January 21, 2023
Heavenly Messengers
“John testified saying, I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.” John 1:32-33 (NASB)
Many of us have bird feeders in our yards. I have several. I like to observe birds in their natural environments and behaviors. They are truly beautiful with the colors being so unique to each type. Some are completely different than others as well in every aspect. I learned a lot about birds over the years, but one seems to be a constant throughout the year in my yard. They are mourning doves. They seem to be the only ones who are at the feeder every day. They can also put away a lot of food too in a short amount of time. While they like camping out on the feeder it sometimes gets old. I like to see other birds too, but the mourning doves seem to chase them off. There is a lot of symbolism of mourning doves to some. One interesting comment was mourning doves are seen as spiritual messengers of peace, love, and faith. Another said, “these creatures reflect God’s nature because of their presence over so much of the world, symbolizing God’s omnipresence, as well as their nurturing nature reflecting His love.”[1]
Doves were also a tool which God has used throughout the Old and New Testament. The first dove played part in Noah’s life, locating dry ground in Genesis 8:8-12. This was the global flood. God judged and cleansed the earth of its wickedness by the flooding of the entire earth. After the rain stopped, Noah waited for the waters to recede. He first sent a raven and later a dove to explore the horizon. The dove was sent to explore if the waters had receded, but it returned finding no dry ground. After seven days, Noah sent the dove again, who returned with an olive leaf. Seven days after that, Noah sent out the dove, “but she did not return unto him again” (Gen. 8:12). The dove had completed its duty. Its message was affirmed.
In the New Testament passage above, John the Baptist reunites with Jesus Christ. Jesus approached him in order to be baptized. John, at this time, is baptizing other converts in the Jordan river. John records his thoughts as he baptized Jesus. He witnesses a dove who appeared out of heaven, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him” (verse 32). Previously, God communicated to John that this dove would identify the true Messiah. This Messiah was Jesus Christ. Think about it, God created and used a dove to affirm His Son’s arrival to mankind. It was all a part of His plan for John the Baptist to have the affirmation he needed when he witnessed that “this dove remained on Him.”
I choose each day to look at my bird feeder and see the beauty of God’s Creation. This is all possible because of my Heavenly Father. This gives each of us something to think about today as we read this passage. God used something we take for granted to authenticate Jesus Christ to John the Baptist. This affirmation in-part was through a dove which brought the Savior of the World! Today, appreciate the beauty your Heavenly Father has given for you reflect upon today. A simple dove with a majestic message!
[1] https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-do-doves-symbolize-in-the-bible.html