Right Hand

2023-02-04

Old Testament

To be at one’s right hand is to be in a place of prominence. When Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, he put his right hand on Ephraim, though he was not the firstborn. When Joseph protested, Jacob told him, “And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations” (Genesis 48:19). Ephraim would be greater than his brother. We see this as the name Ephraim was used as representing the northern kingdom: “Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand” (Ezekiel 37:19).

The right hand is also a place of power. After the Lord’s victory over Egypt at the Red Sea, the song of Moses included this: “The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy... Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them” (Exodus 15:5-6, 12). Jael slew Sisera with the hammer in her right hand: “She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples” (Judges 5:26).

When Moses blessed Israel, he stated that from the Lord’s right hand came the decree of the Law: “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 33:2). And again, “Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee” (Psalm 21:8). Consider that the declaration of the events leading to the Lord’s coming are recorded in a book at the Father’s right hand: “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals” (Revelation 5:1).

A prominent counselor would be at one’s right hand. Solomon’s mother Bathsheba was at his right hand. “Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand. Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay” (1 Kings 2:19-20). Of course, the king does tell her mother “Nay” concerning Adonijah, but it seems to be an exception to the rule. Adonijah was looking for away to weasel his way into power, so he went to Bathsheba, who was at Solomon’s right hand, to gain audience and acceptance with the king.

Heman had Asaph at his right hand: “And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem: and then they waited on their office according to their order. And these are they that waited with their children. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman a singer, the son of Joel, the son of Shemuel... And his brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berachiah, the son of Shimea” (1 Chronicles 6:32-33, 39). There was a specified order for the singers and musicians, and Asaph was in the special place next to Heman.

To have the Lord at your right hand is to have absolute protection. “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved” (Psalm 16:8).

To be at the Lord’s right hand is great joy. “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). At the Lord’s right hand is salvation: “Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them” (Psalm 17:7). “Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great” (Psalm 18:35). “Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand” (Psalm 20:6). Isn’t this our position in the Lord Jesus Christ? We will discuss this more later.

At the right hand of the king during his wedding is his beautiful bride, which, as we saw before, is a picture of Christ and the church: “Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir” (Psalm 45:9). We see the fulfillment of this here: “And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength... The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches” (Revelation 1:16, 20).

One can also have enemies at their right hand, seeking to destroy. Job, lamenting that he once had respect, now was saying the basest of men held him in derision. “Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction. They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper” (Job 30:12-13).

The Lord’s enemies have evil at their right hand; evil has a prominent place in their lives: “Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes” (Psalm 26:9-10).

For the Lord’s enemies, including Judas Iscariot, the imprecatory prayer against them is for Satan to be at their right hand: “Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand” (Psalm 109:6). To have Satan at your right hand would certainly mean evil counsel and demise if you take the reverse of the previous principles. It is a place where Satan resists you. “And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him” (Zechariah 3:1). Consider that the mark of the beast is given in the right hand: “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads” (Revelation 13:16).

Consider a discussion on the prophecy of Lord at the right hand of the father here.

New Testament

As a segue into the New Testament discussion, consider this: “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Psalm 110:1). Consider the previous principles. Jesus Christ is at the Father’s right hand right now. He exercises the power of the Father, He is in a place of prominence of the Father, the Word was issued by the Father’s right hand, and He is a counselor in the sense He is the advocate, mediator, and intercessor of His people.

Consider Matthew 25:31-33. Notice that the sheep, those who are delivered from the wrath of hell, are at the right hand, while the goats are on the left.

Consider Matthew 26:61-66. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself said He was going to the Father’s right hand, and the Sanhedrin thought it was enough to convict Him of blasphemy.

When the Son went to the Father’s right hand, He was in a place to send the Holy Spirit to us. “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear” (Acts 2:33).

The Son’s position at the Father’s right hand is to be a Prince and Savior. “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” (Acts 5:31). From this position of power, He can grant repentance and forgiveness to His people.

Stephen was one to see Jesus standing at God’s right hand. This is one place where He stands rather than sits at the Father’s side. It may be because He is about to act in receiving Stephen into heaven. “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55-56).

Elsewhere, we see that He sits at the right hand of God. “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool” (Hebrews 10:12-13). He sits because His work is finished concerning making His sin offering. He waits in anticipation a full end of His enemies on the day of His return to the earth.

It is at the Father’s right hand that allows Jesus to make intercession on our behalf. “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 8:34).

To be at the Father’s right hand is to be higher than any other authority. Consider this in Ephesians 1:20-23. All things are under His feet. The church’s position in Christ is that power on earth. You can see this position in Colossians 3:1-3. Christ is at the Father’s right hand, and that is where our source of life is. Remember this as you encounter hard times here.

Lefthanded

This does not mean there is anything wrong with being lefthanded, as some have taught, like some Catholic schools have been rumored to teach in the past.

Ehud the judge was lefthanded. This was an asset because it took the king of Moab off-guard when he killed him. “But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab” (Judges 3:15). It was an asset for the tribe of Benjamin as well when they fought the other tribes (Judges 20:16).