Genesis 8:11-12
“Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore.”
INSIGHT
-Dove in Hebrew is written as yonah. Both the dove & the olive leaves are signs of the Holy Spirit. Also, the dove has 9 main feathers on each wing which signify the gifts & fruit of the Holy Spirit.
-After the floods; Noah deliberately sent a dove leaving all the other birds, which was symbolic to seeking the help of the Holy Spirit. He sent the dove for the first time but returned because the water was not settled. Sometimes we have many issues in our hearts like anger, hatred etc. which hinder the Holy Spirit from dwelling in us. We remember David in Psalm 51:11 where he requested God not to take the Holy Spirit away from him because he had sinned. It is necessary for us to thirst for righteousness so that we may be filled (Mat 5:6). After seven/ complete days; Noah sent the dove again & came back with an olive leaf which was a sign of hope for Noah & his family. This also relates to changes that take place in our lives when we seek God & He purifies us each day. After another seven days the dove was sent & did not return as the Holy Spirit goes before us to direct us in all our ways.
PRAYER
We thank You Lord & give You praise for all You have done unto us. We ask that You forgive us all our sins & sins of the whole world. Many have lost their loved ones & lost property in floods; have mercy on them Lord, restore them & give them peace. Remember Your covenant with Noah Father; that You will never destroy all mankind with a flood again, have mercy on us Lord. Fill us with Your gifts & fruit Holy Spirit we completely submit to You that we may always do Your will. Amen
2 Kings 6:25-26
“And there was a great famine in Samaria; and indeed they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one-fourth of a kab of dove droppings for five shekels of silver. Then, as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!”
INSIGHT
-The Syrian army led by king Ben-Hadad besieged Samaria cutting off all the food supplies into the city. The famine was so great that a donkey’s head was sold for 80 shekels approximately usd. 23 & a measure of dove droppings for 5 shekels approximately usd. 1.5. The woman who was crying to the king of Israel had boiled her son for food the previous day & wanted the other woman they had a pact with to release her hidden son for that days meal. She desperately cried to the king for justice instead of asking for food; that a decree may be made for the other woman to release her son. In their desperation; Samaritans got to their lowest point of lack & ate anything available for survival. Elisha the prophet prophecies that flour & barley would be sold at the gate of Samaria for a shekel & it came to pass. Prophet Elisha’s message focused on Gods’ power of provision which the king & the people did not value at the time.
PRAYER
We thank You Lord our Father for the provision & protection that You have always bestowed unto us, our families & nation. Remember Lord all those who are dying of hunger & provide for all individuals & nations which suffer lack for the glory of Your name. You know our hearts Lord, purify us & fulfill our hearts desires according to Your will. All glory & honor belong to You, forever. Amen
Song of Solomon 6:9
My dove, my perfect one, Is the only one, The only one of her mother, The favorite of the one who bore her. The daughters saw her And called her blessed, The queens and the concubines, And they praised her.”
INSIGHT
-King Solomon praises the Shulamite woman for her beauty. He compares the beautiful woman to a dove with praises for her exceptional glamour which is the delight of most ladies. The dove is also a symbol of purity & true believers possess this beauty of holiness.
PRAYER
You are our Saviour Lord from everlasting to everlasting we praise You. We humbly implore You Father to help all the unmarried find good spouses so that they may be united in marriage & obtain favor from You Lord. Help all those who have low self esteem to cast out all fear & shame from their hearts & to develop confidence in You. Purify our hearts Father that we may see You in successful marriages all over the world. Amen
John 1:32-34
“And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptise with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptises with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
INSIGHT
-John the Baptist baptized with water at the river Jordan preaching repentance of sin & witnessed that Jesus baptizes by the Spirit in fulfilling all righteousness by His blood. The dove was a physical sign of the Holy Spirit descending & remaining on Jesus. The three witnesses in heaven; the Father confirmed that Christ is His Son after Jesus was baptized with water & the Spirit completed the cycle by descending upon Him as documented in 1 John 5:6-8. John truly witnessed Christ having seen the Light that came to save mankind from all darkness & enlightens us to let our light shine upon all men so that others may know Him & believe in Him for eternal life.
PRAYER
Jesus Christ our Redeemer, You shed blood for all mankind that we may live in light & witness Your works in our daily lives, have mercy on us. Help us to be Your true witnesses in all our words & deeds that through us others may believe in You. Dwell in us Holy Spirit that we may forever enjoy Your kingdom presence by Your grace in all the earth. Amen
Matthew 10:16
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”
INSIGHT
-Jesus commissioned the 12 apostles & gave them instructions to exercise wisdom & humility in their work of evangelisation. The dove is described here as a meek bird which portrays the fruit of humility. Sometimes we are faced by challenges or are compelled to make difficult decisions in our lives. We are reminded to remain calm & exercise wisdom so that the image of Christ remains in us.
SUMMARY
-Dove in Hebrew is written as yonah & is most commonly used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit & peace. Dove can also be used to describe a person who advocates for peaceful or conciliatory policies, especially in foreign affairs. Further, doves have 9 main feathers on each wing which signify the gifts & fruit of the Holy Spirit.
-Noah willingly sent a dove after the flood leaving all the other birds in the ark, which was symbolic to seeking the help of the Holy Spirit. He released the dove for the first time but it returned because the water was not settled. Sometimes our hearts are filled with anger, hatred etc. which hinders the Holy Spirit from dwelling in us. After seven days; Noah sent the dove again & it came back with an olive leaf which was a sign of hope for Noah & his family. God gives us hope for a better future as we continue to dwell in His presence. After another seven days the dove was sent again & did not return as the Holy Spirit goes before us to direct us in all our ways (Gen 8:11-12). King Solomon compares the dove to a beautiful woman ascribing her to his beloved Shulamite woman. He praises her for the exceptional glamour she possesses which would delight most ladies. The dove is also a symbol of purity & true believers possess this beauty of holiness (Songs of Solomon 6:9). The Syrian army led by king Ben-Hadad besieged Samaria cutting off all the food supplies into the city. Samaritans got to their lowest point of lack & ate anything available for survival including; doves droppings, donkey heads, their fellow human beings among others. Prophet Elisha prophesied that flour & barley would be available at the gate of Samaria for a shekel; placing his focus on Gods’ power of provision which the king & the citizens did not value at the time (2 kings 6:25-26). John the Baptist in John 1:32-34 became a true witness of Jesus by baptizing Him with water; Christ Who baptizes by the Spirit to fulfill all righteousness in redemption through His blood. After this baptism; God confirmed that Jesus is His Son & the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove fulfilling the Word according to 1 John 5:6-8. The dove is also described as meek; a fruit of the Holy Spirit which we seek everyday so that we may inherit the earth by our good works of peace & love.
PRAYER
Come Holy Spirit & fill our hearts with Your wisdom & humility for Your name sake. Help us to always be wise & remain calm at the wake of strife that Your peace may rein in all the earth. You have called us Your sons, guide us & our leaders to be agents of peace & love in all we say & do for the glory of Your name. Amen