The term "upraised" in the context of the Bible often refers to the act of lifting or raising something, typically in a manner that signifies power, authority, or divine intervention. This concept is frequently associated with God's mighty hand, the actions of His servants, or the posture of prayer and worship.

Divine Power and Authority

In the Scriptures, the upraised hand of God symbolizes His supreme power and authority over creation and history. For instance, in Exodus 6:6, God declares to the Israelites, "Therefore tell the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.'" Here, the "outstretched arm" is indicative of God's upraised hand, demonstrating His ability to deliver and redeem His people with power.

Similarly, in Deuteronomy 26:8, the text states, "So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror, with signs and wonders." The upraised hand of God is a recurring motif that underscores His intervention in human affairs, particularly in acts of deliverance and judgment.

Human Response in Worship and Prayer

The act of raising hands is also a significant expression of worship and supplication in the Bible. In Psalm 28:2, David cries out, "Hear my cry for mercy as I call to You for help, as I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary." The upraised hands in this context are a physical manifestation of prayer, symbolizing the worshiper's earnest plea for divine assistance and favor.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul encourages believers to pray with uplifted hands. In 1 Timothy 2:8, he writes, "Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension." This instruction highlights the importance of purity and unity in prayer, with the upraised hands serving as a gesture of holiness and surrender to God.

Symbol of Judgment and Deliverance

The upraised hand is also a symbol of judgment and deliverance in biblical narratives. In Exodus 14:16, God commands Moses, "As for you, lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it, so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground." Moses' upraised hand, holding the staff, becomes the instrument through which God performs the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, delivering the Israelites from the pursuing Egyptian army.

In the prophetic literature, the upraised hand can signify impending judgment. Isaiah 5:25 states, "Therefore the anger of the LORD burns against His people; His hand is raised against them to strike them down. The mountains quake, and their corpses lie like refuse in the streets." Here, the upraised hand of God is a portent of divine wrath and the consequences of disobedience.

Conclusion

The concept of "upraised" in the Bible encompasses a range of meanings, from the demonstration of God's power and authority to the expressions of human worship and prayer. Whether signifying divine intervention, judgment, or the posture of a worshiper, the upraised hand is a powerful symbol woven throughout the biblical narrative.

Of Circumcision and the Supercession of the Old Law.
... Because the subsequent discourse of the prophet reproaches them, saying, "Sons have
I begotten and upraised, but they have reprobated me;" [1167] and again ...
/.../tertullian/an answer to the jews/chapter iii of circumcision and the.htm

Elijah and the Widow's Son.
... "As God lives, before whom I stand," he said, with upraised hand, "there shall not
be dew or rain for years, but according to my word." And he said more, for ...
/.../anonymous/children of the old testament/elijah and the widows son.htm

Consecration Complete
... With eyes closed and hands upraised, many vow that henceforth they will live, not
unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them, and rose again; but when the ...
/.../howard/standards of life and service/ii consecration complete.htm

In Despondency and Temptation.
... He can never overthrow What God hath upraised, But what Satan's hand doth do That
shall be abased. I am God's, and mine is God, Who from Him can part me? ...
/.../gerhardt/paul gerhardts spiritual songs/in despondency and temptation.htm

Of Contemplation
... heavenly things. Others say, and say best, that contemplation is the death
of fleshly desires through the joy of the mind upraised. To ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter xii of contemplation.htm

Christos Ho Logos Me Theoi Sarkoumenos.
... II. Word of God! Thy Crucifixion. Hath upraised me from the earth; By Thy death
and dereliction,. Thou hast given me nobler birth; By Thy Resurrection glorious, ...
/.../brownlie/hymns from the morningland/christos ho logos me theoi.htm

Christos O Logos Me Theoi Sarkoumenos
... Hence my grateful songs arise. Word of God! Thy crucifixion. Hath upraised me from
the earth; By Thy death and dereliction,. Thou hast given me nobler birth; ...
/.../brownlie/hymns of the early church/christos o logos me theoi.htm

He Causes Himself to be Represented on his Coins, and in his ...
... His portrait also at full length was placed over the entrance gates of the palaces
in some cities, the eyes upraised to heaven, and the hands outspread as if ...
/.../pamphilius/the life of constantine/chapter xv he causes himself to.htm

City and Country
... Say, when in pity ye have gazed. On the wreathed smoke afar,. That o'er
some town, like mist upraised,. Hung hiding sun and star,". ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/cclxviii city and country.htm

Concerning the Books which He Wrote "On the Fair and Fit ...
... Because had he been upraised, and these self-same men had dispraised him, and with
dispraise and scorn told the same things of him, I should never have been so ...
/.../the confessions and letters of st/chapter xiv concerning the books which.htm

Upraised (6 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Upraised (6 Occurrences). Job 38:15 From the wicked,
their light is withheld. The high arm is broken. (See NIV). ...
/u/upraised.htm - 8k

Upper-robe (1 Occurrence)
Upper-robe. Uppermost, Upper-robe. Upraised . Multi-Version Concordance
Upper-robe (1 Occurrence). ... (YLT). Uppermost, Upper-robe. Upraised . Reference
/u/upper-robe.htm - 6k

Mount (311 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) A bank; a fund. 4. (n.) To rise on high; to go up; to be upraised
or uplifted; to tower aloft; to ascend; -- often with up. ...
/m/mount.htm - 68k

Palace (194 Occurrences)
... of an ass. Before it stands the figure of a Roman legionary with one hand
upraised in the attitude of worship. Underneath is the ...
/p/palace.htm - 40k

Upright (392 Occurrences)

/u/upright.htm - 36k

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Upraised: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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