THE HAND OF THE ALMIGHTY (1)

“That all the people of the earth might know THE HAND OF THE LORD, that it is MIGHTY: that you may fear the Lord your God forever” – Joshua 4:24

The Bible makes numerous references that should stir our desire to know and understand the workings of the HAND of the ALMIGHTY: “That all the people of the earth might know THE HAND OF THE LORD, that it is MIGHTY: that you may fear the Lord your God forever” (Jos.4:24). The truth that the HAND of the LORD is MIGHTY seems obvious to mention, but the Lord wants everyone – “all the people of the earth” – to know and be established on this crucial revelation! God made this clear when Joshua was leading the Children of Israel, and the Lord miraculously dried up the Jordan River for His people to cross over into the Promised Land. The preceding verses read:

“And those twelve stones which they took out of Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What mean these stones?’ then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; for the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over” (vv.20-23). These events were forty years after the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea. God gives us reasons to remember what He’s done in the past. His blessings are encouragements in present trials. His faithfulness in earlier days is a harbinger of His care now and in the future. Our Help in ages past is our Hope for years to come.

Praise God! September is our Month of the HAND of the ALMIGHTY – His Hand is able, strong, and mighty, to implement and deliver all of the blessings, designs, intentions, and purposes that are in the HEART of GOD! The Bible often talks about the Hand of the Lord. In the King James Version, the phrase “hand of the Lord” is found 39 times (36 times in the Old Testament; 3 times in the New). The phrase “Hand of God” is found 16 times (7 times in the Old Testament; 9 times in the New). We shall meditate on many attributes of the Hand of the Lord.

The HAND of the LORD is vivid in Creation: “When I consider Your heavens, the WORK of YOUR FINGERS, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained” (Psa.8:3); “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool…For all those things MY HAND has made…” (Isa.66:1b-2a).

The HAND of the LORD is never limited to SAVE: “Behold, the LORD’s HAND is not shortened, that it cannot SAVE…” (Isa.59:1a).

The Hand of the Almighty is terrible in Judgement against His Enemies. The very first time the phrase “Hand of the Lord” appears in Scripture is in connection with God’s Judgment: “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: “My people go, that they may serve Me. For if you refuse to let them go, and still hold them, behold, THE HAND OF THE LORD will be on your cattle in the field…a very severe pestilence” (Exo.9: 1-3).

David extolled the HAND of the LORD: “Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. IN YOUR HAND is POWER and MIGHT; IN YOUR HAND it is to make GREAT and to give STRENGTH to all” (1Chr.29:12). Jabez knew the import of the Hand of the Lord for a Blessed Life: “And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that YOUR HAND would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!'' So, God granted him what he requested” (1Chr.4:10).

In the HAND of the ALMIGHTY are: Creative Power, Salvation, Judgement, Deliverance, Riches, Honour, Power, Might, Greatness, Strength, and the Blessed Life – Enlargement, Security, Protection, Victory!