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The Ministry of Consolation.
#39. "Lift up your hands" (Heb. 12: 12);
"Lift up your heads" (Luke 21: 28).
pp. 19, 20
We have looked at one or two passages of Scripture where there is a real "lift up" for
the believer. It is helpful to observe the character of those who receive this spiritual
uplift. For example, Psa. 147: 6 says: "The Lord lifteth up the meek: He casteth the
wicked down to the ground." The Psalmist moreover says: "Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift
up my soul" (Psa. 86: 4), and as the soul often stands for the whole person, it will
include the lifting up of the hands and eyes in prayer (Psa. 28: 2; 123: 1). While,
therefore, there are many avenues open for prayerful investigation, we desire in this
short article to turn to another aspect of this matter of uplift, and find the word in
Heb. 12: 12, 13:--
"Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and makes
straight paths for your feet."
The fact that this exhortation opens with the word "wherefore", teaches us to look
back in the chapter to discover the connection. Heb. 12: opens with an exhortation to lay
aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily besets us, and to run with patience
the race set before us, with the great example of the Lord in view. Then follows a
lengthy disquisition upon the nature, necessity and aim of chastisement, which reaches its
conclusion in verse 11. Verse 12 immediately follows with the exhortation quoted above.
We are evidently taken back to the opening of the chapter, and the figure of the race and
the runner is resumed. The words "lift up" used here do not mean so much to elevate, as
one does the hands, but to "set right" as in Luke 13: 13 and Acts 15: 16, where the
word occurs. The hands, knees, feet and paths all indicate the chief purpose of the
exhortation. Heb. 12: 12 is a quotation from the O.T.:--
"Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees" (Isa. 35: 3).
The whole chapter of Isa. 35: is prophetic of the great millennial day, and the
connection of the exhortation with the theme of the chapter is made more evident by
reading the verse that follows the one quoted:--
"Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not; behold, your God will
come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; He will come and save you"
(Isa. 35: 4).
With this exhortation, therefore, to lift up the hands that hang down, we couple that of
Luke 21: 28:--
"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads;
for your redemption draweth nigh" (Luke 21: 28).