By Laura Densmore
I would like to share a topical teaching with you which I have entitled, ‘Under the Wings of the Almighty: A Study in How to Stay Under His Wings”.
What does it mean to be “under His wings”?
How do we go there? What are the “wings of the Almighty”?How has He protected his people in the past? How will He do it in the future? These are the questions we will look at in this teaching.
We will begin with a deeper look at the book of Ruth.
Naomi’s husband has died and her two sons have died. She has been living in Moab and now she plans to return to her home in Bethlehem. Her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth begin to follow her.
She tells them to go back to Moab.
But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the LORD reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. May the LORD bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them goodbye, and they all broke down and wept.
“No,” they said. “We want to go with you to your people.” But Naomi replied, “Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands? No, my daughters, return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi. Ruth 1: 8-14
Orpah turns away.
But Ruth stays. She presses Naomi, and she says these words….
Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live I will live… Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. Ruth 1:16
They are the words of the covenant. They are the words of faithful love…until death do we part!
The story continues in Ruth 2:1-11: There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. So, Ruth, the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” Then she left and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “The LORD be with you!” And they answered him, “The LORD bless you!” Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, “It is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. “And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house.”
Then Boaz said to Ruth, “You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. “Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.”
So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me since I am a foreigner?”
And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before.
And then Boaz says these words to Ruth:
May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done. Ruth 2:12
What does this mean, to take refuge under the “wings” of the God of Israel?
WINGS = Strongs #3671 = Kanap = wing, extremity, edge, border, corner, shirt, extremity, skirt, corner of the garment
Ruth gleaned on the borders of Boaz’s field. The field itself is a picture of being “under the wings” of the Almighty God. The word “Wing” in Hebrew is “Kanap” and it means border, edge, and corner.
The field itself is a picture of the “Wings” and Ruth gleans on borders, the corners, and the edges of the field…she is sheltering under the wings of the Almighty!
There is Covering "Under His Wings"
Upon instructions from Naomi, Ruth lays under the blanket at the feet of Boaz, on the threshing floor.
“Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. “Then it shall be when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.” And she said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.” Ruth 3:3-5
And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. And he said, “Who are you?” So she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. spread therefore your skirt over your handmaid; for you are a near kinsman..” Ruth 3:7-9
Your “skirt”, in Hebrew is KANAP.
There is also a remez hint, that the blanket, the shirt, and the corner of the garment, is Tzit Tzit. We will look at this in more depth in just a bit.
He said, “Who are you?” And she answered “I am Ruth your maid. So spread the corner of your covering over your maid for you are my family redeemer.” Ruth 3:9
In this verse, when Ruth speaks to Boaz, she asks him to spread the “corner of your covering” over her. The word covering/(skirt in KJV) in Hebrew is covering is:
Kanap= Wing, extremity, edge, border, corner, shirt. There is kanap again! It is repeated over and over in this story!
Ruth was literally taking refuge under the wings of the Almighty when she laid at the feet of Boaz under his blanket/covering!
Now she is using the language of “wings” or “covering” in what she says to Boaz.
There is Redemption "Under His Wings"
We have seen that there is a “Covering” under His wings. Next, let’s see how there is “Redemption” under His wings.
Boaz gives her instructions, sends her on home, and tells her to wait. He would take care of everything.
There is Redemption Under His Wings
Ruth is going to be redeemed by her kinsman redeemer, Boaz. Boaz gives her instructions, sends her on home, and tells her to wait. He would take care of everything.
So Boaz goes to the town gate, where he meets with another kinsman redeemer who is closer than he. He tells him about purchasing the field but it would also mean marrying Ruth. The other kinsman redeemer declines and so Boaz steps up, and purchases the field….
And he marries Ruth. She is redeemed!
She is on the direct lineage…to Jesse, to David, and then ultimately to Yeshua! Ruth the Moabitess!
Next, let’s look at how there is REFUGE under His wings!
There is Refuge "Under His Wings"
How do we find refuge under His wings? We have been through some very trying times in the last couple of years…the pandemic, the lockdowns, the jabs…many have died or been vaccine injured from the jab. Many have lost jobs, careers, and livelihoods…so how do we take refuge under His wings?
How do we “dwell in the secret place?
Let’s look at Psalm 91, as we will find some answers there.
Dwelling in the “Secret Place”…how do we do that?
