A Better Life Coming
Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark. He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him. Genesis 8:8-12 (New International Version, NIV)
After the flood, Noah sent a dove out three times, and on the third try, the dove never returned. Fisrt, he sent the dove out. It returned so he waited seven days and sent it out the second time. It returned again, bearing an olive leaf. He waited again seven days and sent the dove out. It did not come back. There is rich symbolism and meaning to this passage.
The dove represents Holy Spirit. The dove and olive leaf represents peace. When God does a new thing, it brings peace. When God is in something, we have a sense of peace. Seven speaks of completion and perfection. Three speaks of the Trinity. The olive leaf represents new life. Noah was starting humanity over with just eight people. Eight represents new beginnings. The water speaks of judgment and cleansing. Sin is judged and Christ cleanses us with His Word. Noah’s name means rest. Holy Spirit wants to rest on believers.
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:21-22 (NIV)
Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. The heavens opened and Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove. Luke was simply writing what he had seen; it was a true account. Just as Noah had sent out a dove, the Father sent out a dove and it found a place to rest- on Jesus.
What Noah had started, Jesus continued and passed it on to us- telling us to multiply and replenish the earth. We are to replicate ourselves, filling the earth with believers. The dove went out in Noah’s day, then in Jesus’ day, and it is going out today.
God sends the dove of His Spirit upon all flesh. Holy Spirit then finds a place to rest- on those who choose Christ. When we make this choice, new life begins. We receive new beginnings in Christ. Then, we can receive empowerment through the baptism of the Holy Spirit just as Jesus did. We will hear from heaven and see what heaven can do on earth just as Noah did.
Holy Spirit has been sent to this nation two times for Awakenings, and the third and final great Awakening is upon us now. God has new things for us, even now in this world. God is removing the old and bringing in a new God-order. There will be better things, and we will see heaven open and the Spirit will move across the land. We’ll find God’s love and acceptance, and we’ll hear God speak to us: “You are my children whom I love and with whom I am well-pleased.” We’ll go forth in victory, living in the new, blessed life God has for us.
