Friday, June 23, 2006

Shadows And Wings

Shadows And Wings

One theme that I enjoy reading in the Psalms is that of being under God's shadow, under His wings. The idea there is that of protection and safety, provision and security, and also of tenderness.

Song of Solomon 2:3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

There is an element of quietness and assurance under God's shadow. There we can be free from worry and fear, and there we can have rest in the presence of our Saviour.

Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

It is a place where we can dwell in safety - knowing that the Lord is in control and is watching over us. God's shadow is a place of refuge - a place we can run to in the storms of life; a place of refreshing in the heat of the trials we face; a place where we can abide in perfect peace of mind and contentment in the midst of the wickedness of this sin-cursed world.

Isaiah 4:6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

Isaiah 25:4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

Isaiah 32:2 And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

Lamentations 4:20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen. (This verse is referring primarily to King Josiah, who was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, the Anointed of the Lord - the Messiah, Jesus Christ - was taken and killed, but He arose from the dead and is alive forevermore - all those who place their faith in Him are living in His shadow, though we may be living among the heathen.)

Our Heavenly Father will bear His children up on His wings - on His wings He carries us and draws us close to Himself; on His wings He bears us up and teaches us how to fly - how to mount up with wings as eagles above our circumstances and trials.

Exodus 19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.

Deuteronomy 32:11-12 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.

Under our Lord's wings we are nourished; under His wings we are protected and covered; and under His wings we are held close to His heart.

Ruth 2:12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

Psalms 61:4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.

Psalms 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

In the wings of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, we find healing.

Malachi 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

There are also various passages where these two ideas are put together - the shadow of His wings.

Under the shadow of His wings we find shelter - shelter from strife and from the maliciousness of our enemies; under the shadow of His wings we can trust Him to watch over us in His providential care; under the shadow of His wings we can find comfort in His presence during the midst of the storms; in the shadow of His wings we can rest secure in Him - knowing that His wrath will not touch us and that we are kept safe in all our trials - everything that we face as His children is in His sovereign control, and is allowed for a purpose, even the Refiner's fire: "Every joy or trial falleth from above, traced upon our dial by the Son of Love."

Psalms 17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings.

Psalms 36:7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

Psalms 57:1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

God's shadow and wings - the best place to be if you're His child (through faith in Christ alone for salvation) is in His shadow, and under the shadow and shelter of His wings.

Shadows and wings - the place of refuge, safety, rest, security, and rejoicing:

Psalms 63:7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

June 23rd/06
Jerry Bouey

For a study that builds on this theme:

Genesis 15 - Thy Shield

For a list of studies that use the Song of Solomon as the springboard:

Song Of Solomon

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for coming by my site Bro. Jerry. I also appreciate your leaving a comment. I am looking forward to coming back by your site and reading more of your posts. This one is a good one! Under His wings we also find comfort in the midst of those storms. We find all those other things but when we are hurting He is our comfort. And I praise His holy name for all that He is to me!!

Jerry Bouey said...

Thank you for your comments. I decided to add your suggestion to the study:

...under the shadow of His wings we can find comfort in His presence during the midst of the storms...

Definitely an important part of abiding in His presence - and one I have found to be so true, especially within this past year.

Thank you for visiting, and thanks for your contribution to this study. God bless.

Anonymous said...

This particular word was such a blessing and refreshment to me - especially since it came directly from the Word of God as quoted in His Holy scriptures. I escpecially like the informaton that Jesus Himself is our very Life and "Breath of our Nostrils" - Lamentations 4:20.

Jerry Bouey said...

I wanted to clarify my quote of Lamentations 4:20, so no one will think I took that verse out of context. This is what I added to the study above:

(This verse is referring primarily to King Josiah, who was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, the Anointed of the Lord - the Messiah, Jesus Christ - was taken and killed, but He arose from the dead and is alive forevermore - all those who place their faith in Him are living in His shadow, though we may be living among the heathen.)

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