Life Walk Bible Lesson 60: What’s in Your Hand
The Wisdom of Solomon, son of David
Ecclesiastes 9:10a
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…”
Wisdom from Eliphaz, son of Esau
Scripture Reading: Job 4
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 “If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? But who can keep from speaking?
3 Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands.
4 Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees.
5 But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are dismayed.
6 Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways your hope?
7 “Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed?
8 As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it.
9 At the breath of God they perish; at the blast of his anger they are no more.
10 The lions may roar and growl, yet the teeth of the great lions are broken.
11 The lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12 “A word was secretly brought to me, my ears caught a whisper of it.
13 Amid disquieting dreams in the night, when deep sleep falls on people,
14 fear and trembling seized me and made all my bones shake.
15 A spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body stood on end.
16 It stopped, but I could not tell what it was. A form stood before my eyes, and I heard a hushed voice:
17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can even a strong man be more pure than his Maker?
18 If God places no trust in his servants, if he charges his angels with error,
19 how much more those who live in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who are crushed more readily than a moth!
20 Between dawn and dusk they are broken to pieces; unnoticed, they perish forever.
21 Are not the cords of their tent pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’
Wisdom from God
It may be clear to you that human beings often have some difficulty when trying to help others in their time of need.
Eliphaz tried to help Job in his time of trouble, yet at the end of the story, Job had to intercede for Eliphaz.
The Holy Spirit helps us when we don’t know how to pray, even though that is what is in our hand to do. God has given us His Own gifts to love, pray for and help one another.
God gave specific gifts, according to 1 Corinthians 12, so that the whole Body of Christ would be built up, encouraged and empowered to be a blessing to the world around us.
Jesus prays for us continually, and His Holy Spirit helps us pray for one another, for our communities, our nation, and in fact the whole world.
In Old Testament times, God spoke through Prophets in order to warn the kings they lived under of the things God would do if they did not repent and return to the Lord their God.
The prophet was then to intercede for the nation, and ask God to relent from bringing destruction, standing in the gap for his or her people, so that God would not do as promised.
God wants to keep all of His good promises, so He looks for someone to stand in the gap and build a hedge wall of prayer around His beloved ones, so that the enemy of our souls cannot penetrate the prayer-wall and damage a relationship with God.
If a person, people group or nation simply will not repent and return to God, He tells the prophet not to pray for them anymore, so that the prayer-wall will fall, and the promised destruction will be meted out, so that they will know the power of God and finally submit to Him.
Jeremiah 15:1 [NIV]
“Then the Lord said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from My presence! Let them go!”
1Timothy 2:1-3
“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior.”
Our foundation also must be on the covering Rock, Jesus Christ, Who died for us, and calls us His friends, when we obey Him. [Matthew 7:24; John 15:14-15]
We also are asked by John in his first letter, to walk as Jesus walked. [1John 2:6]
We need to cover our world leaders with prayer so that they can turn to God and live righteously, and benefit their nations accordingly.
When no one prays for them, they are kept in their handicapped position, begging for one another's help, instead of asking God for help God.
They are then kept in their chronic circumstances, in which they have been bound by tradition and culture, to follow false ways instead of following Christ.
When we pray for them we grant them immunity from destruction, and a chance for the grace of God to cover them, and guide them into all truth, making disciples of nations and bringing them to Christ and His Family Kingdom.
Then, if they refuse to repent, and turn to God, the prayer wall is removed, and they receive what is due the wicked — utter destruction and removal of all evil.
Acts 3:24-25 [NIV]
24 “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days.
25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’”
Matthew 5:1-12
1 “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,
2 and He began to teach them.
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
In the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, specifically in Issachar's Testament, it states that Issachar had a singularity of mind and heart, to do God's will, which he wished to impart to his descendants.
It is this singularity of heart and mind God desires from each of us -- that we worship one God, and Him the One and Only True God, Sovereign Ruler of Heaven and Earth, and indeed the entirety of His creation, with all our heart, mind and soul, just as He taught the ancient nation of Israel to do.
One day Bhuddists, Hindus, Muslim, Taoists, Confucianists and whatever other religions there may be, which do not yet accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, our King of kings and Lord of lords — these will experience the touch of the Holy Spirit, when God pours out His Spirit on all flesh [Joel 2] and they will have the choice to follow Christ.
But hopefully, they will see our examples, because we walk as Jesus walked.
The Common Human Condition
In Acts 3, Peter and John were on their way into the temple to worship God, and a man crippled from birth, a man with a chronic condition his whole life, sat outside the temple gate begging for help just to survive each day.
Someone placed him there, strategically, each day to ask godly people, the believers in God, to help with his daily needs.
I am reminded of something which happened to me years ago while I was in prayer. I was praying about who to "take care of" as I recall, early on in my journey, and I was learning to hear the voice of God answer me. I heard in my heart — “Take care of the Lazarus at the door.”
