Throughout the Bible, the right hand of God is a symbol of power, authority, blessing, and salvation. The right hand often represents strength and the working of God’s will, while the left hand is rarely mentioned in a positive sense, often signifying weakness or a lack of blessing in comparison.
The Right Hand as a Symbol of Power and Authority
The right hand of God represents His supreme power and authority over all creation. In Exodus 15:6, Moses declares, “Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.” The right hand here is associated with victory and divine strength in deliverance.
Similarly, in Psalm 118:16, it says, “The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.” God’s right hand is consistently portrayed as a source of victory and triumph over enemies.
The Right Hand as a Place of Honor
The right hand also signifies honor and preeminence. When Jesus ascended to heaven, He sat at the right hand of God, a place of supreme authority. Hebrews 1:3 states, “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
In Psalm 110:1, David prophesied, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.’” This points directly to Jesus’ divine authority and His future victory over all powers.
The Right Hand as Protection and Help
The right hand is also a symbol of God’s protection and support for His people. Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
In Psalm 16:8, David writes, “I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.”
The right hand is a constant reminder of God’s sustaining strength and the assurance of His presence in times of trouble.
The Right Hand as Blessing and Favor
The right hand is closely tied to blessing and favor in Scripture. When Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons in Genesis 48:13-14, he crossed his hands intentionally placing his right hand on Ephraim, giving him the greater blessing, even though Manasseh was the firstborn. This reveals the right hand as a conduit of God’s chosen favor.
The Left Hand in Scripture
The left hand in Scripture is rarely used in a positive context. It often symbolizes lesser strength or importance compared to the right hand. Ecclesiastes 10:2 says, “A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, But a fool’s heart at his left.”
Jesus, in describing the final judgment, distinguishes the saved from the unsaved using the imagery of the right and left hand. Matthew 25:33 states, “And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.” The right hand represents those who inherit the kingdom, while the left hand represents those who are cast into eternal punishment.
Knowing Right from Wrong: The Phrase “Right Hand from the Left”
The right hand from the left is often used in Scripture to represent moral discernment, knowing right from wrong.
In Jonah 4:11, God speaks of the people of Nineveh saying, “And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?” This emphasizes their spiritual ignorance and lack of moral understanding.
The book of Deuteronomy 5:32 instructs, “Therefore you shall be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.” This signifies the importance of staying on the path of righteousness without deviation.
Proverbs 4:27 adds, “Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.” The idea here is a call to remain steadfast in the way of righteousness without compromise or confusion.
The Disciples Arguing About the Right and Left Hand of Jesus
The concept of the right and left hand also arises in the New Testament when the disciples, specifically James and John, desired positions of honor next to Jesus in His kingdom.
In Mark 10:35-37, it says:
“Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, ‘Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.’ And He said to them, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ They said to Him, ‘Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.’”
This request reveals a misunderstanding of the nature of the Kingdom of God. The right hand, as discussed earlier, represents authority and favor, while the left hand, though often of lesser prominence, was still a place of distinction in human terms. However, Jesus clarifies that such positions are not about power but servanthood.
In Mark 10:42-45, Jesus responds:
“You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Jesus’ teaching here emphasizes that true greatness in the Kingdom is not about proximity to power but humility and servanthood. Positions of honor in God’s Kingdom are determined by righteousness, not human ambition.
My Final Thoughts
The right hand of God consistently symbolizes His power, authority, protection, and blessing, while the left hand often represents lesser status or even judgment. The distinction between right and left in Scripture serves as a reminder of moral clarity and discernment between righteousness and sin. The right hand of God, ultimately fulfilled in Christ seated at the Father’s right hand, is where all power, honor, and victory reside. As believers, we are called to walk in the strength and wisdom of God’s right hand, discerning between right and wrong according to His Word.
