The nature of a bird, like a sparrow, is to take wing and fly. A bird is meant to soar in the heavens above the earth. What is a cruel thing to do to a bird? It is cruel to entrap in a snare and therefore deny the bird its flight, to soar above. For a bird, how is it better to have earth, bait, and snare rather than the sky, flight, and freedom?
A snare is a particular type of trap. The person who creates and sets it is the fowler. The theme of trap or snare occurs often in The Scriptures. The following are 11 examples, among others. In Exodus is 34:12. In Deuteronomy are 7:16, and 12:30. In Job are 18:10 and 22:10. In Psalms are 9:16, 38:12, 64:5, 69:22, 91:3, and 119:110.
What will happen with The Blessed Hope concerning this theme? Symbolically, some will escape the snare of the fowler. The transformed will go above the powerless snare and ascend to the heavens. Psalm 91:3 and 124:7 relate to the concept of snare, as part of the devices of those who attempt to deceive the righteous.
There is a fine sermon at spurgeon.org/sermons/0124.htm about the fowler and the snare of the fowler. He notes that the fowler and his snare are intimately connected with secrecy. The snare is cleverly adapted to the condition of the bird the fowler is seeking to entrap. There is a theme of pleasure, profit, or advantage concerning the bait used to entrap he bird. Sometimes a decoy is used to deceive the bird into the snare. If all else fails to entice and ensnare, a hawk is released by the fowler to beset the bird on all sides, then kill. What is the character of the fowler? Would Satan be like a premier fowler of souls?
The King James Version of Psalm 124:7 reads as follows. "Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler: the snare is broken and we are escaped." In Psalm 91:3 we read about the certainty of deliverance from the snare of the fowler. "Surely he will deliver them from the snare of the fowler." Notice that the plural pronouns of our or them are used, rather than a singular pronoun concerning only one bird! The escape, the deliverance, will affect many.
Looking to the word meanings in Hebrew for Psalm 91:3 we learn more."Nephesh" means our souls. "Malat" means escaped, released, rescued, or to bring forth young. Does this mean young birds or a kind of birth process? It may mean both."Tsippour" means a little hopping bird, like a sparrow. Our Master taught about sparrows, that Abba Father cares for them. "Shabar" means out of the snare as to burst, break, or tear.
Let us look next at Luke 21. Some translations state trap, yet some amplify to tell us what kind of trap it will be. The God's Word Translation is an example."Then that day could suddenly catch you by surprise like a trap that catches a bird." We are being warned before The Blessed Hope, about the snare of the fowler!
The day of The Blessed Hope will be the one for the setting of the trap, the fowler's snare. Symbolically, The Snare of the Fowler will be THIS Planet. Those called "the earth dwellers" according to the Book of Revelation, will seek to live within the snare of the fowler, either on or beneath the surface of the earth. If some choose to live below, the area would be lower than graves level and above magma level. Who will be safe from the complications of solar activity, electro-magnetism, gravitational pressures, and geothermal pressures? These will not only be from the sun in this solar galaxy. What if there is a "dark planet" coming this way? If so, where is safety to be found? Events will unfold in space and time.
Soon will arrive The Day to Escape, The Deliverance from The Snare of the Fowler. "But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." The ascending transformed, the resurrected, shall depart towards the heavens, to be forever free.
With Love and Shalom,