LIFTING UP HOLY HANDS IN PRAYER

1
LIFTING UPHOLY HANDS IN PRAYER
2

• Is the Practice of Lifting Up Holy Hands In
  Prayer Merely a Pentecostal Phenomenon?

3
Examining the Context of 1 Timothy 28.

• The subject of prayer is introduced
• 1 Timothy 21-2 (NASB) First of all, then, I
  urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and
  thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2
  for kings and all who are in authority, in order
  that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all
  godliness and dignity.

4
Why Christians should pray
for all people

• 1 Timothy 23-7 (NASB) 3 This is good and
  acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4
  who desires all men to be saved and to come to
  the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one
  God, and one mediator also between God and men,
  the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a
  ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper
  time. 7 And for this
  I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am
  telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher
  of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

5
Examining the Context of 1 Timothy 28.

• The subject of prayer is reintroduced
• 1 Tim 28 (NASB) Therefore I want the men in
  every place to pray, lifting up holy hands,
  without wrath and dissension.

6
Examining the Meaning of 1 Timothy 28.

• An instruction for men.
• Men (1 Tim. 28), from Greek word aner -
  specific to men only.
• Since all Christians must pray
  (1 Thes. 517), this must refer to
  mens role to lead public
  prayer.

7

• Christian men have the responsibility to lead
  prayer in the public worship assembly
  (1 Tim. 28).

8
1 Timothy 212 (NASB)

• But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise
  authority over a man, but to remain quiet.
  cf. 1 Cor.
  1434

9

• Women are not inferior to men (Gal. 328), but
  have a different role than men in the divine
  order of God (1 Cor. 112-3).

10
Examining the Meaning of 1 Timothy 28.

• It is the will (or desire / want) of God
  (expressed through Paul) for all men to pray
  This must be obeyed!
• 1 Timothy 28 (KJV) I will therefore that men
  pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without
  wrath and doubting.

11
Examining the Meaning of 1 Timothy 28.

• The men in every place are to pray. (1 Tim.
  28 cf. 1 Cor. 12)
• Leading prayer in the public worship assembly
  without anger dissension (discord/ quarreling).
• Wherever prayer is done (e.g., Jerusalem, the
  temple), the right attitude of holiness must be
  evident (John 423-24).

12
Examining the Meaning of 1 Timothy 28.

• Lifting up holy hands -- The posture in prayer
  in which ones attitude is expressed, in part, by
  the hands.
• 1 Kings 822 Then Solomon stood before the altar
  of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly
  of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.
  
• Ezra 95 But at the evening offering I arose
  from my humiliation, even with my garment and my
  robe torn, and I fell on my knees and stretched
  out my hands to the LORD my God

13
Examining the Meaning of 1 Timothy 28.

• Holy hands
• Holiness in heart action
• Holy (hosios) Undefiled by sin, free from
  wickedness, religiously observing every moral
  obligation, pure holy, pious (Thayer).
• Prayer with holy hands specifically involves
  without wrath (i.e., anger, indignation,
  vengeance, violent emotion) or dissension (i.e.,
  discord or quarreling).

14
Without Wrath Dissension

• Those who lead prayer must not pray angry words
  against a brother nor with ill will in his heart
  toward others (e.g., Mat. 522-24, 44
  614-15).
• All praying should be holy (set apart) from wrath
  and doubting and all sinful thoughts, attitudes,
  and motives.

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What Spiritual Value May Lifting Up Holy Hands
In Prayer Have?

• It is an outward expression of our praising or
  blessing God.
• Psalm 1342 Lift up your hands to the sanctuary,
  And bless the LORD.
• Psalm 634 So I will bless Thee as long as I
  live I will lift up my hands in Thy name.

16
What Spiritual Value May Lifting Up Holy Hands
In Prayer Have?

• It is an expression of our approval of God and
  reverence toward Him.
• Neh 85-7 (NASB) 5 And Ezra opened the book in
  the sight of all the people for he was standing
  above all the people and when he opened it, all
  the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the LORD
  the great God. And all the people answered,
  "Amen, Amen!" while lifting up their hands then
  they bowed low and worshiped the LORD with their
  faces to the ground.

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What Spiritual Value May Lifting Up Holy Hands
In Prayer Have?

• It is an outward expression of our desire that
  our prayers would be accepted or received by God.
• Ps 1412 May my prayer be counted as incense
  before Thee The lifting up of my hands as the
  evening offering.
• Compare to Rev. 58 1 Peter 25 Hebrews
  1315-16.

