The Arm of the Lord

What is the arm of the Lord?

God is a Spirit. The “arm of the Lord” is a metaphor for God’s power and strength. The "arm of the Lord"  saves, delivers, and redeems. 

[Capital letters added in verses:]

"Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a STRETCHED OUT ARM, and with great judgments:" - Exodus 6:6 (Also: Deuteronomy 26:8, Psalm 77:15).

While the arm of the Lord was the power of God to save and redeem His people from the bondage of Egypt, there was the much greater need for all humanity to be redeemed from the bondage of sin and death.

"And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore HIS ARM brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him." - Isaiah 59:16

His arm that saved and delivered His people from physical bondage in Egypt, defeating their enemies, was now going to save and deliver the souls of all humanity from the spiritual bondage of sin, defeating the devil.

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." - Hebrews 2:14-15

Isaiah spoke of the arm of the Lord, foretelling of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection in Isaiah 53.

"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?" - Isaiah 53:1 

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." - Isaiah 53:5 

"The LORD hath made bare HIS HOLY ARM in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." - Isaiah 52:10

John recognized that Jesus is the arm of the Lord.

"But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?" - John 12:37-38