Noah - Part II

Genesis 8:6-12

"So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. 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 to him anymore."

As I read these scriptures, I wondered what the difference was between the raven and the dove. It says the raven flew to and fro until the waters had dried up. After looking at different sites on the internet, ravens are known for being mischievious. I wonder if Noah sent the raven out and later thought, "Well, that idea didn't work. Let's try the dove." Ravens are also known as scavengers. We don't know if birds ate animal flesh before this point or not, but there was plenty of carcass to be eaten.

The dove, however, refused to leave the ark completely until she could find a place to rest her feet. I used www.crosswalk.com to look up every instance where the word dove is used in the Word. Here I write out the ones applicable to the dove finding rest.

Psalm 55:6
"So I said, 'Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.'"

Psalm 68:13
"Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, You will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold."

Jeremiah 48:28
"You who dwell in Moab, leave the cities and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove which makes her nest in the sides of the caves mouth."

Matthew 3:16
"When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him."

Mark 1:10
"And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove."

Luke 3:22
"And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, 'You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.'"

John 1:32
"And John bore witness saying, 'I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.'"

May the Holy Spirit rest upon you today. May it give you boldness to speak (Acts 4:31). May it be your teacher (John 14:26). Believers, remember that you are sealed with the Holy Spirit with promise (Ephesians 1:13 & 4:30). May the Holy Spirit rest upon you today.