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Rise Up O Men of God - Biblical Basis

The phrase "rise up" in a biblical context often signifies a call to action, divine intervention, or a spiritual awakening, carrying various shades of meaning depending on the specific passage. It can refer to God's active involvement in human affairs, the resurrection of individuals, or the spiritual renewal of communities [1, 3, 14, 15].

In the Psalms, "rise up" frequently appears as an appeal to God to act on behalf of His people or to demonstrate His power. For instance, Psalm 35:23 implores, "Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!" [1]. Similarly, Psalm 74:22 states, "Arise, God! Plead your own cause. Remember how the foolish man mocks you all day" [3]. These verses illustrate a plea for divine intervention against adversaries or injustice. John Gill interprets such calls for God to "arise" not as a literal change in God's location, but as a metaphorical expression for God demonstrating His power in defense of His people and against their enemies, especially when He seems to have been unconcerned or inactive [20]. Another instance in Psalm 44:26 asks, "Rise up; be our help! Redeem us on account of Your loving devotion" [4]. Tyndale House suggests that "Rise up" in Psalms 21:13, or "be exalted," expresses communal praise and joy in God's greatness and power [10].

The concept of "rising" is also linked to battle and divine judgment. Abraham Ibn Ezra, commenting on Numbers 10:35, interprets "RISE UP, O LORD" as an analogy to people rising up for battle [11]. This suggests a military or confrontational aspect to God's "rising," where He prepares to engage with opposing forces. However, the phrase can also be a command for human attention, as Jamieson, Fausset & Brown note on Numbers 23:18, where "Rise up" is equivalent to "now attend to me," indicating a call to listen to God's unchangeable counsels and promises [12].

Beyond divine action, "rise up" is a significant theme in discussions of resurrection, both literal and figurative. The New Testament frequently uses the concept of rising in relation to Christ's resurrection and the future resurrection of believers. Adam Clarke, commenting on 1 Corinthians 6:14, explains that God "raised up the Lord" from the grave as a pledge of our own future resurrection [14]. This idea is echoed in Ephesians 2:6, where believers are described as being "raised us up together—with Christ," signifying a spiritual quickening from the "grave of our sins" and a shared destiny in heaven [17].

The patristic writers also engaged with the theme of rising. Augustine, in City of God, connects the prophecy of rising on the third day to Christ's resurrection and the spiritual resurrection of believers, citing the apostle's words, "If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above" [13]. Clement of Rome, in ANF Vol 1, speaks of God's power to "raise up again those that have piously served Him," citing scriptural passages like "Thou shalt raise me up, and I shall confess unto Thee" [16]. Tertullian, in ANF Vol 4, links the expectation of God's teaching in prophetical writings to the divine working that underpins faith [18].

The concept of "rising" can also refer to a spiritual or figurative resurrection. Charles Hodge, in his Systematic Theology, notes that the Bible speaks of both a literal and a figurative resurrection. He explains that individuals "dead in trespasses and sins" are "quickened and raised again in Christ Jesus," and entire communities can be "elevated from a state of depression and misery" [15]. This metaphorical use extends to the idea of moral and spiritual transformation. The Targum Jonathan on Isaiah 55:13 states, "Instead of the wicked the righteous shall rise up, and instead of sinners shall rise up those that fear sin," indicating a moral and spiritual renewal within a community [19].

The names of individuals in the Bible sometimes incorporate the idea of "rising" or "establishing," further illustrating the concept's pervasiveness. For example, "Joakim" means "rising or establishing of the Lord" [2], "Eliakim" means "resurrection of God" [6], "Jekamean" means "the people shall arise" [7], and "Kadmiel" means "God of antiquity; God of rising" [8]. Even "Addon" is associated with "basis; foundation; the Lord" [5], which can imply a foundational rising or establishment. The term "ascension" itself, as seen in Easton's Bible Dictionary, refers to Christ's rising to heaven [9].

Thus, "rise up" in biblical discourse encompasses a broad spectrum of meanings, from divine action and intervention to personal and communal spiritual renewal, and the ultimate hope of resurrection.

