Yom Kippur – Under the Shadow of His Wings

SHORT VERSION

The Hebrew word for כיפור ‘kippur,’ as in Yom Kippur, comes from the root word חף ‘chaph’ which means to cover.

חף ‘chaph’ – ‘one who enters a tent and is protected by the owner.’  A place of protection.  One who is innocent, as in one whose actions are covered.  These are incredible connections to the theme of Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement.

Messiah is the Door that we enter in order to abide in His ‘House’ (John 10:7) it is through Him that we are covered/hidden.

Joh 10:7  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

This is the definition of who the Israel of God is (Galatians 6:16)…His hidden ones (Psalm 83:3).

Gal 6:16  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
Psa 83:3  They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.

It is by the covenant cut in Messiah (Daniel 9:26; Isaiah 42:6), by His sacrifice on the cross that we are covered (1 John 1:7).

Dan 9:24  Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Dan 9:25  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Dan 9:26  And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Isa 42:6  I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

On the cross, Messiah gathered all mankind unto Him under His outstretched Arms as a hen gathers her chicks (John 12:32; Colossians 1:20-22; Matthew 23:37).

Joh 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
Col 1:20  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Col 1:21  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Col 1:22  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Mat 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!

Amazingly, the Hebrew word for this spreading forth of the wings of a hen to gather her chicks or an eagle gathering her chicks under her wings is רחף ‘rachaph’ which also comes form the root word חף ‘chaph.’

It is through His Outstretched Arms (wings) that Messiah is calling us (John 3:14; 12:32) and gathering us together as a Shepherd does His flock (John 10:14-16).

Joh 3:14  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Joh 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Joh 10:14  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Joh 10:15  As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Joh 10:16  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

This is how we enter the Door into the House, this is how we are declared innocent and pure in His eyes.  This is how we become His friends and enter into His tents in an intimate relationship.

When one has an intimate relationship with another, they appear as a ‘little guy in the eye‘ or as the ‘apple of the eye.’

Deu 32:10  He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.
Deu 32:11  As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:

One of the themes of Yom Kippur is the Wedding Supper (Revelation 3:4-5; 19:7-8).

Rev 3:4  Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
Rev 3:5  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

This is yet another connection to the Hebrew word חף ‘chaph’ as the word חופה ‘chupah,’ which means marriage canopy, comes from this Hebrew root word as well.

Abiding under the shadow of His wings and being in ‘marriage covenant’ with Him through Messiah is one and the same thing.  The canopy as a covering is connected with being the ‘little guy in His Eye.’

Zec 2:8  For so says YHWH of Hosts: He has sent Me after glory, to the nations who plundered you; for he who touches you touches the pupil of His eye.

Zec 2:5 And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, and I will be for glory in her midst, declares YHWH.

Isa 4:2  In that day the Branch of YHWH will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth for pride and for glory for the survivors of Israel.
Isa 4:3  And it shall be, he remaining in Zion, and he who is left in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, every one who is written among the living in Jerusalem;
Isa 4:4  when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and the blood of Jerusalem shall have been rinsed away from its midst by a spirit of judgment, and by a spirit of burning.
Isa 4:5  Then YHWH will create a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, over all the site of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies; for on all the glory will be a canopy (chuppah).
Isa 4:6  And there shall be a booth for a shade from the heat, and for a refuge, and for a hiding place from storm and rain.

Under His wings = under His skirt/kanaph. This is a term of intimacy between a man and His wife (Deuteronomy 22:30; Ruth 3:9; Ezekiel 16:8).

Deu 22:30  A man shall not take his father’s wife, nor discover his father’s skirt.
Rth 3:9  And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
Eze 16:8  Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.

Abiding under the shadow of His wings again goes back to the imagery in the Temple of the Cherubim. Abiding in His Word = abiding under the shadow of His wings = abiding in Messiah (John 15).

Joh 15:1  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Joh 15:2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Joh 15:3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Cherubim overshadowed the ark of the covenant, where the Word was stored, with their wings…abiding under His wings=abiding in His Word/Jesus (Exodus 25:20).

