God's use of the laying on of hands symbolizes the bestowal of blessings, authority, and distinctiveness, representing God Himself setting a person apart for a holy purpose, whether for service, healing, protection, guidance, or blessing. In the Old Testament, this act played a significant role in offering sacrifices, as seen when Aaronic priests and Israelites laid hands on animals to transfer sins, setting the animal apart for God. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest laid hands on the azazel goat, confessing the people's sins to symbolize substitution as the goat bore those sins into the wilderness. The laying on of hands was also used in ordinations, such as when Moses laid hands on Joshua to transfer authority for leading the nation, always accompanied by a special commission. In matters of judgment, hands were laid on the guilty to signify acceptance of a verdict, while sparing someone from judgment was described as hands not being laid on them. Special blessings were conferred through this act, as when Jacob laid hands on his grandsons, David felt God's hand as a comfort, and Jesus blessed children by laying hands on them. The Bible also shows this rite used for healing, with Jesus and His apostles often touching the sick, though the power to heal comes from God's authority, not the physical act. Special spiritual gifts, such as wisdom and teaching, were given through the laying on of hands, often confirming baptism or ordination, though God sometimes made exceptions to His usual order. Additionally, this rite sets people apart for special tasks, as seen in formal ceremonies commissioning individuals for service, performed by ordained elders during prayer, signifying ordination or setting apart for various holy purposes.

The laying on of hands is a symbolic act that sets individuals apart and signifies the imparting of spiritual blessings, authority, and/or power. In the Old Testament, a blessing was often conferred through this act, as seen when Jacob laid his hands on Ephraim and Manasseh to pass on blessings from God. In the New Testament, hands were laid on newly baptized persons for the receiving of the Holy Spirit, as evidenced in Acts 8:17-18, where after baptism by God's ministers, the Holy Spirit was imparted through this gesture. Additionally, the laying on of hands accompanies an elder's prayer for the afflicted, such as when Ananias laid hands on Paul, saying, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent Me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit' (Acts 9:17). Another purpose of this act is ordination, exemplified in Acts 6, where seven men became deacons through the apostles' prayer and laying on of hands. Thus, the laying on of hands demonstrates that God works through His ministers.

In the ritual of the sin offering as outlined in Leviticus 4, a significant step involved the guilty party laying his hands on the sacrificial animal. This act symbolized the innocent animal taking the place of the sinner, figuratively transferring the guilt of the person to the animal. Through this process, the transgressor was symbolically cleansed, though the sin itself was not removed, as the blood of the animal still bore witness to the transgression.