggests a mountain or lofty mountain range, which provides rain, snow, protection, and security. The Israelites thought of God as One of greatness, pictured by the stability and strength of mountains (Psalm 121; Hosea 4:1–2). Several great events in Jesus’s ministry took place on mountains: the temptations, the Sermon on the Mount, the transfiguration, and the Mount of Olives discourse. Jerusalem is often referenced as Mount Zion. Mountains and His might are intertwined in the Bible. The mighty hand of God is an extension of the power of His almighty person. We are comfortable with the mighty hand of God because Holy Scripture refers to almighty God (Genesis 28:3, 35:11, 48:3; Exodus 6:3; Ruth 1:20; Job 22:23–26, 24:1; Psalms 40:2, 68:14, 91:1; Isaiah 13:6; Ezekiel 1:24; Revelation 1:8, 4:8, 11:17, 15:3, 19:15, 21:22). Might is His ability or power to act and no force outside Himself makes Him act as He does.

The patriarch Jacob understood this truth perfectly. Genesis 49 records the blessing of his twelve sons shortly before he died. In Jacob’s blessing of his eleventh son, Joseph, the favored one, he said. But his bow remained in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (Genesis 49:24). Later, Moses would refer to the mighty hand of God five times in Deuteronomy, his last challenge to Israel to trust God.

Walter Kaiser in Toward an Exegetical Theology stresses the importance of correctly identifying the figures of speech in scripture. In a section on guidelines for a proper understanding and exegesis of figures of speech, he made the following assessment:

Most important of all, the exegete must now say what the figure represents or is about … The next step is to determine what the expression means. Obviously, the text represents an accommodation to our weakness. So that we might understand, God is pictured as if He were a man (anthropomorphism). The meaning of the text is that God is indeed most directly and most immediately responsible for both man’s shape and his vitality, breath, and life. This, we believe, is how an exegete should approach figures of speech.⁹

If we follow Kaiser’s admonition, one does not see the anthropomorphic language of scripture as shallow or simple figures of speech but strong theological truth to help us have a deep faith in God. God’s man-like members (mouth, lip, hand, ear, eye, arm, feet, face, breath, etc.) are His way of deliberately giving mental and spiritual pictures to help us or, as Kaiser states, to provide "an accommodation to our weakness." We rejoice in God’s understanding of what we need to sincerely accept Him more as God, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ and the mighty Holy Spirit. All anthropomorphic expressions in the Bible are placed there for our benefit and His glory. This clarity means that we do not have to figure out these figures of speech. He is the God of loving heart and hand and deserving of all our praise (Psalm 30:1–12).

Psalm 48 celebrates the security of Zion, the city of the Hebrew king and their eternal King. This praise song contains a reference to the hand of God, one full of righteousness:

We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness, In the midst of Your temple.

According to Your Name, O God, So is Your praise to the ends of the earth;

Your right hand is full of righteousness. (Psalm 48:9–10)

Anthropomorphic language is a gift of God to better understand Him and His love for us. Judeo-Christian theology is grounded in this basic understanding of God. It may well be said of people who do not accept the biblical view of God yet claim to be Christians and His kingdom builders, With friends like that, God does not need enemies. A compilation on the hand of God helps believers in Jesus Christ to keep their theological sights focused on He who is, triune and sovereign over all. An emphasis on His hand and any other anthropomorphic language is not an attempt to depersonalize God, but to present Him only as Holy Scripture does: consistent with the clear and completed revelation of the inspired Word of God. Biblical thought, not human reason, gives us the truth about God’s person (Isaiah 9:6; Nehemiah 1:5–11).

This work seeks to reduce any confusion about the hand of God, not increase it. Biblical study and resource materials should seek to avoid the artificiality and absurdity of pop theology. These prominent alternatives to the biblical picture are based on pantheism, humanism, deism, agnosticism, and open revelation (that is, that God continues to reveal truth on the same level as the Holy Scripture). Studies of the anthropomorphic language of scripture should attempt to lift up the clear reality and salvific revelation of God in Jesus Christ: God was, in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Anthropomorphic language in the Bible and any study of such language attempts to make Christian theology meaningful. If biblical theology is made meaningless, then we glamorize the nonsense of unbiblical views of God that the world makes prominent. No Old Testament prophet or New Testament apostle would allow himself to go there. Anthropomorphic language shows the truth and beauty of the one God. Lord, thank You for this accommodating language gift.

