The term occurs but five times in the NT: three times in its usual significance, of birds (Matthew 23:37, Luke 13:34, Revelation 12:14), and twice of imaginary creatures (Revelation 4:8; Revelation 9:9). The three passages which fall within the scope of apostolic history are very instructive.

1. Revelation 4:8, ‘And the four living creatures, having each one of them six wings, are full of eyes round about and within: and they have no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, which was and which is and which is to come.’ The Seer here combines in one picture the characteristics of Ezekiel’s cherubim (Ezekiel 1:24-28) and of Isaiah’s seraphim (Isaiah 6:1-4). It is the seraphim that supply the ‘wings.’ He ignores any differences which may originally have existed between cherubim and seraphim (cf. Enoch lxi. 10). Combined, they are here the representatives of redeemed creation, vicegerents of God, powerful and filled with judgment, praising God’s holiness, and confident of God’s victory in the tribulations which are sure to follow.

2. Revelation 9:9, And they [the locusts] had breast-plates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to war.’ The picture here is that of a destructive swarm of weird locusts coming out of the smoke of the deep abyss, presenting a dire vision of judgment. The locusts are fancifully and preternaturally magnified by the Seer’s imagination; they have crowns of gold on their heads, the faces of men, the hair of women, the teeth of lions, breastplates of iron, ‘wings’ that sound like the sound of many chariots, and tails like the tails of scorpions (cf. Joel 2:2-11). Arabian poets describe locusts in a similar manner.

3. Revelation 12:14, ‘And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.’ In this picture the woman is the embodiment of light and the emblem of the historical Church of God. As such she has a mission in the world, but she must perform it in the midst of tribulation and severe persecution. The dragon is ever ready to oppose her and devour her offspring; he leads the hosts of darkness. But the woman is not forsaken in the contest. ‘The two wings of the great eagle’ of God’s protection are given her that she may fly into the wilderness, unto the place prepared of God for her protection. There is an emphasis apparently upon the ‘two,’ God’s protection being commensurate to her need of it.

George L. Robinson.

Bibliography Information
Hastings, James. Entry for 'Wing'. Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdn/w/wing.html. 1906-1918.

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Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

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