18
Hebrews 1315-16 (NASB)

• 15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up
  a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit
  of lips that give thanks to His name. 16 And do
  not neglect doing good and sharing for with such
  sacrifices God is pleased.

19
What Spiritual Value May Lifting Up Holy Hands
In Prayer Have?

• It is an outward expression of our acknowledgment
  of our dependency
  on Him and the serious attitude we bring in the
  requests we make of God.

20
Lamentations 219 (NASB)

• "Arise, cry aloud in the night at the beginning
  of the night watches Pour out your heart like
  water before the presence of the Lord Lift up
  your hands to Him for the life of your little
  ones who are faint because of hunger at the head
  of every street."

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What Spiritual Value May Lifting Up Holy Hands
In Prayer Have?

• It is an outward expression of our hearts devoted
  to God A symbol of elevated hearts toward God.

22
Lamentations 341 (NASB)

• We lift up our heart and hands toward God in
  heaven

23
What Spiritual Value May Lifting Up Holy Hands
In Prayer Have?

• It may possibly aid us in keeping the right
  attitude of holiness as we pray (1 Tim. 28)
  which is critical to praying prayers that are
  acceptable to God (1 Pet. 312).

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Lifting Up the Hands Is Only One of the Methods
of Expression in Praying Unto God.

• Prostration Falling upon the knees, then
  gradually inclining the body, until the forehead
  touches the ground (an expression of reverence
  and humility before a superior).

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Examples of Prostration

• Gen 173 And Abram fell on his face, and God
  talked with him
• Matt 2639 And He Jesus went a little beyond
  them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying,
  "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass
  from Me yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt."
• In showing respect to a superior
  (e.g., 1 Sam. 2523 2 Kings
  437).

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• Kneeling A very common posture to show respect
  in worship in Old and New Testament times.

27
1 Kings 854 (NASB)

• And it came about that when Solomon had finished
  praying this entire prayer and supplication to
  the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the
  LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands
  spread toward heaven.

28
Luke 2241 (NASB)

• And He Jesus withdrew from them about a
  stone's throw, and He knelt down and began to
  pray,

29

• Sitting is a possible form of kneeling e.g., 2
  Sam. 718) yet not a common
  posture found in the Scriptures.

30

• Standing Erect or with a slightly bowed head.
  The most common posture in prayer (in the
  Scriptures) to show respect or pay homage to God.

31
Genesis 1822 (NASB)

• Then the men turned away from there and went
  toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing
  before the LORD.

32
Luke 1811, 13 (NASB)

• 11 "The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to
  himself, 'God, I thank Thee that I am not like
  other people swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or
  even like this tax-gatherer 13 "But the
  tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was
  even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but
  was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful
  to me, the sinner!

33

• Kiss of Adoration The practice of kissing hands
  toward object of adoration (i.e., of great
  affection) or kissing the object itself.

34
Psalms 212 (NKJV)

• Kiss the Son, (do homage NASB) lest He be
  angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath
  is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those
  who put their trust in Him.

35
1 Samuel 101 (NASB)

• Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on
  his head, kissed him (i.e., paid homage - ML) and
  said, "Has not the LORD anointed you a ruler over
  His inheritance?

36
1 Kings 1918 (NASB)

• "Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees
  that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that
  has not kissed him."

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• Lifting Up Holy Hands The
  posture in prayer in which ones attitude is
  expressed by the hands (e.g. 1 Kings 822 Ezra
  95).

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• What method a person chooses may depend on what
  is personally necessary and on his or her
  circumstances
• There is no single method that God requires we
  must follow every time!

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• Whatever Posture In Prayer We Choose, Let Us Be
  Sure to Obey the Lords Command to Pray As We
  Should!

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• Christians are commanded to pray continually (1
  Thes. 517 Col. 42).

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• We should not ever neglect our duty to pray to
  God (James 417 210).

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• We should always pray according to Gods will (in
  harmony with the Word of God) (1 John 514).

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• Whatever posture or method of expression in
  prayer that a person chooses should always be
  done in sincerity and truth (John 423-24).

44

• Christian men should step up to the duty of
  leading prayer in all holiness (1 Tim. 28).

45

• No Matter What Posture We Use
  In Prayer,
  Let Us Be Certain to Always Offer Prayers
  That Are Acceptable to
  God!