Hebrews 10:31 (NIV)
It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Isaiah 41:10
Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Either way,
“He’s got the whole world in his hands.”
(traditional spiritual)
Makes me feel like a flea on an elephant.
Not a flea–a unique, much -loved work of art.
What does “fall into the hands of the living God” mean
Thank you for asking, Elizabeth. This verse comes from the 10th chapter of Hebrews, a passage about persevering in the faith. One section of verses is about those who hear the truth about God but deliberately go on sinning.
Here’s how I see it: we have a choice–we can deliberately step into God’s loving embrace, or we can turn our backs on God and walk away. Those who walk (or run) may think they are getting away from God. But do they really?
We can come to God voluntarily, or we can meet God involuntarily (“fall into his hands”) when we die. Coming to him voluntarily puts us at the center of his love and grace. Falling into his hands–that is scary, because they will be judged by their own works and not by the blood of Christ. I hope this helps, Elizabeth.