Storiesofshelter.com.
We read stories. We tell stories. We live stories.
Here is a deep dive story of the ROOT WORDS FOR SHELTER.
There are several Hebrew words which reflect and define shelter which are found in the Law of Moses and the prophets of Israel.
- A Roof of Beams (as in a home) Genesis 19:8 quarah
- A Refuge (as a hiding place) Job 24:8 chasah
- A Screen that overshadows (like a filter) Psalm 5:11 sakak
- A Concealed location (as protection) Psalm 61:4 sether
- A Woven Booth/secret Psalm 31:20 sukkah – where the feast of booths was derived (Jacob: Genesis 33:17; Nehemiah 8:15). It is the seventh and final feast of the Jewish calendar (see Pentecost – the probable date of the birth of Jesus (John 1:14)
In addition the idea of a “secret place” is discussed in Psalm 91:1 as well as finding refuge in God (Isaiah 4:6; 1:8) (sukkah) and not in Egypt (Isaiah 30:2,3; 32:2). In Jonah 4:5 there is shade from the beating sun.
What this means is that our Shelter God is our covering – “a sun AND a shield to those who fear Him” (Psalm 84)
What is feast of Sukkot?
Festival of Booths (follow the threads: John 7:1-9)
– 5 days after Yom Kippur
– 7 days in Sept-October
When we get to the so-called “new testament” we search for the word shelter in the greek language and quickly realize that Jesus has launched His own Kingdom view of shelter.
Our value to the Son of Man is great (Matthew 6:25-34)where the “birds of the air” are spoken of by Jesus. This builds upon what He has already mentioned in Luke 3:18-32 when He gives the results of the growing mustard seed plant in Matthew 13: “He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” Jesus has led us back to our “nest” in the Father.
God is our “nest.” Why is this important?
Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” – Matthew 8:19,20
Where did Jesus find His shelter?
In His Father. This is why He would withdraw often to spend time before the face of His Father!
Our great God IS Shelter! He was Jesus’ only rest and He is our only true rest as well.
Two ongoing questions for our lives:
Where have I received shelter?
Where have I given shelter?
Peace friend!
Dave and Burnadette