Covering Lesson 4
Covering – Psalm 91
Lesson 4
Debbie Green had been telling me about a series of books that she had recently purchased, Character Sketches From the Pages of Scripture. She brought one for me to look at last Sunday.
I decided that I would read one of the character sketches before I sat down Monday morning to begin researching for this lesson.
I was reading about the loyalty exhibited by the Canada Goose: - p.47
The goose shows great loyalty to its mate – which by the way is a lifetime commitment.
If a goose is shot down by a hunter during the fall migration flight, its mate has been known to circle back, risking death itself, in order to help its partner. If one is wounded, the other will remain with it until it is healed. If the partner cannot be found the other will often stay behind to look for it, enduring the hardships of winter in that area in order to continue its search.
The goose also shows enduring loyalty to its young:
How deep would the snow have to be before a goose would leave its nest?
Several years ago in Alaska, an unseasonable late spring snowstorm came to a breeding ground of the Canada goose. The snow continued falling to a depth of three feet. Days later as the snow melted away, an amazing picture of protection was revealed. Scores of dead geese were still on their nests. They had chosen to suffocate rather than leave the eggs they were protecting.
After reading all about loyalty, I opened my Bible and Sunday School notes to see where we left off in our study of Psalm 91: It was v. 4.
v.4) He will cover you with His pinions, (feathers KJV)
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
Isn’t it wonderful how even nature testifies to the faithfulness of our LORD?
Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Let’s work on our personal application diagram for v. 4
Pinion – 1a) wing of a bird (ostrich, eagle, dove)
1b) of God , metaphor (possibly from the wings
of the cherubim that covered the ark of c.)
The associative meaning of protection
(refer to my diagram for v.4. personal and Spurgeon)
Discuss all aspects in class
Remember what Christ cried out to Jerusalem?
Matt. 23:37 or Luke 13:34
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, AND YOU WERE UNWILLING.
So He will cover us, but we must be willing.
Notice where the protected reside:
Under His wings This once again speaks of the Authority that comes along with protection.
You may seek refuge. If you so desire.
Seek – What happens when we seek the Lord?
We find Him if we search with all our heart.
His faithfulness is a shield and a bulwark (buffer).
What kind of shield did Paul say we must take up for daily warfare? Our shield of faith
Which tells me that my faith is based on His faithfulness
How can we describe our five-fold shield of faith according to Beth Moore?
God is who He says He is.
God can do what He says He can do.
I am who God says I am
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
God’s Word is alive and active in me.
I’m believing God!
Is that a buffer in your life?
There are countless examples of this truth in scripture, but this week God led me to the book of Ruth to show me what it means to seek refuge under His wings.
You will remember that Naomi and Elimelech left their homeland because of a famine. After settling in Moab, Elimelech died and she was left with her two sons.
These boys took for themselves Moabite women as wives one of which was Ruth. Both of Naomi’s son’s died and Naomi soon decided to return to her people in the land of Judah.
Both daughters-in-law had to make a decision. Orpah began the journey, but eventually kissed her mother-in-law good bye. Ruth, however, had seen enough to know that she wanted to dwell with her mother-in-law under the shelter of the Most High. So she followed Naomi.
Ruth 1:16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you: for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.
We see the invisible, providing, protecting hand of the Lord as Ruth went into the fields to glean and “found herself working in a field belonging to Boaz” (Ruth 2:3)
Ruth 2:8 -12 How far do His “wings” reach?
As far as is necessary.
Boaz instructs his workmen to deliberately leave grain in the field for Ruth to glean, and when she returns to Naomi in the evening with an unexpected abundance, she learns from her mother-in-law that Boaz is a potential kinsman-redeemer.
At the end of the harvest, after the winnowing of the grain took place, Naomi advised Ruth of a plan for her to come under the covering of Boaz and be redeemed.
Let’s pick up the story in Ch. 3 vv. 1-11
Do you see the connection between what we have been studying in Psalm 91 and this beautiful story?
Ruth sought shelter under the shadow of her potential redeemer.
She was willing to submit to the authority placed over her.
She was reminded to have no fear – her needs would be met.
After taking care of some customs of their culture, Boaz was free to take Ruth as his wife. Ch. 4:13-17
What was the result of Ruth’s resting under the shadow of the Most High?
She found:
1:22 Guidance
2:9 Protection
2:10 Favor
212 Refuge
2:13 Comfort
2:14 Satisfaction w/ enough to share v.18
3:1 Security
3:11 Safety “Fear not”
God met both her physical and spiritual needs.
A Holy God blessed her with a royal offspring.