Divine Handwriting
Handwriting experts are called graphologists. These specialists do more than just ascertain the authenticity of a signature or document; they examine things like the pressure, slant, style and size of the script. From this, they claim to be able to tell much about an individual’s personality and emotional state; some even profess to uncover clues to the writer’s health, history even hidden talents! I don’t know about that, but I do think a person’s handwriting is interesting and important. Every signature is unique and impossible to forge perfectly, and really does say something about that person. Remember John Hancock’s autograph and what it said about him when he signed the Declaration of Independence.
When I think of handwriting in the Bible, I think especially of three handwriting samples. The first is on Mount Sinai, when God wrote the Ten Commandments with His finger in the stone tablets and gave them to Moses. The next occurs a thousand years later, when the fingers of a disembodied hand materialize to write on the palace wall, terrifying King Belshazzar, breaking up his party and convincing him to summon ancient Daniel to translate. The last is found in John 8, in that legendary scene involving a woman caught in a sexual act. While her accusers tried to convince Jesus to judge her, the Lord knelt and wrote with His finger in the dirt – twice.
Had a graphologist been present at all three incidents, I suspect he would have noticed that the handwriting was the same.
The words were different every time, whether inscribed upon stone or a wall or in the dirt. But in every case the writing was done not by pen or stylus or any other instrument, but by a finger – the finger of God. And in every case the handwriting was identical. We know exactly what God wrote on Mount Sinai and on the palace wall; we can only speculate about what Jesus wrote in the dirt that day. I do know what He said: “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” But imagine standing in the crowd in John 8, having somehow seen the two tablets and the writing on the wall, and as Jesus scribbles in the dirt thinking, “Hold on. I’ve seen that penmanship before. That’s God’s handwriting!”
Graphologists say they can tell us a great deal about a person simply by examining their handwriting, and each of these episodes tells me something about God, the God who writes, the God of the Word, the God who is called the Word. I’m no expert, but the steel-hard, diamond-tipped hand of God that engraved the Ten Commandments tells me of a God that is steady and perfect, faithful and true, demanding and stern; a holy God. The frightening, unwavering, appearing-out-of-thin-air hand of God tells me of a God who is everywhere and sees everything, a God who rules the nations and judges the wicked, a God not to be trifled with; a fearsome God. The tanned, gentle, flexible, manly - may I say beautiful - hand of Jesus tells me of a God who is unexpectedly and unspeakably gracious and compassionate and kind, a God who forgives and delivers; a God who is, more than anything else, Love.
AAJ
Handwriting experts are called graphologists. These specialists do more than just ascertain the authenticity of a signature or document; they examine things like the pressure, slant, style and size of the script. From this, they claim to be able to tell much about an individual’s personality and emotional state; some even profess to uncover clues to the writer’s health, history even hidden talents! I don’t know about that, but I do think a person’s handwriting is interesting and important. Every signature is unique and impossible to forge perfectly, and really does say something about that person. Remember John Hancock’s autograph and what it said about him when he signed the Declaration of Independence.
Clemento on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 12:48 pm
Hmm… I read blogs on a similar topic, but i never visited your blog. I added it to favorites and i’ll be your constant reader.
Mackeran on Wed, 25th Nov 2009 2:02 pm
Valuable thoughts and advices. I read your topic with great interest.