The Lighthouse - A Sanctuary of Protection

A Ray of Hope - Hope is waiting for God to act in spite of insurmountable odds

A Beacon of Truth - Faith is speaking God’s Truth into impossible situations

A Source of Strength - Strength is found by dwelling in God’s presence at His pools of grace.

A Sanctuary of Protection - When we place ourselves under the wings of God, we find a safe place.

A Sacrifice of Praise - Tears and Knees

tears of crying for God’s deliverance

tears of longing to be in God’s presence

tears of pleading for God’s grace and glory

tears of praise for God’s protection

The Covering Of The Most High - vs. 1-2

The Names Of God

Elyon - Most High –

The exaltedness of God

High in rank, position, or esteem

Grand or noble in character

The overwhelming majesty of God.

Splendor

Dignity

The supremacy of God.

Reign

Authority

Sovereignty

Shaddai – Almighty – All-powerful

Yahweh – The Name of the Lord – Person, character, and reputation

Elohim – The Creator Of Heaven and Earth.

What Does It Mean To Come Under That Covering? - vs. 1-4

Dwells / Abide

Dwell

Participle. Active and continual dwelling.

To sit and stay

To linger or loiter

Abide

To rest, as in to lodge for the night.

A secure, peaceful rest.

Shelter / Refuge / Fortress

Shelter

Covering, Hiding Place, Secret place

Refuge

Security and safety from storms, dangerous people or animals.

Literally to seek the shade of a tree - except in a lightening storm

Fortress

a mountain place for hiding and defense, stronghold

“Helm’s Deep”

Shield And Bulwark -

His Faithfulness - Frequently connected with His lovingkindness.

Also translated Truth. God’s words and actions are characterized by this term.

Bottom line: God will fulfill His promises.

Pinions and Wings

feathers/wings - used of protection for those who rest under them.

wing, skirt, or corner of a garment

covering

“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. (Malachi 4:2, NASB95)

the mercy seat on the ark had the wings of the cherubim over it...

What That Covering Means - vs. 3-10

We live in the already, but not yet.

Jesus has already come, but He has not yet come.

We are already saved, but we are not yet saved.

We are already adopted, but we are not yet adopted.

We already experience His grace, joy, and peace, but we do not yet experience it in fullness.

He Delivers You (vs. 3-4)

Power overcoming the power of another

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. (Hebrews 2:14–15, NASB95)

(1 Corinthians 15:54–57, NASB95)

To Strip of Power / To Plunder / Recover / Rescue

When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. (Colossians 2:13–15, NASB95)

(1 Peter 1:3–9, NASB95)

We Do Not Have To Be Afraid (vs. 5-7)

Although this Hebrew term is used for fearing other things, it is primarily used in the context of fearing, reverencing, being in awe of authority and power. And of those the vast majority are in reference to God.

So…it would seem to imply a comparison. Do I fear the terror by night or arrow or pestilence or destruction or war more than I fear God?

Also, it doesn’t say the terror of the night is not there. It doesn’t say that the arrow will not fly by your head. It doesn’t say that pestilence never comes. It just says we don’t need to fear them.

Walking In Freedom And Not Fear

No Fear Of The Dark (Unknown, Unplanned, Unexpected, Uninformed)

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” (John 8:12, NASB95)

Why? Because We Can Know The Truth

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31–32, NASB95)

The Truth Will Set Us Free

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36, NASB95)

We Are Not To Be Slaves To Fear

For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7, NASB95)

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:18–19, NASB95)

Perfect love casts out fear.

We need to walk in faith instead.

Perfect love reminds us that we are no longer enemies of God.

Perfect love reminds us that we are no longer condemned.

Perfect love reminds us that God is in control and has a plan.

Perfect love reminds us that God is here to help us and strengthen us.

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (Isaiah 41:10, NASB95)

Perfect love reminds us that God is already victorious over everything.

Instead of being shackled by fear, we are released to love.

Song: No Longer Slaves

Everything Will Be Ok. For Sure. Why? (vs. 8-10)

Noreen Groh

Messianic Psalm – Second Coming

Ultimately It Points To The Second Coming Of Christ

But temporarily allows us to rest with the confidence that whatever happens on earth is with His knowledge. Nothing happens outside of His will, whether harm or disaster.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. (Matthew 10:29, NASB95)

Justice Will Be Served

No evil / Plague / Spot / Blemish Will Come Near Your Dwelling

“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8, NASB95)

and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into (the New Jerusalem), but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:27, NASB95)

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. (Revelation 22:14–15, NASB95)

How That Covering Works, Now - vs. 11-16

Trust (vs. 2)

Confidence

Safety and security

Without fear

He Will Give His Angels Charge Over You (vs. 11-13)

This is one place we get our concept of “Guardian Angels”

Guard – to watch carefully over

In All Our Ways – path of life, journey.

Protection from disaster, stumbling and dangers

We are lifted out of or through

We will not be overcome by them…in the end.

To strike – most often used in context of warring nations killing one another. So, it carries the weight of, if we stumble, that stone will not be the end of us.

Don’t need to fear the poison of the cobra or the teeth of the lion.

To tread – to walk on or over. But it can also mean to walk next to something. To be beside it. So it could be translated, “You will walk alongside the lion and the cobra.”

And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6–9, NASB95)

To trample - to defeat enemies by trampling underfoot.

Used figuratively of God trampling the wine press of His wrath.

From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. (Revelation 19:15, NASB95)

Serpent / Lion

Then the Lord God said to the serpent…I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel. (Genesis 3:14–15, HCSB)

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; (Revelation 20:1–2, NASB95)

Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little. (1 Peter 5:8–10, HCSB)

They will help keep us on the right path.

We do have personal responsibility to employ in the faithfulness in following the direction and path God has laid out for us. So we do not test the Lord to see to what extent He might deliver us. That would be presumptuous.

That Covering Is Already, but Not Yet - vs. 14-16

Now And Forever

Because He Has Loved Me (vs 14-16)

I Will Deliver Him

I Will Set Him On High – He has known my name.

I Will Answer When He Calls

I Will Be With Him IN Trouble, Distress, Anguish

...Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. (Isaiah 43:1–2, NASB95)

I Will Rescue Him And Honor Him

I Will Satisfy Him With Long Life

Following God faithfully, in general, produces a better and healthier life, keeping one free from the common pitfalls of temptation that can shorten one’s life.

Could be a reference to eternity.

Maybe more in line with “During your length of days, I will satisfy you”

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10, NASB95)

I Will Let Him See My Salvation, Deliverance, Victory

Then, now and at His Second Coming

One more time, already, but not yet

Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth. I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more as formerly…and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also declares to you that the LORD will make a house for you…Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.’ ” (2 Samuel 7:8-11, 16, NASB95)

Song: I Will Trust In You; Better Is One Day, Forever Reign, Another In the Fire