Writings by Barri Cae Mallin

Et Yad Adonai

Tuesday 25 November 2003 - 13:56:19

A few weeks ago, I headed to the local high school track to get in some running miles. It was a lovely morning, low humidity, a crystal-blue sky with no clouds. As my foot hit the track and I looked up, to my surprise I saw a tic-tic-toe grid in the sky! Jet vapor trails formed the nine-boxed grid. It was as if the hand of the LORD was beckoning me forth to join Him in a game of Tic Tac Toe. Ha! like I would even join the LORD of heaven in a game. He'd win, hands down!

One of the words for hand in Hebrew is yad. Also, the Yad is the pointer, the silver implement used at every Shabbat (Sabbath) for the Torah reader to guide his way as he reads the Torah. The Torah is considered such a Holy Book, that no human hands may touch the parchment. Only the silver Yad (pointer) is used to follow the words to be read.

There are at least thirty-eight places in the Scriptures (Old Testament and New Testament) in which one finds the phrase Yad Adonai - Hand of the LORD. Protection as well as chastisement came B'Yad Adonai, from the Hand of the LORD. The Hand of the LORD smote the Egyptians (Ex.9:3), it smote the people of Ashdod (I Sam. 15:6,9), it was used against the Philistines (I Sam. 7:13).

However, The Hand of the LORD was upon Elijah for good (I Kings 18:46) and Elisha for good (II Kings 3:15), for apocalyptic prophecy on Ezekiel (Ezek.3:14, 22; Ezek.33:22; 37:1; 40:1) for salvation in Acts 11:21.

Et Yad Adonai - The Hand of the LORD was upon Joshua. Joshua sometimes does not get enough good press. Joshua was not at Moses' side at battle campaigns; he was in it! As Aaron and Hur held up Moses' arms, Joshua led the field combat and led the troops to victory. Joshua learned then that the battle was not his, but it was the LORD'S.

It was Joshua who kept watch as Moses received the Ten Commandments (the first time). In Ex. 24:13-18, it was Joshua who waited for his mentor for forty days and forty nights. No one but Joshua got to go farther with Moses than he, as they ascended Mount Sinai. Joshua was special.

It was Joshua who alerted Moses about the sin in the camp (the golden calf incident). When the LORD would meet with Moses in the tent, Joshua saw the glory descend. He was there, right by the tent. But when the glory ascended, and Moses left the tent, Joshua remained. He wanted to know the LORD like Moses did. He wanted that intimacy with God. He hungered for it. He was always by Moses' side. He wanted what Moses had. He wanted more of God. He wanted Et Yad Adonai on him.

God knew this. We read in Numbers 27:18-20:
So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun,
a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;
and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation;
and commission him in their sight.
"And you shall put some of your authority on him,
in order that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey him.

Joshua received commission because of relationship. God knows what is in man's heart,
the LORD knew that Joshua desired intimacy with Him, and God honored Joshua.
After Moses' death, Joshua becomes Israel's leader. We read in Joshua 1:1-9

Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD
that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' servant, saying,
"Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan,
you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.
Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.
From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates,
all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun, will be your territory.
No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life.
Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.
Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land
which I swore to their fathers to give them.
Only be strong and very courageous;
be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you;
do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.
This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth,
but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful
to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous,
and then you will have success.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous!
Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Joshua received great might B'Yad Adonai, from The Hand of the LORD. When challenged, Joshua
would encourage them onward by saying "Remember the word which Moses commanded you.."
(remember, they had no Bibles back then).
Joshua would echo Moses' words -- "the LORD your God gives you rest and will give you
this land. Josh.1:13. Israel crosses over the Jordan, as God parted the Red Sea, He parted
the Jordan. But not only did God part the waters, He said the priests would stand in the Jordan.

Now the LORD said to Joshua,
"This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel,
that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you.
"You shall, moreover, command the priests who are carrying the
ark of the covenant, saying,
'When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"
Joshua 3:7-9

All Israel crossed, Joshua had one man from each of the twelve tribes to take a stone, and set them in the middle of the Jordan. Joshua spoke:

"For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan
before you until you had crossed, just as the LORD your God had done to the Red Sea,
which He dried up before us until we had crossed;
that all the peoples of the earth may know that
the hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may fear the LORD your God forever. "

Father
in Yeshua's name, may Your hand be upon this reader reading this now. Draw them closer
to You through Your spirit, give them a Joshua hunger to know You intimately, and bless them
as they seek to know You more.

Copyright © Barri Cae Mallin.