Wings of healing and protection -- Part 2

This is simply a continuation from where I left off in part 1. It is just too much to cover in one post. So it's better to read part 1 if you have not done so but I will still give a very brief recap: The Hebrew word, kanaph, is translated into words as diverse as wing, skirt, border and edge in English Bibles. It is associated with protection and healing. In the last example from part 1, it was used by Ruth as an idiom for marriage ("spread your kanaph over your servant"). This was a request to Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer. The Book of Ruth is a beautiful story of an outsider who finds her place among the covenant people and is covered by the kanaph of God (Ruth 2:12) and her redeemer (Ruth 3:9). In this post, we will expand on this covenant relation.

Kanaph, gathering and covenants

The story of Ruth is only one of many examples of kanaph being used to gather and protect a covenant people. 

4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings (Hebr. kanaph), and brought you unto myself.

5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: (Exodus 19)

The same pattern shows up time and again. This is from Isaiah:

And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners (Hebr. kanaph) of the earth. (Isaiah 11:12)

And this is the voice of the Lord just after the great destruction in America before his appearance to the Nephites: 

4 O ye people of these great cities which have fallen, who are descendants of Jacob, yea, who are of the house of Israel, how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you.

5 And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not.

6 O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart.

7 But if not, O house of Israel, the places of your dwellings shall become desolate until the time of the fulfilling of the covenant to your fathers. (3 Nephi 10)

What to make of this pattern? When we enter into the covenant and gather together as Israel, the covenant people, we are under divine protection. The Savior is at the center. He is the redeemer that Boaz typified. He is the shepherd gathering his sheep. He is the hen gathering her chickens. We return to the "Christ and covenants" theme once again. No surprises there, really. But this divine protection is represented by kanaph that refers to His wings or garments covering us. I think God wants us to view covenants this way, as a place of refuge and healing, not a hassle with burdensome obligations. 

Temple connections

The relation of the protective kanaph to garments is interesting from a modern temple perspective too. They cover us and keep us safe. But the symbolism is ancient

8 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt (Hebr. kanaph) over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.

9 Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.

10 I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers’ skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. (Ezekiel 16)

Here, the Lord is covering the nakedness of his bride, Israel, washing, anointing and dressing her. We see the theme from Ruth played out where the husband covers the bride and offers protection and redemption, but there are also clear temple connotations. The garment covering our nakedness is Yahweh's kanaph. In fact, kanaph is found in the most holy place in the ancient temple. 

And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings (Hebr. kanaph) on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings (Hebr. kanaph), and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. (Exodus 25:20)

The kanaph in the holy of holies in the ancient temple covers the "mercy seat" (Hebr. kapporet). There is some uncertainty about the exact meaning of kapporet and what it refers to, for instance if it is the cover of the ark of the covenant or a distinct piece of furniture. This article makes a good case for kapporet being separate from the ark of the covenant and representing God's footstool. Regardless, the kapporet is placed on top of the ark of the covenant so the kanaph are protecting that too. 

It is perhaps obvious why the kanaph would protect the ark of the covenant and less obvious why they would cover and protect God's footstool? My interpretation is that the temple and especially the holy of holies is where heaven and earth meet. The cherubim with its wings represent heaven and the throne of God and the footstool is the earth. This ties into the concepts that Lord Wilmore outlines in this post. One thing we know is that the word, kapporet, is derived from the Hebrew word for atonement (kaphar) and is the place where the high priest would sprinkle the sacrificial blood on the day of atonement.

So let's try to get this straight. The kanaph are spread over the kapporet representing the earth as the place where the atonement is made. Underneath it is the covenant. "Christ and covenants" again. This is what the divine kanaph is protecting. Those who enter into the covenant are finding refuge and redemption, like Ruth the foreigner, like Israel in Exodus 19 and like the remnant and outcasts of Israel in Isaiah 11. Basically everyone who is willing to enter in.