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| The Six Basic Teachings
of Christianity (Part 4) Jesus Christ is the Chief Cornerstone! The Laying On Of Hands For Creativity Way back in the book of Genesis we have a clear example of God taking the dust of the ground and forming the first human being, Adam. The imagery is so vivid that one can almost see the Lord using His hands to shape a man. With over five billion human beings on the earth we see the powerful result of the first “laying on of hands”. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7 Although the Bible does not specifically mention that God used his hands, the implication from the context is clear. The creative touch is still with us today. We see it all around us. The maestro who picks up the violin and with his touch comes forth music; the artist who picks up the pallet and creates a picture that men admire for centuries; the sculptor who shapes a piece out of marble like The David—almost life-like. Men and women everywhere are continuing to create with their hands. For Blessing or Commissioning Another passage in Genesis is when Isaac blessed his son, Jacob. The blessing was passed from one generation to the next through the laying on of hands. Something so simple as the human touch somehow causes a blessing to pass from one person to another. “And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” Genesis 27:21-22 “And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” Acts 13:3 This is the Bible way to go forth in Jesus' name to preach the gospel or go on a missionary journey. Personally, I would not go any place to preach without first having hands laid on me with prayer. Bible ways get Bible results: Man's ways get man's results. “So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost . . .” Acts 13:4 When a group of people in a church lay hands on someone and send him forth with prayer and fasting, that person is sent forth by the Holy Ghost. I would rather be sent out by the Holy Ghost than by the planning of a committee. More is accomplished for eternity when we simply take God at His Word and obey Him. Fast, pray, lay hands, and send the person out. Much will be accomplished! Substitutionary When the bull was brought for the sin offering Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon its head. This was substitutionary. The bull took the place of the people, and was then slaughtered. The laying on of the hands of the Priests somehow caused this to happen. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the ram for the burnt offering. And in the same way they laid their hands on the other ram for the consecration. The sin offering, the burnt offering, and the consecration. “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.” Leviticus 8:14 “And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.” Leviticus 8:18 In each case the ram or the bull was used in place of the real person—in place of the real sin. In this way God accepted the substutionary death of the animal as a way of forgiving sin. “And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.” Leviticus 8:22 Today we practice substitutionary laying on of hands. If someone is sick, but he is not present, a friend may come forward and kneel, asking those present to lay hands upon him and pray for his friend. There are many testimonies that instant deliverance took place at the exact hour when hands were laid on and prayer was offered. Passing the Anointing “And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him:” Numbers 27:18 This is one of the clearest passages of Scripture where we see God actually commanding one person to lay his hand upon someone else. Obviously, there is transference of power when an anointed person lays his hands upon someone else. “And Moses did as the Lord commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before the entire congregation: and he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.” Numbers 27:22-23 Today this still takes places in many churches. A person is called before the entire congregation and someone (sometimes several people) lays hands upon him. This can be for anointing, offering a substitutionary prayer, blessing, receiving the Spirit, or commissioning. And when this is done something supernatural takes place that men cannot see with the natural eyes. “And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: . . .” Deuteronomy 34:9 The Bible makes it very clear that Joshua received the spirit directly through the laying on of Moses hands. The Lord commanded it; Moses obeyed it; and the result in Joshua was obvious to everyone. “Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them:” Acts 6:6 In this case the apostles laid hands upon seven men and then they became deacons. And at least one of them (Philip) became an evangelist. One (Stephen) became a martyr for Jesus. “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied.” Acts 19:6 There were only twelve men in that meeting. But when Paul obeyed God and laid his hands upon them they were filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke in tongues, and prophesied. What did that accomplish? A revival started in Ephesus that lasted more than two years. The revival was so powerful that every one in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus! Can you imagine what that would mean if the same thing took place today? A revival that would touch everyone in Asia would mean that half the human race would be reached. That is power. And it all came about through the simple obedience of the laying on of hands. What a powerful foundation block to be supporting our spiritual house! “Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” Acts 8:17 In the city of Samaria Philip preached until almost the entire city came to Christ. After he had baptized them the church in Jerusalem sent Peter and John to Samaria to make sure that the new converts received the Holy Spirit. This is one of the clearest passages in the New Testament where the context shows a group of people who had been saved, baptized in water, and afterward were prayed for to receive the Holy Spirit. And, of course, the way Peter and John passed the Spirit on to the new believers was through the laying on of hands! For Healing “And He (Jesus) could do no mighty work, except that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.” Mark 6:5 “And He laid His hands on them (the children), and departed from there.” Matthew 19:15 “Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them, and healed them.” Luke 4:40 “And He laid His hands on her and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.” Luke 13:13 “And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.” Acts 28:8 As we sum up Part 4 of this series we see that the laying on of hands accomplishes a number of things:
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