Sunday August 2, 2020
Living Hand to Hand
Isaiah 49 begins with the second of four songs (Is. 42:1-4, 49:1-6, 50:4-9, 52:13-53:12). These songs are an Old Testament depiction of the New Testament Christ. The chapter ends with the promise of the Messiah to love, protect, and vindicate His righteous ones. How will He fulfill that promise? By keeping us in the palm of His hand.
Is there a more beautiful place to be than in the palm of God’s hand? There is so much I could preach and teach about this one verse. It’s more than just being in the palm of His hand…it’s being inscribed on it. Oh, and what a powerful hand it is!
It was my hand that laid the foundations of the earth, my right hand that spread out the heavens above. When I call out the stars, they all appear in order. (Is.48:13)
Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. (Job 12:9-10)
The Hebrew word for inscribed is quadaq which means, “to hack,” or “engrave.” It comes from a root that means, “to appoint, decree, to set; to enact a decree as in laws cut in stone.” Isaiah could never have possibly imagined the truth and power of that picture that would one day be a picture of Christ and the cross.
Seven hundred years later, we would literally and physically be engraved on the Hands of God when Jesus was nailed to the cross. It is the ultimate eternal engraving. Every time Jesus looks at the wounds on His hands He thinks of you and me.
Still beyond that truth are other powerful blessings from God’s hands. You see, whatever else God has in His hand, we become partakers of it. There is power in His hand (1 Pet.5:6), and favor (Ezra 7:6). In His hand we find help (Neh.2:8), and mercy (Ps.37:24). (See WORD WISDOM for a deeper study of favor)
You shall also be a crown of glory and splendor in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. (Is.62:3)
He looks at the engraving as something so wonderful that it inspires splendor and glory. You and me…we are that beautiful in His hands.
The only way we can be in His hand is to receive the salvation that comes from and through His hand. To accept His death on the cross for our sin secures us in the palm of His hand. As He opens His hand to us we must open our heart to Him. Only then can we rest in the loving, nail-pierced engraved hands of our Lord and Savior…Jesus.
