Nacho Libre and a Theology of Eagles
Boaz is the eagle of Ruth. He is the protector acting as a God-fearer to provide refuge for a Moabitess. He will bring Ruth under his wings and commit to her care for as long as he lives.
I am writing from my secret shire in Monroe, LA, where I will teach the second day of Bible to the 11th-12th graders in half an hour. The theme of the music camp is Birds of the Air. We work through eagles, sparrows, ravens, and doves. It is a majestic tour through God’s heavenly creation.
I argued yesterday that eagles play a crucial role in the typology of redemptive history. This is fundamental to studying thematic creatures and heavenly hosts in the Bible. When we ask questions about birds, seas, and creeping things, we may have scientific or biological ways of defining these themes. Still, the priority of definition belongs to the Scriptures.
For instance, we may have specific ideas of what these mean scientifically when we think of the sun, moon, and stars. But the biblical worldview demonstrates these symbols as the hierarchy of heaven and earth (Is. 41). The Bible re-uses this language throughout the prophets and the Gospels to represent civil authorities, governmental entities, and hierarchical structures on earth and heaven. So, there is much more than first meets the eye.
Of course, to grasp all of this language, we must see the language of the Old Testament as is, which means we need to develop an appetite for visual imageries and repeated patterns.
As Jordan summarizes: “Our purpose is to get into the Bible and become as familiar as possible with the Bible’s own worldview, language, and thought forms.”[1] That world of the Bible may seem archaic, but it is the everlasting language of God. In the Bible, language builds on language; worlds build on worlds, and we see transformations from one stage of history to another; we see the world moving from glory to glory.
The Eagles
Eagles represent God’s judgment and deliverance (Deut. 28:49; Hosea 8:1; Rev. 12:14). They are also metaphors for God’s rescue mission on behalf of his people (Ex. 19:4). Eagles speak of power, glory, strength, and youth. They soar above because they are exalted creatures.
They are reflectors of God’s own nature and claims over his creation. God is swift to save, mighty to deliver, and a fortress amid the flood. He swoops down to rescue his people, and then with a swift swoop, he brings judgment upon his enemies.
Two Eagles’ Wings Test Cases (Ruth and Wilderness)
These actions are demonstrated clearly in two examples. But before doing so, I must take you to one of the finest movies ever produced in cinematic history. In the brilliant Nacho Libre, Nacho is promised powers to fight the devils in the ring. His wrestling friend, who is tired of losing, Stephen, promises Nacho that if he were to climb the high mountain, break an eagle’s egg, and consume its content, he would receive eagle powers. These powers will transform him into a great warrior who will conquer his enemies. Of course, the whole thing was a lie!
The eagles promised in the Scriptures come with their mighty wings to cover. It is not a magic trick or a quick way to glory. It’s the protective arms of God who will come to rescue you from anxiety and angst, and anger.
One clear case is in the Book of Ruth when Ruth came to the threshing floor to enter a ceremonial bond with Boaz. Boaz, whose name means “strength” and “tower,” blesses Ruth’s movements towards his care, and he says:
“May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
Boaz is the eagle of Ruth. He is the protector acting as a God-fearer to provide refuge for a Moabittess. He will bring Ruth under his wings and commit to her care for as long as he lives.
Later, a similar scenario unfolds when the Holy Spirit thrust Jesus into the wilderness. A false Boaz comes to offer Jesus protection. Jesus is tempted to eat bread before time. He is tempted to re-enter Eden, even though he is not ready. He is tempted to eat the bread from the hands of evil like Adam was tempted. But in the second temptation, the Gospels write:
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
The word for “highest point," also translated as “pinnacle,” is πτερύγιον (Matt. 4:5). It refers to the wings of the temple; the loftiest place. Eagles fly high; therefore, the Devil took him to where eagles dwell. In this case, the devil wants his own eagle warriors to rescue Jesus in this presumptuous move. He even quotes Psalm 91 to draw Jesus into his own words. But the problem is that Jesus is not dependent on the manipulation of eagles; he is the one who ordains them to fly and protect.
Jesus is promised by the Father, the highest heavens; he is promised might and power to soar above even the eagles of the sky. The Devil is offering far inferior. He does not intend to cover Jesus, but to suffocate him. He is offering him false eagle powers. But Jesus—like the eagle—sees through the farcical display and excoriates the Devil for tempting the Lord God (Matt. 4:7).
Conclusion
The eagles are powerful creatures made as a type of other great creatures. They symbolize in part the magnificence of a God who soars to the highest heaven in his Ascension and who comes low to protect his children from all enemy power.
Eagles form the typology of glory in the Bible. They appear to display might because God created them to display might. But greater still is the power of God from whose image eagles and every creature in heaven above and earth below derive their strength and glory.
[1] TNE, 4.