Come to Understanding

Come to Understanding

They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding,

and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. — Isaiah 29:24

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense,

and caused them to understand the reading. — Nehemiah 8:8

June 14, 2005
Volume 4 Number 12

The Right Hand of God

As Paul wrote to the Colossians, he told them that the Messiah (Christ) sits on the right hand of God:

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. -Colossians 3

What does "on" the right hand of God mean? Our understanding here has a lot to do with how we visualize what Paul wrote. The same Greek word en (en) that is translated here as "on" is most often translated as "in." It is translated in the Bible as "in" 1902 times and as "on" 62 times.

When we try to visualize Yahshua (Jesus) sitting "on" the right hand of God, it is easy to think in physical terms of a couple of chairs, or thrones, in heaven with two men sitting "on" them. We would then visualize God the Father sitting in one chair and in another chair Yahshua sitting beside Him on the right. Alternatively, we might visualize God the Father with a large right hand open and a smaller Yahshua sitting directly on top of it.

This visualization, however, becomes more difficult when we confirm that God is not a physical body, but a Spirit:

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. -John 4

When we remember that God is a Spirit, it becomes more difficult to visualize Him sitting in a physical chair, with Yahshua sitting next to Him. Likewise, it is also more difficult to visualize Him with a large physical hand, and Yahshua sitting on top of it.

As we try to understand what the right hand of God is, it is best to study the Scriptures. We remember from Genesis that it was God who created all things:

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.-Genesis 1

God created all things by His right hand:

12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

13 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together. -Isaiah 48

Moses declared that it was the right hand of Yahweh that wrote the "fiery law" of His commandments:

1 And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them. -Deuteronomy 33

We learn from John that it was the Word, who was with God, and who was God, that created all things:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. -John 1

Because the Word was God, and God is a Spirit, the Word could not be seen by the people of the world, until He was revealed in a physical body that was made of flesh:

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. -John 1

Therefore, the Word, which is Yahshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ), created all things:

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. -Colossians 1

This was the great mystery of God. Paul tells us of the mystery that had been hidden through the ages. It was finally revealed (made manifest) to God’s people through Yahshua the Messiah:

26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: -Colossians 1

Paul explains that the revelation of the mystery cannot be disputed. God revealed Himself in the flesh, which was through Yahshua:

16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. -1 Timothy 3

When Yahweh revealed Himself to man in the form of Yahshua the Messiah, He showed us His holy arm, which is His salvation:

10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. -Isaiah 52

It was His mighty arm and His right hand that He revealed:

13 Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. -Psalms 89:

By revealing, or making manifest, His holy arm and His right hand, Yahweh (the LORD) is victorious and has made known to us His salvation:

1 O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.

2 The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. -Psalms 98

The English name Jesus is transliterated from the Latin name Iesus, which is transliterated from the Greek name Iesous, which is transliterated from the Hebrew name of the Messiah. When the name is brought directly from Hebrew into English, without going through the Greek and Latin languages, it is Yahshua. The name then makes known that He is the salvation of Yahweh. ("Yah" is the short from of the name of Yahweh, who is God, and "shua" means salvation.)

Through our Lord Yahshua the Messiah (Lord Jesus Christ), we have gotten the victory:

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. -1 Corinthians 15

It is the right hand of Yahweh that saves us:

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. -Psalms 138

The right hand of Yahweh is lifted up and exalted:

16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. -Psalms 118

Peter and other apostles said that it is the right hand of God that exalted (lifted up) Yahshua to be both Prince and Savior:

30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. -Acts 5

In Romans, Hebrews, and 1 Peter, it is confirmed that Yahshua is "en" (translated as "at" or "on") the right hand of God:

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. -Romans 8

1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; -Hebrews 8

12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; -Hebrews 10

22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. -1 Peter 3

Isaiah told us that the Lord Yahweh (GOD) would come with a strong hand and a mighty arm:

10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. -Isaiah 40

Then Isaiah asked, who will believe the Scriptures?

1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? -Isaiah 53

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