On Eagles’ Wings
“You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.” (Exodus 19:4)
You are warmly welcome!
Welcome to the new academic year, especially for first year students. The long week of orientation is over, but the exercise of acclimatizing continues for much longer – you haven’t covered all the corners yet, and more First Year students are still arriving. The Chapel fraternity assures you of our support in this process. Our prayer is that you will succeed both academically and in all round growth. Start by acknowledging God’s blessing upon you evidenced in your safe arrival.
Journeys have lots to teach us: the Jewish people started off as a small extended family of just 70 members and were incubated in Egypt for 430 years to become a numerous and powerful nation. They swung from the blessedness of Joseph’s legacy and sunk into harsh slavery that would make them cry – they cried until it was so loud in heaven and God came to their aid. After their deliverance, God fondly informs them about the whole episode with an unveiling of his grand purpose – to have this nation in perpetual special relationship with Him. They did not deserve it, not by merit; they could not work it out, not by might. But God himself offers them a bright future, a great blessing.
John Gill expounds on the “Eagles’ wings” description referring to the detail in Deut 32:11-12: As an eagle stirs up her nest… Her young ones in it, to get them out of it: the eagle is merciful to its young, and does not go into its nest suddenly, but first makes a noise, and disturbs them with her wings, striking them against a tree or its branches, that so they being awakened may be fitter to receive her: with respect to literal Israel, Egypt was their nest, where in their infant state they lay like young birds; and though it was a filthy and torturous one, yet they seemed sometimes as if they did not care to come out of it; until the Lord shook the situation around them by the ministry of Moses and Aaron.
With respect to spiritual Israel, their nest is a state of sin, in which they are at ease, and do not care to be awakened and stirred out of it; but the Lord, in love, awakens, stirs and gets them out, by sending his ministers to arouse them, by convincing them by the Spirit of their sin and danger, opening their eyes to see their wretched and miserable estate and condition, and by exerting God’s Almighty power, plucking them as brands out of the burning.
Just like the eagle skillfully trains her young to fly, yet with considerateness, our God takes us through situation and journeys tough and rough, yet He is with us always. Just as He has been with you in the past, so will He assures you of His presence to the end of the age, if you remain in the relationship to which He has called us.
Peace be with you!