Who sits at God's left hand?

[New_Adventurer]

As Christians, one of our core beliefs is that Jesus sits at the right-hand of God. So who sits on the left? I asked two pastors this questions and got two answers of “I don’t know, the Bible doesn’t say.” Can anyone else on this forum provide a better answer?

[Englishman]

James & John, possibly because of pushy parent syndrome, asked to sit at Christ's left & right hand but were told those positions were in the Father's gift. In view of the Bible's silence on the matter I've always gone with the idea we all will at some point in our eternal sojourn in Heaven. There's no biblical backing for this just an assumption God likes to share the fun.

[peter s]

you , me. we all sit on the left site

[Petros]

We are also not told what we are doing when we are not at the formal banquet or the throne room.

As to the question, another: Can the Spirit sit?

[OzTech]

Well... no references, so far, for anyone sitting at the left hand of God.

There is significance, in scripture, concerning the right hand but I've not heard that preached for a while now so I'm pretty rusty on that subject.

I was wondering... God is triune... Father, Son and Holy Spirit... where will the Holy Spirit sit when His work here within the Church is finished?

The other thing is... Matt 25:31-46 talks about who will be on the left and right hand of the Son of Man when He comes in glory and sits upon His throne... think I'd rather like to avoid His left hand side... the goats get sent out into eternal fire.

[jdb]

Stephen when he was being stoned saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. I take it Jesus was seated and then stood up upon Stephen's imminent death. Does it say that, no.
But the right be the position of honor and strength, I'd give that spot to Jesus. but its nothing to worry about, we'll find out soon. Everyday puts me closer to seeing Him.

John

[baresoul]

I could say it is the heavenly Father sitting on the left hand, and it would be right. It can be shown from scriptures that the heavenly Father is God to the Son, and also the Son is God to the Father. But all this sitting that is suggested in communication as this is not that realistic to me. I understand that the heavenly Father appearing, enthroned, is a manifestation within the Creator's capacity, for those who are to see God, while still really being everywhere. I expect the Son, Christ, will be rather involved, such as with preparing places for all of us who would go there. But he is also involved in being with us. It remains then that his position is authority, that he would ever be sitting at the right hand of the heavenly Father. The Sprit of God is likewise everywhere, in the unity of God, yet it seems can apparently manifest in a form as well. I don't know how much that this would happen at the throne of God. My view of what that would be like is with the depiction in Revelation 4. The heavenly Father is depicted, the Son is as the Lamb in that scene, and for understanding the Spirit of God is seen there you have to accept the view of some that it is the seven spirits before the throne which depict the Spirit of God. I am not sure that would really be the case.

[Petros]

In my young days we moved from A to B. A year later we moved B to C.

Nothing could have prepared me for the alien reality of either detination. Neither came any where near my guesses. So with heaven I will wait for the reality of posture and direction.

[Jim]

Am I correct in summarizing what you both say, Petros and baresoul, is that the right hand and left hand are symbolic of relationship, not literal? If so, I think you are correct.

[Petros]

However literally one takes the scriptures - a parable is literally a parable, a vision is literally a vision.

Parables and folktales so used are not to be taken as literal truth - Cinderella was a real person and this is what happened, or there really was a good Samaritan named Joseph.

Visions - we know from our own experience visions and dreams, there may be meanings and messages but when I saw the witch metamorphose into a bird like creature struggling in my hand - that was not literal but a symbolic view of the reality of that relationship.

There are truths in Revelation - the visions may very well have come exactly as represented. But to take the vision literally as a photograph of that truth - well, go ahead and tell me the chips in this machine are just heat treated sand.

[baresoul]

Am I correct in summarizing what you both say, Petros and baresoul, is that the right hand and left hand are symbolic of relationship, not literal? If so, I think you are correct.

I do think the depiction in Revelation is representing the relationship of Christ to the heavenly Father symbolically, but I would not go so far as to say that it would not ever be actually seen that way. We will at some time be standing before the throne of God. I consider that this would mean we would see God manifested on the throne, though the full reality of God is still everywhere. In such scene I can believe that Christ will be seen sitting at the right hand of the heavenly Father, though I don't think this would always be what can then be seen continually for eternity.

[New_Adventurer]

So far, I have these results:

Past senior pastor at my former Presbyterian church: “That is a really good question, I don’t know, the Bible doesn’t say.”

Senior pastor at a Baptist church I visit on a regular basis: “I don’t know, the Bible doesn’t say.”

Associate pastor of the Lutheran church where I am a member: “The Bible does not say, but it is an honored position.”

Senior pastor of the Lutheran church where I am a member: “It refers to a place of honor.”

Thinking more about it after these answers, I decided the last answer is the most correct. For God to have a left-hand seating position would imply God would favor one person more than another. My understanding of the Bible is that if you are accepted into Heaven you get the full benefit without regard to side. The right-hand side is not referring to the placement of your chair. Goes back to the man who asks Jesus who his Heavenly wife would be if he remarried after the first wife died.

[baresoul]

For God to have a left-hand seating position would imply God would favor one person more than another. My understanding of the Bible is that if you are accepted into Heaven you get the full benefit without regard to side. The right-hand side is not referring to the placement of your chair. Goes back to the man who asks Jesus who his Heavenly wife would be if he remarried after the first wife died.

That is a really good answer. There are no favored of any having more of God's love in Heaven. God is love, and all in Heaven find they have God's love fully. So there is to be no hurt or harm in all of God's mountain. It is godliness for believers to really want God's will on earth as it is in heaven, and with really wanting that there would be living according to that, with our lives.

[MtnDewNudist]

New_Adventurer in my opinion said it perfectly.

As for me, I'd be thrilled to sit at his feet and wash them with my tears.