Postmodern theology attempts constantly to minimize or reduce the anthropomorphisms of God in the Bible to produce some other kind of god. The obvious basis for this minimization is a dissatisfaction with and distrust of the true biblical revelation. Followers of Jesus Christ should maximize and elevate the biblical language of God, no matter how strange to the postmodern ear and mind.

An obvious fact is that the inspired biblical revelation messes with the modern mind. We should doubt anyone who doubts His Word. The Bible offers the sole criteria for understanding the true character of God and why biblical language is written as it is. The Bible aligns our practices and passions with His eternal purposes and glory. Our theology must be grounded in biblical attributes and anthropomorphisms of the One who is eternal. He who is always has been and forever shall be.

The Mighty One, God the Lord, has spoken and called the earth

From the rising of the sun to its going down. (Psalm 50:1)

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Chapter 2

The Hand of God in the Bible

I n our focus on His hand, no suggestion is being made that this view of God is more important than other anthropomorphisms: His eye, ear, face, arm, feet, mind, nostrils, mouth, strength, finger, anger, and so on. Psalms 18:8–9, 31:2, 34:15–16; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Numbers 6:25, 11:23; Isaiah 59:16; Ezekiel 20:22, 33–34; Matthew 11:10; and 1 Peter 3:12 are examples of references to these terms of accurate relationship, worship, and enjoyment of the Lord. All anthropomorphic terms of God are important for a complete understanding of Him as seen in Holy Scripture.

God inspired the language of the Bible in such a way for us to understand Him in terms of a person’s feelings, relationships, actions, and promises. The higher purpose is that we might know, love, and trust Him. Hand is one of the ways to see and respond to Him as God who loves us and calls sinners to Himself through the gospel of Jesus Christ by the agency of the Holy Spirit. With the image of the hand abundant in scripture, God’s character, compassion, and call are made personal to the believer in Jesus Christ.

The word hand occurs approximately fifteen hundred times in the Bible, and means among other things hand, side, and power. These many references include the right hand and the left hand as well as directions, indications of a person’s actions, dealings, spiritual impulses, and even whole person.¹⁰ The book of Judges uses hand in these ways (2:14–15, 23, 3:4, 8). King Saul commanded his soldiers to kill the priests of Nob because their hand also is with David (1 Samuel 22:17). David prayed to be kept from the hands of his enemies (Psalm 140:4).

Galen was one of the most prominent ancient physicians and philosophers. He was considered cutting edge for his day in the understanding, teaching and application of biological science and medicine in the Greco-Roman world. He lived from AD 130 to 200.¹¹ He called the hand the instrument of instruments.¹² Galen discovered what God had already designed.

The hand was the symbol of human action (Job 9:30; Psalm 9:16; Isaiah 1:15; 1 Timothy 2:8). The washing of hands signified innocence (Psalms 26:6, 73:13) and sanctification (Isaiah 51:16; Psalm 24:3; 1 Corinthians 6:11). The right hand denoted south and the left hand denoted north (1 Samuel 23:19; Job 23:9). To give the right hand was a pledge of fidelity (2 Kings 10:15; Ezra 10:19) and submission to victors (Jeremiah 50:15; Ezekiel 17:18). The hand is frequently mentioned, particularly the right hand, as a symbol of power and strength; to kiss the hand is an act of homage (2 Kings 3:11). The right hand was the chief place of honor and power and the left less honorable; thus the right hand was the position of great honor and was given in confirmation of a contract or attestation of fellowship (Psalms 45:9, 80:17, 110:1; Matthew 26:64).¹³ Seizing and raising the hand against a neighbor was a sign of fear and panic, according to Zechariah 14:13.

In the book of Hebrews, Christ is said to be seated at the right hand of the Father five times as Sin Remover (1:3), Superior Son (1:13), Great High Priest (8:1), Accomplisher of His work (10:12) and Conqueror (12:2). Ten other references to Him being at the right hand of the Father are found in the New Testament. The Blessed Son sits at the right hand of the Father.

