So now we know the secret place is a position of divine protection, hidden, covered, in a covert, like a hideout where no one can find us. Where can we infer from scripture is this well-hidden location? He who dwells in the secret place of the most High, abides under the shadow of the Almighty. If I am close enough to a person or thing to be in its shadow, that is pretty close. Therefore, I deduce, the secret place is very close to God, so close the scripture tells us, if we are there, we are under his shadow.
Psalm 91 expresses the following, those who dwell-sit down, settle, remain, marry (as in covenant commitment), abide, continue; who abide- stay permanently with obstinate intent, stop, stay overnight, inhabit, spend the night, hide out in the covert of the most High (Elyon) are under the shadow of the Almighty (Shaddai).
The “secret” place is under the shadow of the Almighty-Shadday (“Shadday,” comes from a primitive word meaning “burly” as in big, strong.) Shadow is H6738 (Strong’s) with the idea of shade, defence. H6738 comes from H6751 with the idea of hovering over.
Verse 4, a of Psalm 91, says: He will cover thee with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust:
David, in Psalm 61:4 declares: I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever; I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
Obstinately Determine to Maintain Intimacy with God
Think on the concept: When we put ourselves in such close proximity to God, we are under his armpit, so to speak. We are shaded and protected by his wings; his feathers extend over us so no evil thing can see us. Is there sin or sickness or any evil thing under his feathers?
God is sinless. Will we continue walking in sinfulness, if we are nestled under his wings? What will our mindset become and on what will we focus? Abiding that close to God means we move when he moves and we stop when he stops. In order to have that kind of security, we must practice consciously and consistently staying under his wings, in his shadow. It is too easy to be caught up in distractions either from sins or simply being focused on family, jobs, lack of jobs, harbingers of bad news, etc. The challenge is to continue in close relationship to him, which is why we have to obstinately determine to maintain intimacy with him. No more getting ahead of God and wandering in the wilderness of our own making.
I Will Say of the Lord
Verses 2 and 3 speak of our approach in such close proximity with Elyon, El Shaddai.
“I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in him will I trust. Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence”. (Noisome; Hebrew, havyah-rushing calamity; that sweeps over everything : pestilence; Hebrew deber-destroying murrain, pestilence, plague).
Moses made a declaration of his trust in Adonai. He avowed orally and in writing for all to hear and read-I will trust Him, He is my refuge, He is my fortress, He is my God. Then he assured his listeners that the person who declared their trust in God as refuge and fortress will be delivered from the trap of the hunter and from all types of plagues.
Part b of verse 4 tells us “his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” Jesus told the disciples, regarding the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17), that he would pray to the Father to give them another Comforter who would abide with them forever. This Comforter is the Spirit of Truth, of whom, our Lord said: “the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
On the day of Pentecost this reality became apparent as the Holy Spirit made His entrance with a “rushing mighty wind” and “tongues of fire”. The entire one-hundred-twenty were filled with the Holy Spirit and the evidence was expanded as they began to prophesy in other languages they had not learned.
Learning to listen to and obey the Holy Spirit is part of abiding under the shadow of the Almighty. As we listen, hear, and obey the Spirit of truth we are protected by his armor. “His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” Interestingly, the Hebrew for shield comes from a root word meaning “prickly as in a hedge of thorns.” Buckler is a surrounding type shield or protection. I have often thought of this shield as a kind of “force field” surrounding me. When we think of being hedged in so to speak by an impenetrable hedge full of prickly thorns and completely surrounded by an invisible (to us) force field, then we begin to get the idea of the power of God’s protection as we practice walking in the Spirit of Truth. How important this is in the era of every individual speaking “his or her own truth.”
The Moses Connection
Remember, I said early on, Psalm 91 is attributed to Moses. There is much to say and to write about Moses’ experiences with personal manifestations of God prior to, during, and after bringing Bnei -Yisrael (the Children of Israel) out of Egypt and through the wilderness. However, for the purpose of illuminating the idea of abiding under the shadow of Elyon (the “most High”), let us turn our focus to the manner in which God protected and led his people daily on their arduous journey.
And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night. Exodus 13:21
The scripture continues by telling us this pillar of cloud never departed from them during their journey. The cloud provided shade by day, and it also provided protection and direction. Within a short time after the children of Israel left Egypt, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he realized what he had done by letting the children of Israel leave. He gathered up his charioteers and pursued the Israelites, hemming them in between a vast army of all the chariots of Egypt, including his 600 finest, and the sea. In a night-long standoff, the “angel of God” present in the pillar of cloud moved the cloud between Egypt’s finest and the frightened Israelites. The cloud provided a dense, impenetrable darkness on the Egyptian side, but comforting light on the children of Israel.
Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today; for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. (Exodus14:13)
The Israelites, did indeed, see Moses’ prophetic promise fulfilled as he had told them. They were protected through the night, walked through the middle of the sea on dry land, and saw the Egyptian army demolished in the waves when the sea suddenly crashed in on them.
Finally, during the entire trek, if the cloud moved, the people moved. If the cloud stopped, the people stopped.
Join me in declaring our trust in Adonai, Creator of the Universe and in praying for our families.
Oh Lord, Adonai, Sovereign God, Creator of the Universe, we come into your secret place in the Name above every name, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (Yeshua). Lord Jesus, we believe the “angel of God in the pillar of cloud was none other than you before your incarnation. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for the gift of salvation afforded us through your blood. Jesus, thank you for choosing to give your life for all who will receive your free gift. You walked in the secret place when you were here on this earth. Thank you for your words in John15:10 that tell us how to continue to dwell, live, abide in you and the Father.
Jesus, you said: “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”
Lord, you told the disciples your commandment was to love each other as you had loved them. In your love and power, now we pray for those who are fearful, those who are ill. We pray those who don’t know you will come to believe on you and receive eternal life. In Jesus’ name, we declare we will begin to walk in God’s shadow, listening to His Spirit of Truth, abiding in Jesus by obeying Him, abiding in Elyon (most High), Shaddai (Almighty), by persistently following Him and obeying Him. We proclaim according to Psalm 91, you are our refuge, you are our fortress. We trust in you. We declare we will not be fearful of plagues, wars, wicked people, or the wicked one. We proclaim healing and protection over our entire family.
Thank you for hearing us, help us to hear you, forgive our failures, sins and transgressions. We forgive those who have wronged us in any manner, that we may be forgiven. You are life and light and all goodness. Help us to walk in obedience to your word, and be led by the Holy Spirit. Teach us to quieten our souls and be more closely attuned to your thoughts and directions for even our everyday living.
Now Lord, we are calling to you the names of our family, loved ones, friends, leaders… (Name those people aloud to God.)
In the mighty name of Jesus, we lift our voices to you Adonai and say, AMEN.
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