What is the “Secret Place”? Dwelling in the “Secret Place”…what does that mean? It means going to your ‘secret place”, the place you go to meet with the LORD, CLOSING the door, and having that quiet time with Him. Shutting out the noise and din of the world and having that intimate special time with HIM.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High… Shall Abide under the Shadow of the Almighty…Psalm 91:1
When we dwell in the “secret place” (I believe that is the place of prayer), then we literally are taking SHELTER under the wings of the Almighty!
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, My God, in Him will I trust.” Psalm 91:2
When we are in the “secret place”…He becomes our REFUGE and our FORTRESS. We are in a SAFE PLACE.
We take a temporary vacation from the world, we HIDE in HIM, we go UP to heavenly places and we SHELTER IN PLACE with HIM!
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. Psalm 91:3
We are to walk in FAITH not FEAR….we TRUST the LORD and He will SHELTER us…
There is one woman of God that I know who started to give grievous symptoms of COVID-19 during the pandemic.
She prayed this scripture along with the scripture from Mark 16:17-18:
“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name, they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
And within HOURS the symptoms left her body. The extreme tiredness, the sore throat, the fever, it LEFT within hours after praying these two scriptures
There is Refuge "Under His Wings"
He shall cover you with His feathers and under His wings shall you trust; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. Psalm 91:4
He shall cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. Psalm 91:4
The word “wings” here in Psalm 91:4, is the same Hebrew word, “Kanap”, which means: wing, extremity, edge, border, corner, shirt, extremity, shirt.
We literally take SHELTER UNDER HIS WINGS. We literally TAKE REFUGE under His wings.
His Faithful promises are your armor and protection. Psalm 91:4 (NLT)
There is Healing "Under His Wings"
How can we know HEALING under His wings? Let’s go to Malachi 4:2 and see what we can glean there.
But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with
HEALING in His WINGS…Malachi 4:2
The Hebrew word, “Kanap” is used in this verse. It denotes “skirt” or “border” and hints at tzit tzit which are found on the borders, edges, and corners of a shirt/garment.
I believe the woman with the issue of blood that we read about in Matthew 9 KNEW this VERSE!
And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture…Malachi 4:2
Now let’s look at a concrete example of what this looks like…let’s take a look at the story of the woman with the issue of blood from Matthew 9.
The woman with the issue of blood receives healing “Under His Wings”
And suddenly a woman who had a flow of blood for 12 years came from behind and touched the hem of his garment. Matthew 9:20
For she said to herself, “If only I may touch the hem of His garment, I shall be made well.” Matthew 9:21
The Hebrew word, “Kanap” is used in this verse. It denotes “skirt” or “border” and hints at the picture of a tzit tzit!
She was being very careful NOT to touch HIM. She did not want to make Him unclean by touching Him…
So she grabbed hold of the corner of his garment (his tzit tzit). I believe she knew the verse from Malachi 4:2!
Truly there is Healing under His wings!
May we grab hold of his Tzit tzit? Let us take refuge under his wings.
Let us be redeemed under His wings
Let us be covered and protected under His wings!
We Can Participate in God's Escape Plan by Staying "Under His Wings"
Bore you on eagles wings; wing: kanap.
God used “eagles wings” to rescue the Hebrews OUT of Egypt.
God works in patterns. What He did once, He will do again.
What happened to the fathers is a prophetic blueprint and a template for what He will do with the end of days generation,
Biblical history is prophecy.
So, how did the LORD use eagles’ wings to deliver, rescue, and redeem His people out of Egypt? Let’s take a look.
For the LORD’s portion is His people;
Jacob is the place of His inheritance
“He found him in a desert land
And in the wasteland, a howling wilderness;
He encircled him, He instructed him,
He kept him as the apple of His eye.
As an eagle stirs up its nest,
Hovers over its young,
Spreading out its wings….Deuteronomy 32:9-11
This is the pattern that has been set. God works in patterns. What happened to the fathers will happen to their descendants. Biblical history is prophecy.
Like a mighty eagle, He scooped up the children of Israel and delivered them OUT of Egypt. He is going to do this AGAIN in the Greater Exodus to come!
They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
We are to WAIT on the LORD. We are to WAIT for Him to orchestrate the circumstances. And while we WAIT, we wait PATIENTLY and with TRUST in our hearts.
No murmuring, no complaining, no fear, no doubt. We WAIT with FAITH. And WATCH and SEE what He will do!
Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength…
While we WAIT, God WORKS. We get refreshed, renewed, and restored, while we wait on the LORD! We get a SECOND WIND!
We can participate in God’s Escape Plan by staying “under His wings”!
Now let’s look at another truly fascinating passage. Let’s turn to Isaiah 60:8-9
What do I see flying like clouds to Israel, like doves to their nest? Isaiah 60:8
They are ships from the ends of the earth, from lands that trust in me, led by the great ships of Tarshish…Isaiah 60:9 (NLT)
They are bringing the people of Israel home from far away, carrying their silver and gold…Isaiah 60:9 (NLT)
They will honor the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has filled you with splendor. Isaiah 60:9 (NLT)
Will He use boats? Perhaps…Will we be “translated” somehow?
Perhaps….time will tell. These verses seem to be a remez hint about that.
Whatever He does, it will be as though we were flying on Eagles’ wings! That is going to be AWESOME!
And, it holds to the pattern, that when He rescued the children of Israel OUT of Egypt, he bore them on His back like on an eagle’s wings! (see Exodus 19:4)
The pattern will repeat!
We can participate in God’s Escape Plan by staying “under His wings”!
Now let’s look at a very fascinating passage from Revelation 12. This chapter is also talking about the greater exodus, and a woman with a child flees to the place prepared for her by the Father and He nourishes her there for 1260 days. Let’s look at Revelation 12:1-6:
Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
But she was given two wings like those of an eagle so she could fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness….Rev 12:14a
Who is she? I believe she represents “biblical Zion”…Yeshua’s bride. God’s remnant people who are trusting in Him, who are filled with His HOLY Spirit, who have the testimony of Yeshua, and who are keeping/obeying His commands. They are not taken by surprise. They KNOW that God has his escape plan and they have been preparing and readying themselves.
This verse is telling us that there will be a time to flee, a time to escape, a time to go to the place that has been prepared for her (for us) by the LORD.
So, what are these “two wings like those of an eagle” spoken about in this verse?
The pattern, once again, repeats itself. Remember Exodus 19:4, how the LORD bore the children of Israel out of Egypt on eagles wings and brought them to Himself. The LORD will do this again…and how it plays out will be amazing!
There she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time. Revelation 12:14b
Time, times and half a time = 1260 days = 42 months = Great Tribulation = time of the Greater Exodus
What will that look like? Time will tell! God DOES have HIS escape plan! We are to shelter UNDER HIS WINGS during the time known as THE GREAT TRIBULATION!
To Close and Conclude, we have seen the following:
- There is COVERING under His wings!
- There is REDEMPTION under His wings!
- There is REFUGE/PROTECTION under His wings!
- There is HEALING under His wings!
- We can participate in God’s ESCAPE PLAN by staying under His wings!
Stay in touch! Where you can find me:
DailyAudioTorah.com , Journey through the entire bible in one year with a focus on the biblical calendar, the Sabbath and Feasts, and the Torah reading cycle. Listen every day and you will be through the Torah portion for that week!
Email me at: Bridgeconnector@startmail.com
Prayer Targets
Pray into Ruth 2:12: May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done. Ruth 2:12
Yeshua, we take refuge and covering under your wings today. We trust in you to provide for us and protect us in these perilous times.
Pray into Psalm 91:1: He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High… Shall Abide under the Shadow of the Almighty…Psalm 91:1
Yeshua, help us to make it a priority to go to our secret place of intimate prayer and fellowship with you. It is in that secret place that we can take refuge in you and hide in you and be refreshed, renewed and restored in you.
Pray into Psalm 91:2: I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, My God, in Him will I trust.”
Yeshua, thank you that YOU are our refuge and our fortress, you are a high tower that we are safe and protected in!
Pray into Psalm 91:3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.
Yeshua, thank you that you can deliver us from the perilous pestilence (past and future “plandemics”) as we shelter under your wings!
Pray into Pslm 91:4 He shall cover you with His feathers and under His wings shall you trust; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. His Faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Thankyou Yeshua, that as we trust in your faithful promises to us, that you are going to return and redeem and rescus your remnant people, that YOU, Yeshua, are our armor and protection!
Pray into Malachi 4:2 But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with HEALING in His WINGS…
Yeshua, thank you that you are not only our deliverer, our redeemer, our protector, our provider, but you are also our HEALER! We shelter under your wings, like a baby eagle on the back of it’s parent eagle. We love you Yeshua! We TRUST you Yeshua!