• Matthew 26:64 (Mark 14:62, Luke 22:69): He testified to the high priest about Himself

• Mark 16:19: His return to heaven (ascension) is recorded

• Luke 20:42: Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1 to prove His deity

• Acts 2:33–34: Peter quoted Psalm 110:1 to prove Jesus’s deity

• Acts 5:31: Peter declared Jesus’s exaltation as Prince and Savior of Israel

• Acts 7:55–56: Stephen at his martyrdom testified that Jesus was standing

• Romans 8:34: Paul declared that Christ intercedes for His saints

• Ephesians 1:20: Paul declared that Christ was raised from the dead and seated

• Colossians 3:1: Paul taught Christ at God’s right hand is motive to seek Him

• 1 Peter 3:22: Peter wrote that Christ is majestically seated in heaven

Can we not now, dear reader, imagine Him leaning toward us with outstretched and nail-scarred hands, receiving our prayers? We believe He is always focused on us in life, work, and prayer.

The Hebrew Words for Hand

The first and more common Hebrew word for hand is yodh (yad), pronounced yawd. It is the tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet and first letter of Judah, and thus Jew (see Psalm 119:73). The meaning refers specifically to an open hand as used in praise, worship, and thanksgiving of God. Judah means praise (Genesis 29:35, 49:8).

The second word for hand is kap, pronounced kaph. It is the eleventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet (see Psalm 119:81). The primary meaning is hollow or palm from a root meaning curved or bent. This name is descriptive of its shape, which is a reversed C. Many students of Hebrew grammar learned this letter by cupping the right hand.¹⁴

In the Bible, offering one’s hand indicates a sincerity and willingness to help another person (2 Kings 10:15). The hand also was the means of murder (Genesis 4:11) and retaliation (Exodus 21:24; Deuteronomy 25:11). Seizing, controlling, and manipulating were other actions of the hand of man associated with power and authority (2 Kings 13:3, 25; 1 Chronicles 18:3). The hand was a prominent symbol in the Old Testament about Him and a popular motif in later Christian theology to symbolize His sovereign power (Deuteronomy 3:24; Job 19:21; Hebrews 10:31; 1 Peter 5:6). God’s hand governs the forces of history (Exodus 13:3; 1 Samuel 5:9; Psalms 8:7, 66:7).¹⁵

The hand in the Old Testament stood metaphorically for the south. As one faced east, the right hand was on the south side of one’s body.¹⁶ Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, went into the temple to offer sacrifice at his appointed time (Luke 1:8–17). Facing west, he saw the angel on the right side of the altar, the side of honor and the proper place from which to tell important news to the father of the forerunner. Ezekiel saw water flow from the right (south) side of the altar in the temple (47:1).

The hand’s equation with power and strength explains phrases such as the hand of the tongue to mean the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). To raise the hand meant a revolutionary uprising (1 Kings 11:26). Job is placed in Satan’s hand, under his domain and authority, but not apart from God’s sovereignty (2:6). Never are any of His children. Similar thoughts are found in Leviticus 8:36, Isaiah 35:3, Jeremiah 22:3, and Matthew 26:45.¹⁷

In more than two hundred places, the Old Testament speaks of the hand of God (Yahweh). The reference is always to God’s activity by which He shows Himself mighty in creation and works. Israel could say of the historical acts of Yahweh, which it experienced, that His hand had brought them to pass.

In the tradition of the Exodus from Egypt, it is stressed by constant repetition that Yahweh delivered His people from bondage and led them to freedom with a strong hand and an outstretched arm (Exodus 15:6; Deuteronomy 4:34, 5:15, 6:21). Pharaoh experienced the strong hand of Yahweh when He stretched it forth against the Egyptians. Israel saw the great hand (power) that Yahweh manifested upon the Egyptians. Israel constantly experienced the working of the hand of God in history and extolled in worship, confession, and praise the acts of salvation that the hand of Yahweh accomplished.

God’s acts in history can be called the works of His hand. Indissolubly linked to the Word of Yahweh is the mighty work in history that comes to pass through His hand. The first reference to the mighty hand of God is Exodus 3:19–20, the deliverance promise.¹⁸ Confirming this truth, the weeping prophet Jeremiah states, For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of one stronger than he (31:11). Wisdom is personified with a hand image: Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor (Proverbs 3:16). All aspects of biblical language involve His hand, which is often foremost.

The Dead Sea Scrolls refer to the hand of God. In the War Scroll, the tradition of the holy war is often followed, and victory over enemies is ascribed to the hand of God. Also prayer is made that He will put His hand on the necks of His foes. On the trumpets of the fallen was to be written hand of the power of God in battle to fell all the fallen of unfaithfulness, and