The Work of Our Hands!
Good or Bad?
Often in the Bible God speaks of the work of our hands as something really good. In fact, under the correct circumstances he would really like to bless all the work of our hands.
- (Deuteronomy 28:12 ESV) The LORD will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.
But at other times he speaks to the work of our hands in the harshest of terms.
- (Jeremiah 1:16 ESV) And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands.
What is the difference?
It all depends on the object of our work. If we are working on the things for which God has created us and the things over which he has given us a stewardship, then he will generally speaking bless the work of our hands.
So what is the problem?
We, as in humans, make things that we are not supposed to make, e.g. making things to worship.
- (Psalm 115:4 ESV) Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
- (Jeremiah 25:6 ESV) Do not go after other gods to serve and worship them, or provoke me to anger with the work of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.
- (Jeremiah 25:7 ESV) Yet you have not listened to me, declares the LORD, that you might provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm.
- (Haggai 2:14 ESV) Then Haggai answered and said, “So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, declares the LORD, and so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean.”
- (Acts 7:41 ESV) And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.
If we are making things that God prohibits, then the work of our hands will always lead to false gods and false worship. Thus this morning’s text.
- (Revelation 9:20 ESV) The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.
REVELATION MESSAGE 17 – Mercy Fighters
Revelation 9, Jude 17-23
