Two Wings of a Great Eagle

Like most people in the U.S. I sat transfixed, staring at the surreal images of the U.S. Airways jet in the middle of the Hudson River. It seemed significant, but I could not quite figure out what the Spirit wanted me to see. I knew it was a miracle - 156 people landing in an icy, frigid river, every life saved and great tragedy averted. But I kept asking the Father, "What do you want me to see? Isn't there a message from YOU here? It is too remarkable not to be a message from You, Lord!"

I mentioned this at my group's Torah study on Shabbat yesterday. My friend Jim had the answer. He said, "Didn't you see that all the people were standing on the wings, awaiting their deliverance?" Wow! How quickly I perceived the message as soon as he used the word "wings!"

Exodus 19:3-4: "Then Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him from the mountain and said, 'This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. "

Revelation 12:13-14: "When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach."

In the first exodus, as Yahweh delivered His people from bondage in Egypt, they were delivered through the waters. They did not fly on eagles - they miraculously passed through the sea on dry land. Yet, the LORD wanted them to understand the powerful picture of their deliverance that only HE could orchestrate, like an eagle carrying its young to safety.

He uses the same language in referring to the second exodus, which will occur during the Great Tribulation. The "woman" - the righteous Remnant of the Restored Israel - is delivered out of the reach of Satan (who indwells the anti-Messiah) and is "carried on the two wings of a great eagle" to a place of safety.

There is no doubt that is what the Holy Spirit was trying to get me to see looking at this picture! The two wings of the "great eagle" were holding aloft the lives of the people as they looked up expectantly, hopefully, for their deliverance out of the freezing waters.

This photo from the Hudson River is both prophetic and historic. It is a prophetic picture of the future Israelites who will be delivered to a place of refuge, as well as a picture of the Israelites whom Yahweh delivered out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. Once I saw it, I rejoiced! I felt like Miriam, taking up a tambourine and dancing! We all rejoiced that every person standing on the wings in the river was safely rescued. We all marveled at the Captain who so humbly and skillfully guided that plane, and who said he prayed with all his heart. There was something about this incident that caused our hearts to swell with hope.

Our Abba Father is reminding us in the same way He reminded the Israelites: "You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession."

Oh, may we be a people who obey Yahweh, our God, and keep His covenant! Then in the midst of the frigid water, with a Pharaoh and his troops in hot pursuit of us, we will stand on the two wings of a great eagle, and Yahshua, Captain of the Angel-Armies will fly us to the place prepared for us in the desert. Hallelu-Yah!