January 24: ETERNAL TITLE (part 3 of 3)
And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Revelation 19:16
There is another highly significant aspect of the hand under the thigh practice, a depth of meaning, and positive tradition in the Hebrew culture. For someone to enter into a solemn agreement by allowing his hand to be sat upon—putting it under the thigh—conveyed to any witnesses that he was submitting respectfully and wholeheartedly to the initiator of the covenant or agreement, fully intent upon being obedient to the request. This was meant to show the pagan world how God’s people actively choose to be respectful and obedient.
When Eleazer set out to find a wife for Isaac, he prayed to God for success on his mission (Genesis 24:12). Abraham’s trusted servant honored his oath, by the power of grace given by God. Jesus demonstrated a life of prayer and close communication with His heavenly Father as He pursued His earthly mission of securing a bride. He demonstrated the power of grace in every conceivable situation. The High Priestly prayer (John 17), which He prayed on behalf of His followers, consistently acknowledged His heavenly Father as the one who gives the bride to Him (17:2,6,9,11,12,24). This is where the wedding tradition of the father giving his daughter to the groom comes from. Grace to live a sanctified life comes from our heavenly Father and is readily available for the asking.
Respectful and wholehearted submission to God Almighty is the essence—the spirit—of the first commandment. Undivided loyalty to the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS captures the essence of the first commandment. This is where Jesus was going in the Sermon on the Mount when He said: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all; neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black” (Matthew 5:33-36). Because of rampant dishonesty in the pagan world, swearing and oaths were commonly exercised, even in everyday conversation. Ironically, the worse a man is, the more likely he is to swear and the less likely he is to feel bound by what he has sworn. The better a man is, the less an oath is needed. But the man of God is bound by his word, in all honesty and purity. For the progeny of Christ, our natural conversation should be characterized by thoughtfulness, compassion, purity, and honesty above reproach. “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” (v.37).
Progressive revelation in Scripture does not mean that God is changing. However, it does mean that He is changing us, for we are sinful creatures that He stands ready to forgive and lovingly mold into fit citizens of His eternal, heavenly kingdom!
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37
When covenantal signs or Biblical practices are misused, cruelty, idolatry, and misrepresenting God become real dangers. See Genesis 34 and 1 Corinthians 7:19; Numbers 21:5-9 and 2 Kings 18:4; Matthew 11:18,19