In obedience I went and opened the front door and there right in front of the door was a beach ball on which was the picture of the globe.
I took that as an illustration. Although it was someone's ball from somewhere in the neighborhood, nevertheless, it was an illustration which has stuck with me ever since. The one who needs taking care of is the world outside my door — whoever has need, wherever I am sent.
When God confronted Moses in the time of need, He asked Moses, "What do you have in your hand?" And as the story goes, Moses had the Staff of God to work with, so he gave it to God, and God worked through it each time the Children of Israel had need of a miracle. You can read about that in Exodus 4.
Peter and John gave the man what they had in their hands — healing, wholeness, deliverance, salvation, kindness, mercy, and a chance to walk with God as they do, saying:
Acts 3:13 "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus."
In His prayer, Jesus tells His Father that He has been glorified in us [John 17:6-12] through His name which He has given us, so that we can pray in His name for whatever we need.
"Father, keep them in Your name, the name that You have given Me, that they may be one as We are."
Peter goes on to tell those who came to see this miracle that it was not by their own power or godliness that this man was healed, but by faith in the name of Jesus that this man was "made strong" and given "complete healing" [Acts 3:16].
His audience were those who had condemned Jesus to die on the Cross, and he was now calling on them to repent and believe in the One Who had done this for this man, according to the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Acts 3:19-20
19 "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
20 and that He may send the Christ, Who has been appointed for you -- even Jesus.
21 He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago through His holy prophets.
22 For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything He tells you.
23 Anyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from His people.' "
Deuteronomy 18:15-19
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.
16 For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”
17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good.
18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.
19 I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.”
This is of Whom God spoke:
Matthew 17:5
5 “While He was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
God's desire for Humanity has not Changed
John 3:16-18
16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's One and Only Son."
Ephesians 3:6 "This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus."
Ephesians 3:10-12
10 "His intent was that now, through the Church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
11 according to His eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence."
Ephesians 4:7 "But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it."
Ephesians 4:11-13
11 "It was He Who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."
Paul goes on to instruct each one, in verse 28, to "work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need."
What's in your hand?
As God walked with Moses and Aaron, He continually said, "Stretch out your hand..." and God worked His wonders through their obedience.
When Jesus walked into a Synagogue and saw a man there with a withered hand, He looked at the crowd who had not lifted a finger to help the man, and said, "Stretch out your hand!” [Matthew 12:13]
His hand had been injured, perhaps on the job, and God did not want him left in that condition. God wants us well, so that we can do what God has gifted us to do.
Whatever God has given you to do with your hands, He blesses so that you can be a blessing to those in need of what only you, uniquely, can do. And He blesses others to be a blessing to you, in the way you need it from them, because that is what makes them effective in the Kingdom of God.
When God stretches out His Hand
Isaiah 40:22 "He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in."
Isaiah 42:5
This is what God the Lord says—the Creator of the heavens, Who stretches them out, Who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, Who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it”
Isaiah 44:24
“This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, Who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, Who stretches out the heavens, ho spreads out the earth by Myself”
Isaiah 45:12
It is I Who made the earth and created mankind on it. My Own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts.”
Isaiah 51:12-13
12 “I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mere mortals, human beings who are but grass,
13 that you forget the Lord your Maker, Who stretches out the heavens and who lays the foundations of the earth, that you live in constant terror every day because of the wrath of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction? For where is the wrath of the oppressor?”
Isaiah 54:1-2
1 "'Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,' says the Lord.
2 'Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes."
When God stretches out His hand it is for the enlargement of what He already made, for when He blesses it is beyond containment.
Luke 6:38
38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” In this case it refers to forgiveness. Yet the principle of God’s generosity is the same.
John 21:25
25 “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”
When God stretched out His "skirt" [Ezekiel 16:8] or His canopy [Isaiah 4:5; Jeremiah 43:10] to cover Israel, it was for their salvation, healing, deliverance from enemy combatants, or from the evil one himself, who roams the earth looking for whom he may devour.
So in everything we do, we are to be imitators of God Himself, Who loved us, and stretched out His hands to save us, not only on the Cross, but each day from the foundation of the earth until the consummation of all things.
Ephesians 5:1, 8-10
1 “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children…
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.”
You, too, have been enriched in every way, and you lack nothing as you imitate our Father in heaven.
1Corinthians 1:4-9
4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.
5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—
6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you.
7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
What Jesus is Still up To: The Commission
Praying and Prophecy, then, is for the strengthening and equipping of the saints, for their encouragement, and empowering to continue in the journey with the Lord, to stand firm in the faith, and to stretch out our hands, daily enlarging His Kingdom, until it covers the earth with His glory.
Whatever else is in your hands, as a person who works for a living, or as a home maker, or whatever you do for others, to bless them, do it with all your heart unto God, and He can use it to bless far beyond your imagination.
1Corinthians 14
Daniel 2:35, 45
Acts 5:14-16
Mark 16:15-18
Matthew 28:18-20
