If I had wings.....

Malachi 4:2
2 “But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.”

Doesn’t this scripture paint a wonderful picture? I’m sure we’ve all read this verse or heard this verse at some point in our lives and had a mental picture pop in our minds. Probably we’ve thought of a mother hen, or any bird for that matter, gathering her chicks under her wings and providing protection for them. I’m sure that we’ve seen birds protect their young by standing up with their wings flared out in a display of power, while their chicks hunker down behind the shield. This is how we like to picture God, like a protective mother hen. While this is a nice image to have of God, and does hold some validity, it’s not what this verse is about. Fear keeps us behind the wings, but this verse clearly states that we’ll go OUT with joy! We aren’t going to stay hidden and cloaked behind momma-hen’s wings.

The key to understanding this scripture is understanding the language. Wings, as referred to in this verse, is a translation of the Hebrew word Tzitzit (zeet-zeet). The Tzitzit is the fringe on the end of the Tallit (tal-leet). The Tallit is a rectangular garment with four corners traditionally worn by Jewish men who had reached the age of maturity (age 13). The Tallit was also used in worship. The men would place the garment over their heads in order to create their own private space to pray and seek God’s will. Jesus, a Jewish male, over 13, and a Rabbi, most likely wore a Tallit.

As Jesus traveled with His disciples, He healed many people. He stopped along the way to ask certain people if they wanted to be healed. He just walked up and healed some, whether they wanted it or not. Others, however, took healing from Him. (Mark 6:56 “and wherever he was going, to villages, or cities, or fields, in the market-places they were laying the infirm, and were calling upon him, that they may touch if it were but the fringe of his garment, and as many as were touching him were saved.” Luke 8:44 “having come near behind, touched the fringe of his garment, and presently the issue of her blood stood.”)

When Jesus healed, whether out of request or because someone just took healing from Him, the result was always mobility for the recipient. The lame could walk, the blind could move about freely, the woman could stand up straight, and the dead could come out of the ground! We aren’t supposed to hide behind Jesus’ wings; we’re supposed to grab hold of them, take what He’s always willing to give, and jump for joy at the salvation He offers!