The Dove

Genesis 8:8-12 ESV 

Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. 9 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. 10 He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. 11 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. 12 He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.

John 1:32-33

Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. ’

      God speaks to us about the same thing in these two accounts.  In Genesis, Noah releases the dove for a sign of dry land. The first time the dove returns empty handed. This could remind us of Adam's failure. The second time the dove returns with an olive branch. This could remind us of Israel's failure as a vessel for the Spirit. The third time the dove is released it does not come back.  It has found a place on earth.

     In John's Gospel we see the dove descend on Jesus and remain. The Spirit has at last found a twig of life in the branch of Jesse as prophesied. He is then poured out on the people as was also prophesied. 

     The water recedes around Noah and life on earth begins anew. Those that entered the ark live.

      In Revelation we find the pattern of the flood account repeated. The sea disappears and is no more. Those that entered the body of Christ will live on a new earth.