Hand of God

A figure of speech which points to God's sovereign power in creation and in his actions on his people's behalf, especially in redemption. Also used as a symbol of authority and in taking oaths.

God creates by his hand

Acts 7:50 See also Isaiah 66:2; Job 10:3, Job 10:8; Psalm 8:3, Psalm 19:1, Psalm 95:5, Psalm 138:8; Isaiah 48:13, Isaiah 64:8

Has not My hand made all these things?’

God holds the world in his hand

Psalm 95:4 See also Job 12:10, Job 26:13, Job 36:32; Psalm 31:15; Isaiah 40:12, Isaiah 41:19–20; Daniel 5:23

In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him.

God's creatures are fed from his hand

Psalm 145:16 See also Psalm 104:28; Isaiah 34:17

You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

God's hand symbolises his power

God's hand is mighty

Habakkuk 3:4 See also 1 Chronicles 29:12; Psalm 118:15–16; Jeremiah 18:6; Daniel 4:35; Amos 9:2

His radiance was like the sunlight; rays flashed from His hand, where His power is hidden.

God executes judgment by the power of his hand

Amos 1:6–8 Judgment on the Philistine cities. See also Deuteronomy 32:41; 1 Samuel 5:6–9; Isaiah 40:2; Jeremiah 15:6; Lamentations 2:3; Ezekiel 6:14; Zephaniah 1:4; Acts 13:11

This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Gaza, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they exiled a whole population, delivering them up to Edom. So I will send fire upon the walls of Gaza, to consume its citadels. I will cut off the ruler of Ashdod and the one who wields the scepter in Ashkelon. I will turn My hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,” says the Lord GOD.

God's hand holds a cup of judgment

Jeremiah 25:15–17 See also Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17; Habakkuk 2:16

This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from My hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink from it. And they will drink and stagger and go out of their minds, because of the sword that I will send among them.” So I took the cup from the LORD’s hand and made all the nations drink from it, each one to whom the LORD had sent me,

God's hand brings trouble

Job 19:21 See also Ruth 1:13; 1 Samuel 6:3; Job 1:11; Psalm 38:2, Psalm 39:10

Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.

God's hand causes fear

Isaiah 19:16 See also Isaiah 23:11

In that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble with fear beneath the uplifted hand of the LORD of Hosts, when He brandishes it against them.

Pleas for God to use his powerful hand

Psalm 74:11 See also Psalm 10:12, Psalm 60:5 parallel Psalm 108:6; Psalm 77:10, Psalm 144:7–8

Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand? Stretch it out to destroy them!

God's powerful hand used on his people's behalf

God redeems by his powerful hand

Psalm 138:7 See also 1 Kings 8:41–42 parallel 2 Chronicles 6:32; Psalm 98:1; Isaiah 11:11; Ezekiel 20:21–22, Ezekiel 20:33–34; Micah 4:10

If I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve me from the anger of my foes; You extend Your hand, and Your right hand saves me.

God redeemed Israel from Egypt by his powerful hand

Exodus 13:3 See also Exodus 3:19–20, Exodus 13:9, Exodus 13:14; Deuteronomy 5:15, Deuteronomy 7:8; Nehemiah 1:10; Jeremiah 32:21; Daniel 9:15

So Moses told the people, “Remember this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; for the LORD brought you out of it by the strength of His hand. And nothing leavened shall be eaten.

God's hand ensures success for his people

Isaiah 41:10 “righteous” has the sense of “victorious”. See also Psalm 16:8, Psalm 18:35, Psalm 89:21; Isaiah 42:6, Isaiah 49:4

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

God's powerful hand is invincible

John 10:29 See also Psalm 139:10; Isaiah 43:13

My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

God's hand protects his people

Ezra 8:31 See also Exodus 33:22–23; 1 Chronicles 4:10; Psalm 121:5; Isaiah 41:13, Isaiah 49:2, Isaiah 49:16, Isaiah 62:3

On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem, and the hand of our God was upon us to protect us from the hands of the enemies and bandits along the way.

God's hand inspires the prophets

Jeremiah 1:9 See also Isaiah 8:11; Jeremiah 15:17; Ezekiel 1:3, Ezekiel 3:14, Ezekiel 3:22, Ezekiel 33:22, Ezekiel 37:1, Ezekiel 40:1

Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

God's hand fulfils his purposes

this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.

God's uplifted hand

Signifies his taking an oath

Nehemiah 9:15 See also Exodus 6:8; Numbers 14:30; Deuteronomy 32:40; Ezekiel 47:14

In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven; in their thirst You brought them water from the rock. You told them to go in and possess the land that You had sworn to give them.

Signifies his power

Isaiah 9:12, Isaiah 9:17, Isaiah 9:21, Isaiah 26:11

God's right hand symbolises his authority

Acts 7:55–56 See also Psalm 110:1; Acts 5:31; Romans 8:34; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3; 1 Peter 3:22

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

God's hand must be recognised

God requires submission under his hand

1 Peter 5:6 See also Romans 10:21; Isaiah 65:2

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

The works of God's hand must be acknowledged

Psalm 28:5, Psalm 92:4, Psalm 143:5