There’s something scary about shadows.
When I was a boy, there was a mystery series on the radio called, “The Shadow.” The program began with eerie music that got your blood flowing. It was an intriguing program, built around mysterious events and suspicious characters.
Have you ever walked down a brightly lit street at night and then turned into a narrow lane that was filled with shadows? Walking in the shadows can be very scary. You wonder who’s hiding in the shadows behind that dumpster.
The word “shadow” brings all sorts of images to your mind. Some folk live in the shadow of someone else, the shadow of a brother or an associate. Some musicians play second fiddle and never get to sit in the first chair of the orchestra. Shadows can speak of difficulties. In the Old Testament, Job talked of the land of gloom and deep shadow. Shadows may speak of death. King David talked about the valley of the shadow of death.
Normally, we don’t want to live in the shadows; we want to live in the sunshine. Many of the shadows, like a lingering illness, an impending divorce or a possible layoff from work, are unpleasant and filled with disappointment.
But the Bible speaks of a wonderful shadow. It’s a shadow that brings rest, provides a place of refuge and offers us security in an unsettled, ever-changing world. It’s the shadow of the Almighty.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2).
Psalm 91 was written by Moses as he pondered his personal experiences of leading the Jewish people from Egypt towards the Promised Land. What does this verse say to us?
1. LOVE THE WONDER OF GOD’S SHADOW
God has a shadow and he wants to cast his shadow on you. His shadow is not the shadow of a cloud or the shadow made by the sun shining on one side of a building. It’s not the shadow of another human person; it’s the shadow of the Almighty. It’s God’s own shadow.
Moses said it was the shadow of the Most High, the Almighty. The Hebrew word is “El Shaddai.” It speaks of God’s all-sufficiency, his enormous power and energy and his gracious love and care. This is a name for God used throughout the Bible.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty.” (Genesis 17:1).
The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. (Job 33:4).
And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3).
Moses was very clear about who he was talking about and whose shadow he wanted to hide in. He was talking about El Shaddai’s shadow. He was talking about the all-sufficient, ever-present, all-knowing God, the God who gets involved in the lives of his people.
He said the Almighty casts a shadow. God’s shadow is the overflow of his presence. It speaks of the wonder and the majesty of his presence.
It’s good to be in God’s shadow. You never need to be afraid of God’s shadow. It means he is near. It’s an indication that he is close enough to hear you when you cry out for help, and for you to hear his words of encouragement. It means he’s close by to protect you. It means he’s there to defend you against your enemies and to fight with you in your spiritual battles. It means he’s there to cheer you up when you are sad and to fill your life with joy when those around you are filled with sadness.
The lovers in the Song of Songs illustrate this. Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my lover among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste. (Song of Songs 2:3). Picture the couple snuggled up to each other in the park. The young girl loved to sit close to her lover, in the shadow of his body. His shade was her delight.
Living in God’s shadow is a joy. There’s nothing intimidating about the Father’s presence. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11).
There are a couple of images we need to understand, if we are going to get the full impact of these verses.
i. The wings of a bird
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. (Psalm 91:4).
It’s the picture of a mother hen gathering her baby chicks under her wings for protection. Under her wings there is safety from the hawks flying in the air and the traps of the hunters.
This image is found all through the psalms. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 17:8).
ii. The angels’ wings in the Most Holy Place
Many scholars believe Moses was talking about the shadow of the wings of the cherubim that covered the Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place. Moses of course was familiar with the architecture and the meaning of the wings of the cherubim above the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat.
God’s presence casts a beautiful shadow. Whether you think of it as the shadow of the wings of a bird or the wings of the angels in the Most Holy Place, it’s not a shadow to be feared or dreaded in any way. It’s a shadow that brings delight, encouragement and joy. I stand in awe and wonder at the majesty of his shadow.
2. LIVE IN GOD’S SHADOW EVERY DAY
Moses talked about people who dwell in the shelter of the Most High. Moses said we should seek to live in the shadow of the Almighty. We need to stay in God’s shadow.
The word “dwell” that Moses used is an interesting Hebrew word. It means to take up permanent residence and to stay continually in one place. Moses was saying, get into God’s shadow and stay there. Live close to God on an ongoing basis.
God wants that kind of relationship with us. It’s not a case of being close to God for a few months and then forgetting about him. God Almighty wants us to get into his shadow and stay there.
How close are you to God today? Are you living in the shelter of the Almighty?
When you dwell with someone, there’s a familiarity and intimacy. How well do you know God? How intimate are you with him? Do you talk to him regularly? Perhaps more importantly, do you listen to him?
God wants us to dwell in his shadow. He wants us to live with an intimate awareness of his presence.
3. LEARN THE BLESSINGS OF GOD’S SHADOW
There are several benefits to living in the shadow of the Almighty.
i. Rest
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1).
This rest is not necessarily physical rest. It isn’t talking about sitting in your lounge chair taking it easy. It’s talking about emotional and spiritual rest, rest for the soul and rest for the spirit. It’s talking about peace of mind, rest that means no fear, no anxiety, no inner tension and no turmoil.
His shadow brings a quiet peace. His shadow brings a song to your heart. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 63:7).
Moses said, will rest. That’s a promise. He did not say might find rest, but will rest. It’s certain. You can count on it.
I’ve proven this from experience. When I was starting in the ministry, I didn’t know this. I got an ulcer from dealing with a situation that I inherited. Since then, I’ve learned the value of living in his shadow. I’ve learned that there is rest for the spirit in his presence.
If you are worried about some situation, get into his shadow. Get close to God and you will find rest for your spirit and your mind.
ii. Refuge
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress…” (Psalm 91:2). There is protection in his shadow. There is shelter from the storms of life, from confusing circumstances and even from irritating people. God is our refuge and fortress, a place of safety and protection.
When people misunderstand you, when people criticize you and when the battle gets wearisome, you can find refuge in the Almighty.
King David learned this. Here’s what he said when he fled from Saul. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. (Psalm 57:1).
The Almighty is a fortress with high towers and strong walls that no enemy can penetrate. When you are in his presence, you are safe and secure.
Moses described the benefits of this fortress in the rest of the psalm.
iii. Reassurance
Moses said, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.
Moses knew he might not be able to trust some people, but he could trust the Almighty. There were no doubts about God’s shadow. He was confident about his care and compassion. He said, I know him and I know I can trust him.
What a great statement to be able to make. In a world of uncertainty, in a constantly changing world, when you don’t know what a day will bring, when friends forsake you and you wonder who you can count on, when people break confidences and stab you in the back, you can count on God. You can trust the Almighty because he never changes.
You can count on the Almighty in this life and you can count on him in the life to come.
Today, we live in God’s shadow, but there is coming a time when even that shadow won’t be necessary. One day, all shadows will flee away for we shall see him as he is. What we know of God’s presence now is wonderful but it’s just a shadow of the full glory we will one day share.
A complete directory of articles can be found at http://calsinsights.com/
You can receive this material regularly by email – just fill in your email address at the bottom left side of the home page under subscription options and you will receive a copy of each new article as it is posted.
To forward the material to someone else, press the “share this” button and fill in an email address.
I appreciate all your comments and suggestions.