Exo 25:20  And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.

The Cherubim were those who guarded the Tree of Life.  When we are abiding under the shadow of His wings we are entering back spiritually into the Garden.

Heb 4:14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Abiding in the Shadow of His wings means we are protected from adversity.

Psa 91:1  He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Psa 91:2  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Psa 91:3  Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
Psa 91:4  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Psa 91:14  Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
Psa 91:15  He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
Psa 91:16  With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

The Hebrew word for salvation in Psalm 91:16 is ישועה ‘yeshuah’ from whence comes the name Yeshua…or Jesus.

This intimate relationship of appearing as a little guy in the Eye of the Creator, and abiding under the shadow of His Wings is accomplished in the work of Messiah on the cross.

The Bosom, the Family and Gathering at the Cross

The word for father in Hebrew is associated with love, so too is the word mother {For more on this see: Shadows of Messiah  – Etymology}.  One of the Hebrew words for love is דד ‘dud/dad’ which means both love and breasts/bosom.  Interestingly, the English word ‘baby’ comes from the Hebrew בבה ‘baba’ which is related to the word אבוב ‘aboob’ the root of which is אב ‘av’ which means father but also means a pipe, as in the breast of the mother whose milk flows to give sustenance to the baby.  בבה ‘baba’ in Hebrew means the pupil, the apple of one’s eyes.  As any parent has held their baby in their arms against their bosom they recognize this is the epitome of love and intimate relationship (apple of the eye/little guy in the eye).

The Hebrew word for family comes from משפחה ‘mispocha’ the same root as שפח ‘shapach’.  שפח ‘shaphach’ is the source of the English word ‘crucifixion’ from whence all the family of the earth is gathered.  The bosom, which represents the love of the family also links to the cross.

Messiah came from the bosom of the Father.

Joh 1:18  No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, that One declares Him.

He gathers and then carries in His bosom His people, linking to the crucifixion.  It is through the work of Messiah on the cross that mankind is brought into His family.

Isa 40:10  Behold, the Lord YHWH will come with strength, and His arm rules for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him, and His wage before Him.
Isa 40:11  He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; He shall gather lambs with His arm; and carry them in His bosom; those with young He will lead;
Psa 89:50  Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants, my bearing in my bosom the insults of the many peoples
Psa 89:51  with which Your enemies have cursed, O YHWH; with which they have cursed the footsteps of Your anointed.
Eph 2:8  For by grace you are saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift (gift = love = bosom) of God;
Eph 2:9  not of works, that not anyone should boast;
Eph 2:10  for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God before prepared that we should walk in them.
Eph 2:11  Because of this, remember that you, the nations, were then in the flesh (those having been called Uncircumcision by those having been called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands)
Eph 2:12  that at that time you were without Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers of the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
Eph 2:13  But now, in Christ Jesus you who then were afar off, came to be near by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14  For He is our peace, He making us both one, and breaking down the middle wall of partition,
Eph 2:15  in His flesh causing to cease the enmity, the Law of the commandments in decrees, that He might in Himself create the two into one new man, making peace,
Eph 2:16  and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, slaying the enmity in Himself.
Eph 2:17  And coming, He proclaimed “peace to you, the ones afar off, and to the ones near.” Isa. 57:19
Eph 2:18  For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Eph 2:19  So, then, you are no longer strangers and tenants, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and of the family of God,

There are multiple words in Hebrew for love, all linking back to the bosom.  The most common is אהב ‘ahav’ which has the meaning of a gift and the expressions and actions of one towards the family.  The pictograph meaning displays the gift of the Father to mankind of His only begotten Son.  Again linking the bosom, the family and the crucifixion.

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone believing into Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 15:13  Greater love than this has no one, that anyone should lay down his soul for his friends.

The Pictograph meaning of Love

The first and last letters spell out the word for Father (אב ‘ab’) and the middle letter ה ‘heh’ is a picture of a man with outstretched arms.  The Love of the Father is revealed through the Messiah on the tree, gathering all mankind back to their Creator.

