Pre-Reading
Psalm 136 [key verse is 12, but read the whole chapter]
Isaiah 59:1
Isaiah 49:22
Isaiah 50:2
Isaiah 60:21
Isaiah 66:22
Also, please refer to an earlier post, Yad, for important background...
Yad
We know that, for man, the power [or yad, which means 'hand' in Hebrew] of life and death is in the tongue. [Proverbs 18:21] Two other frequently quoted meanings of yad are 'strength' and 'power.'
So we know that man can work either with his physical yad, or hand, or the yad in his mouth. But we are made in God's image, and He does all things with the Yad of His Mouth!
Think about it...all the verses that talk about the hand of God are the Hebrew word yad! And how does He do things? Does He use physical hands, or does He accomplish all things by His forever settled word? His yad is in His mouth, too!
He formed the world with His mouth! He delivered Israel with His mouth! He sent Jesus with His mouth! And when, by faith, we receive His word as being true for us, it is accomplished. Actually, to be technical, it is already accomplished, because His works were finished from the foundation of the world and He has already rested from His works [Hebrew 4:3,10].
From the website Hebrew for Christians comes a great explanation...
"The Hand of God metaphorically speaks of Adonai’s power. In Adonai’s Hand are power and might (1 Chronicles 29:12). His hand is not "shortened" that it cannot save us (Isaiah 59:1), but is Mighty to save to the uttermost all those who call upon Him in humility and truth (Hebrews 7:25). God demonstrated His Hand through His deliverance of Israel from Egypt (Exodus 13:3-16; Num 33:3). Indeed, the Hand of God (yad ha Elohim) created the universe itself (Psalm 8:6; 95:5). Moreover, Adonai upholds the righteous with his Hand (Psalm 37:24; 139:10) and continually lifts up his hand on our behalf (Psalm 10:12). The Hands of Adonai were also pierced for us." (Psalm 22:16, John 20:27).
Like Him
And He did all these things, not with a yad of flesh but with His mouth! And He said the yad, or hand, of life and death is in our mouths! We are like Him! This is what Jesus tried repeatedly to tell us--use your mouth, there's a hand in there! You speak to mountains, trees and sick people's bodies...you still the storm...you control your body with your tongue! Impossible things that you couldn't possibly do with hands of flesh you can do with the yad of the mouth.
Think about it. Jesus said all things were possible for us, nothing would be impossible to him who believed. But we know that many things are physically impossible for us--impossible with the yad of flesh. But the yad of the mouth can accomplish anything, because the Yad of God said so!
Don't forget the Tower of Babel...they were going to accomplish the impossible with the yad of flesh because they had first used the yad of the tongue!
He knew that we would be reborn...not just made in the image of God, but filled with Him, just like He was. As older brother, He was demonstrating how to live...how to reign in life through the One, Christ Jesus. [Romans 5:17] Unregenerate men, using the yad of the tongue to accomplish the impossible--why? Because they were created in the image of God and knew it...they were only a few generations removed from Noah.
Now what?
Meditate on the yad [hand/power/strength] in your mouth...your tongue. Think about how God uses His mouth, and how we are instructed to use ours. Read Proverbs 10-23, 18--if you have time, read the whole book. Understand how things really work...the wisdom of God.
