Title: The Holy Spirit as the Dove
Scripture: And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. – Matthew 3:16-17
The bible uses signs and symbol to represent an idea or characteristic, for example A circle and call that an emblem of eternity for it has neither beginning nor ending.The great soaring eagle is a sign of our mighty nation. The cross is a sign of the Christian faith.
The Dove is a significant symbol in scripture for the Holy Spirit.The dove is a peculiar bird. It describes the personality of the Holy Spirit. The dove is white which signifies purity, holiness and innocence. The dove is gentle in nature which is a fruit of the spirit (Gal. 5:22). It is a easy going and friendly bird promoting peace such as the Olympic Games, at various anti-war/anti-violence protests in comparison to other bird such as the vulture or raven
“And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” – Ephesians 4:30
Outward attitude of dove and inward wisdom of a serpent
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. – Matthew 10:16
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” – Colossians 4:5
We live a life of Caution.Snakes “keep a low profile.” It’s not un-Christian to be cautious and smart.The word Jesus used was “shrewd” which means perceptive, sharp-witted, and “on the ball.” Jesus wants His followers to understand that we live in “hostile territory.” Because of this, He warned us to be on our guard.This simply means avoiding recklessness. Our zeal and excitement for Jesus needs to be tempered by caution.
Doves are incredibly loyal to each other and work together to build their nest and raise their young. Because they tend to nest in areas that humans can watch, people picked up quickly on the idea that doves were dedicated, honorable and peaceful. Let the Spirit of God dwell richly in you today.