Another word for love is חשק ‘chashaq’ which has the meaning of being knit together in love.  חשק ‘chashaq’ is related to the word חב ‘chav’ which means the bosom.  חשק ‘chashaq is the word used in reference to the joining together of the Tabernacle, which is a shadow picture of the body of Messiah.  It is no surprise that this joining together involved nails, just as in the nails used in the crucifixion (Exodus 38:17, 28; Deuteronomy 7:7; Colossians 2:2, 19; Ephesians 4:15-16).

Exo 38:17  And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets {חשׁק ‘chashaq’} of silver; and the overlaying of their chapiters of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted {חשׁק ‘chashaq’} with silver.
Exo 38:28  And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted {חשׁק ‘chashaq’} them.
Deu 7:7  The LORD did not set his love {חשׁק ‘chashaq’} upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
Col 2:2  That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
Col 2:19  And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

חשק
‘Chashaq’ also can be traced back to the word חק ‘choq’
H2436
חוק  /  חק  /  חיק
chêyq  /  chêq  /  chôq
BDB Definition:
1) bosom, hollow, bottom, midst

חק ‘chaq’ is the root of חקק ‘chaqaq’ and חקה ‘chaqah’ which means to inscribe a decree or custom.  It is used in reference to the Torah.  It is no surprise that the New Covenant, cut at Calvary is associated with the inscribing of the Word on our hearts which is contained in our bosoms (Jeremiah 31:31).

Jer 31:31  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

The feasts/appointed times, at which the people of YHWH gathered, are linked to this word חוק ‘choq.’

It is no surprise then that the English word hug traces back to the Hebrew word חג ‘chag’ which means feast.

The feasts revolved around the gathering together of the people to the Tabernacle or tent.  The Tabernacle itself was called the אהל מועד ‘ohel mo’ed’ which means tent of meeting/gathering or tabernacle of congregation.  מועד ‘moed’ comes from עד ‘ad’ which means to see the door, as in meeting at the door of the Tabernacle.

There are two more words in Hebrew which are translated as bosom.  It is חצן ‘chatsan’ which comes from the root word חץ ‘chats’ which literally means a tent wall, as in an enclosing.  Finally, the word צלחת ‘tsalachat’ which also means a bowl, as in the bowls used in the Tabernacle.  צלחת ‘tsalachat’ comes from צלח ‘tsalach’ which traces back further to צל ‘tsel’ which means a shadow…as under the shadow of His wings, the little guy in His Eye.

Recall that the word in Hebrew for pupil is בבה ‘baba’ which is the source of the English word ‘baby.’  Interestingly, the English word ‘shade’ comes from the Hebrew word שד ‘shad’ which means the breast/bosom.  שד ‘shad’ is the root of the word שדי ‘shaddai’ which is translated as ‘the Almighty.’  שד ‘shad’ literally means to return to the door, again linking with the feasts and the Tabernacle mentioned above.

Finally, the word דוד ‘dod’ means love.  דוד ‘dod’ literally means the breasts.  The letter ‘dalet’ is the picture of a door, or flap of a tent which opens the way inside.  The tabernacle consisted of two doors/veils which דד displays.  What is the veil of the Tabernacle a picture of?  The body/flesh of Messiah.

Heb 10:20  which He consecrated for us, a new and living way through the veil; that is, His flesh;

The above portion of Scripture is in context of the New Covenant which was cut at Calvary where Messiah gathered mankind into His bosom (Isaiah 40:11; Psalm 89:50).

Isa 40:10  Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
Isa 40:11  He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Psa 89:50  Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;
Psa 89:51  Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.
Psa 89:52  Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.

This is the type of intimate relationship God wants to have with mankind.  As a Father or mother holding their children in their bosoms.  Messiah declares that we must be humble as children to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.  One of the commandments associated with Yom Kippur is ‘afflicting’ one’s being(Leviticus 16:29-31, 23:27).  This word for afflict in Hebrew is ענה ‘anah’ which literally means to humble oneself…

Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

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