Sources

  1. Psalms “Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me! -- Psalms 35:23”
  2. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Joakim — rising or establishing of the Lord”
  3. Psalms “Arise, God! Plead your own cause. Remember how the foolish man mocks you all day. -- Psalms 74:22”
  4. Psalms “Psalms 44:26 (BSB) — Rise up; be our help! Redeem us on account of Your loving devotion.”
  5. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Addon — basis; foundation; the Lord”
  6. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Eliakim — resurrection of God”
  7. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jekamean — the people shall arise”
  8. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Kadmiel — God of antiquity; God of rising”
  9. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Ascension — See [31]CHRIST.”
  10. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 21:13: 21:13 Rise up (or be exalted, as in 57:5, 11; 108:5) expresses communal praise and joy in God’s greatness and power.”
  11. Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Numbers 10:35: RISE UP, O LORD. As people do when they rise up to battle.”
  12. Numbers (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Numbers 23:18: Rise up--As Balak was already standing (Num 23:17), this expression is equivalent to "now attend to me." The counsels and promises of God respecting Israel are unchangeable; and no attempt to prevail on Him to reverse them will succeed, as they may with a man.”
  13. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 28.--OF THE THINGS PERTAINING TO THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST WHICH HOSEA AND AMOS PROHESIED. (part 2): days, and in the third day we shall rise again."(2) In agreement with this the apostle says to us, "If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above."(3) Amos also prophesies thus concerning such things: "Prepare thee, that thou mayst invoke thy God, O Israel; for lo, I am binding the thunder, and creating the spirit, and announcing to men their Christ."(4) And in another place he says, "In that day will I raise up the tab”
  14. 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 6:14: And God hath both raised up the Lord - He has raised up the human nature of Christ from the grave, as a pledge of our resurrection; and will also raise us up by his own power, that we may dwell with him in glory for ever.”
  15. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 91: those of the same class, and even of the same school. This remark, which applies to the whole book, applies with special force to the passage under consideration. 3. The Bible speaks of a spiritual, or figurative, as well as of a literal resurrection. This figure is used both in reference to individuals and in reference to communities. The sinner, dead in trespasses and sins, is said to be quickened and raised again in Christ Jesus. ( Rom. vi. and Eph. ii. ) Whole communities when elevated from a state of depression and misery, are in pro”
  16. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 1: Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus — CHAP. XXVI.--WE SHALL RISE AGAIN, THEN, AS THE SCRIPTURE ALSO TESTIFIES.: Do we then deem it any great and wonderful thing for the Maker of all things to raise up again those that have piously served Him in the assurance of a good faith, when even by a bird He shows us the mightiness of His power to fulfil His promise ?(3) For [the Scripture] saith in a certain place, "Thou shalt raise me up, and I shall confess unto Thee; "(4) and again, "I laid me down, and slept; I awaked, because Thou art with me; "(5) and ”
  17. Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 2:6: raised us up together--with Christ. The "raising up" presupposes previous quickening of Jesus in the tomb, and of us in the grave of our sins. made us sit together--with Christ, namely, in His ascension. Believers are bodily in heaven in point of right, and virtually so in spirit, and have each their own place assigned there, which in due time they shall take possession of (Phi 3:20-21). He does not say, "on the right hand of God"; a prerogative reserved to Christ peculiarly; though they shall share His throne (Rev 3:21). in Christ Jesus--Our uni”
  18. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. XIV.: After this he continues: "Their union is the more wonderful, the more it can be shown to be based on no substantial reason. And yet rebellion is a substantial reason, as well as the advantages which accrue from it, and the fear of external enemies. Such are the causes which give stability to their faith." To this we answer, that our union does thus rest upon a reason, or rather not upon a reason, but upon the divine working,[1] so that its commencement was God's teaching men, in the prophetical writings, to expect the ad”
  19. Targum Jonathan (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Targum Jonathan, Targum Jonathan on Isaiah 55:13: Instead of the wicked the righteous shall rise up, and instead of sinners shall rise up those that fear sin: and it shall be before the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign, that shall not cease.”
  20. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 7:6: Arise, O Lord, in thine anger,.... This and the following phrase do not suppose local motion in God, to whom it cannot belong, being infinite and immense, but are spoken of him after the manner of men, who seems sometimes as though he had laid himself down, and was unconcerned about and took no notice of human affairs, of the insults of the wicked and the oppressions of the righteous; wherefore the psalmist beseeches him to "arise", which he may be said to do when he comes forth in his power in the defence of his people, and against their enemies; see Psa 12:5; and he ”
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