His Hands & The Father’s Hands

John 10:28-30 reads “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”

The Greek word for pluck is harpazó, which means to seize, snatch, take away by force. It also means to take by an open display of force, one that is not covert or secret, but instead decisive and sudden. Note that Jesus negates this word twice. Jesus says that no one will be able to take away His people from His Hand or The Father’s by open force or sudden and decisive acts. Then how do people slip away, you might ask.

Jesus said that He gives us eternal life, and the Father, who is greater than all, has given us to Him. We know the Father and Jesus are one, so the distinction Jesus is pointing out is based on the definition of give, the Greek word didómi. Didómi means to give, grant, or bestow. In John 10:29, the word didómi specifically means to give to someone as their own, so the recipient, Jesus, serves as a leader and an example. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon says “the object of His saving care”, referring to Jesus’ saving care that is directed to those given to Him by God. Jesus is the means by which we are saved.

Hebrews 2:17-18 (AMPC) 17 So it is evident that it was essential that He be made like His brethren in every respect, in order that He might become a merciful (sympathetic) and faithful High Priest in the things related to God, to make atonement and propitiation for the people’s sins. 18 For because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted (tested and tried), He is able [immediately] to run to the cry of (assist, relieve) those who are being tempted and tested and tried [and who therefore are being exposed to suffering].

Jesus came at the will of His Father to be that example and leader so that we would be saved (John 6:38). Christ died once and for all. His ability and power to safeguard us and protect us were established on the cross (Hebrews 7:27, 1 Peter 3:18).

Colossians 2:15 (AMP)
“When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross.”

So, how can people fall away? Choice.

Proverbs 6:10-11 10 “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to lie down and rest”— 11 So your poverty will come like an approaching prowler who walks [slowly, but surely]
And your need [will come] like an armed man [making you helpless].

This scripture speaks of the perils of laziness and how it, little by little, leads to poverty. This same aspect can be applied to all facets of life. Remember the definition harpazó, the taking is done by means of taking by force and sudden movement, and Jesus negates that. The taking or falling away comes from those covert and gradual choices that you make that place you away from The Lord. No one can pluck you out of his hand, but through your choices, you leave, and your location is important. You have to be in the Lord’s Hand to be saved by Christ.

I’ll leave you with these two Scriptures:

Ephesians 2:1-3 (NKJV) “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.”

Ephesians 4:17-19 (NKJV) “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

If you are not in His care, following in His example, trusting in Him, you, by your own actions, will leave His hand.