Bible Foundations lesson 24: Subject: Laying on of Hands

Bible Foundations lesson 24: Subject: Laying on of Hands

We have teacher training classes, lessons, on how to be a deacon, and leadership seminars. There are soul winning and witnessing classes. Preachers go to school and learn how to preach, and some first efforts are pretty shaky. There are some spiritual truths that we need training and practice, while we learn. We don't always enter in overnight, but we exercise by doing as we learn.

What were the eleven words spoken by Jesus, right before He left this earth and went straight up in the air to heaven? He said; “You shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” That means to get well and not be sick anymore.

Although some are repelled by the thought of having someone lay their hand on them for a need in their lives, it is nevertheless a fact of scripture that the touch of one's hands who is directed by God, can have a tremendous impact. Laying on of hands is found throughout the Bible, both in the New and the Old Testaments.

God has ordained this method of touch to transmit to the recipient, blessing, healing, anointing, power and to remit sin.

In the Old testament, we find, the priest laying hands on the sacrifice to impart the sinner's sin onto the animal.

 Leviticus 8:14-15 And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering.  And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it.

Lev 16-20-22 And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness.

Blessings were imparted by the laying on of hands. Jacob blesses Joseph's children Ephraim and Manasseh,. Gen 48:12-20 And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, lcrossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn). And he blessed Joseph and said,

“The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day, the angel who has ordained me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

The Spirit of wisdom and leadership was transmitted by the laying on of hands. Anointed to serve. Deuteronomy 34:9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit  of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.

Numbers 27:18 - And the Lord said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;  set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight. And you shall give some of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

The flow is from the one whose hands are employed, to the recipient. With this in mind we can better understand why we are to lift up our hands and bless the Lord. We begin to use our hands to bless God, then we bless others.

Psalms 134 Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary and bless the Lord.

1 Timothy, 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

We begin to bless God by lifting our hands, and then we bless others by reaching out to those in need.

In the New Testament, Laying on of hands is one of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible.

Hebrews 6:2  Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 

Jesus employed this means to heal the sick. Jesus was moved with compassion and touched those who were sick and they became well.

Matthew 9;29 Jesus touched their eyes, and they could see. Matthew 8;15 Jesus touched Peter's mother-in-law's hand and the fever left her. Note Jesus did not touch her head but he touched her hand.

Jesus blessed little children by laying hands on them. Mark 10:13-16

Learn some manners, and do not be sloppy, but be polite and you may need to ask permission as some may hesitate to allow you to lay hands as you pray over them.

May signs and wonders were done by the laying on of hands. Jesus instructed believers to lay lands on the sick and heal them.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit was imparted by the laying on of hands. Acts 9:17 Ananias laid hands on Saul and He was baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 19:6 When Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy spirit came on them and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.

2 Tim 1:6 Because of this I remind you to rekindle God's gift that you possess through the laying on of my hands.

1 Tim 4:14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.

The dead were raised - Jesus touched the bier and said: “young man I say onto you arise.” and he sat up and opened his eyes.

Matt 9:18 The man told Jesus, my daughter is even now dead; but come and lay your hand on her and she shall live.

Let us all agree together to lift Holy hands to worship and bless God, and to receive his blessing to be able to go out and lay hands on those in need.