Why does Scripture emphasize the right hand of God?

The "right hand" speaks of authority, power, and eminence. According to Exodus 15:6, delivering and subduing power belong to the right hand. In Genesis 48:14 the right hand is the dispenser of sovereign and irrevocable blessing. In the Psalm, David's Lord is invited by Jehovah to sit on His right hand. This is a fundamental truth, used by our Lord in the synoptic gospels as attesting the greatness of His Person. His exaltation thus is hailed in Acts 2:32-36, as indicating God's approval of Him and at the same time reversing man's judgment.

The writer presents Jesus to the Hebrews as crowned with glory and honour. Hebrews is also the epistle that speaks of the Lord Jesus at the right hand of God. There is no other epistle which makes so many mentions of this glorious place. What does this mean? In Psalm 110 David says, “Jehovah said unto my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put thine enemies as footstool of thy feet.” Then already it was said of the Lord Jesus that as Man, not as God, He would be at the right hand of God. How can the One God sit at the right hand of the One God? That is impossible. As Man who was placed lower than the angels, He has now by the glory of God as a recompense for this wonderful work, been lifted up high above every other place and as man crowned with glory and honour and placed at the right hand of the almighty God. There our Lord who suffered for us has been given the place of greatest glory and the greatest honour. God Himself said, “Sit at my right hand”. He honoured His Son by this offer. Let us never forget that. That is where our Saviour is, the place of the greatest honour, glory and power. May we give Him this glory and honour in our worship.

Here it is the right hand of the Majesty, or greatness, on high, for the Spirit of God is emphasising the greatness of the Person of the Son. Power and authority are connected with the right hand, but greatness is added because of who Jesus is, and because of the greatness of the work accomplished.

These words suggest the absolute approval of what has been done. The right hand is the place of honor and of power, the place also which was the token of satisfaction and delight. There is no place in the heaven of heavens higher than the throne of God which is now occupied by our Priest. He sits there as one who has title, with all things beneath His feet, and swaying the sceptre over all things. Such is Christ. And as you think of Him in this glory, it is impossible to have a single disloyal thought as to the glory of His person or the value of His work, or the wondrous dignity of the place He occupies. What creature would dare draw near into the presence of a holy God like this? Here is One who has right and title to take His place at the right hand of that Majesty — equal with it all; as we sometimes sing, — "Who without usurpation could Lay claim to heaven's eternal throne?" So that is the High Priest, and there is the place which He occupies; that is what the apostle emphasizes. It is the sum, the acme of all that has been before us in the first seven chapters.

God's right hand is the Son's place by right, but it is also His as the mark of the Father's favour. This place of exaltation and glory is God's answer to all that man has done to His Son, but also God's answer to all that the Son has done for Him. Moreover, it is from God's right hand that the Son now carries out the Father's will, and ministers to His own, while waiting till His enemies are made the footstool of His feet.

God’s right hand is the Son’s place by right, but it is also His as the mark of the Father’s favour. This place of exaltation and glory is God’s answer to all that man has done to His Son, but also God’s answer to all that the Son has done for Him. Moreover, it is from God’s right hand that the Son now carries out the Father’s will, and ministers to His own, while waiting till His enemies are made the footstool of His feet.

Having accomplished the will of God in His death upon the cross, God intervened and raised Him from the dead, and gave Him this wonderful place, “higher than the heavens.” The exaltation of Jesus to God’s right hand is impressed upon us in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Heb. 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2), as in other Scriptures, for God would have us to understand something of the delight He found in the work of His Son, and in the obedience of His Son, and in all that He was in life as in death as “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.”

Finally, in the seventh place, "sat down on the right hand of the majesty on High." Such exaltation is impossible for any mere creature, but testifies rather to the august dignity of His Person and His work. Psalm 110:1 had prophesied of this in clearest terms: "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit on My right hand until I make thine enemies Thy footstool." This is not only the due recompense of His mighty work, but rightful public recognition of the glory of His Person.

Jesus is now exalted at God's right hand. It is as the triumphant Victor that He is now seen by faith there. His exaltation is the witness on God's part of His delight in Him, and of His absolute satisfaction in the work which He accomplished in His death. His brow is glory-crowned as the answer to His sorrow, suffering, and death. "Him has God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance … and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:31). These gifts of grace the glorious Conqueror bestows in righteousness on the men whom Satan vanquished. Who of you has received them?

“God shall glorify Him in Himself and shall straightway glorify Him.” It has been rightly said that the women that brought their spices to the sepulchre on the morning of the first day of the week were not the first visitors to that sacred spot. He was raised from the dead by “the glory of the Father” (Rom. 6:4). When the Scripture had been fulfilled that He must be three days in that tomb, the Father’s glory descended and brought Him forth triumphant over death. Where in the wide Universe of God could a place be found worthy to receive Him who had so perfectly glorified God? There was but one place and that was the Father’s right hand, “above all principality and power, and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world but in that which is to come” (Eph. 1:21). And yet though crowned with glory and honour—“straightway glorified”—in that supreme place He is not more glorious than He was when “crucified in weakness.” The diamond has been put in the golden setting. The glory of the diamond is not increased by the golden setting, but it is the only setting suitable for it. The Father’s right hand was the only place worthy to receive Him, because of who He is and what He has done.