The Olive Leaf

God has always intended for man to be brought back to Himself through His Spirit. 

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The first mention of the dove in the Bible is from the first book of the Bible, Genesis, the book of beginnings.  Yes, where it all began is an important concept.

We are all familiar with the picture of the dove with an olive branch in its mouth.  This image has become a symbol of world peace.  

What was God implying by sending forth a dove into the world after He had destroyed the earth with the flood?

It began with the Noah’s Ark story.  Noah and his family are contained within the ark, and we are told that “The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.”  Genesis 7: 24

That’s about five months, which is equivalent to almost half a year!  That’s a long time!  After the flood occurred, we read one very important verse, God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and He sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.”  Genesis 8: 1

  • When God remembers, it is to express concern for someone to act with loving care.  
  • When God remembers His people, He does so with favor.

The word wind in the Hebrew context here is Spirit. God sends a wind describing a new beginning.  It had to be made new because the earth was just entirely flooded and destroyed.  

In the New Testament, where else does God send a wind for a new beginning?  If you guessed the day of Pentecost in Acts 2: 2, you are correct.  “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.”  

  • A blowing wind indicates a new beginning.  

He sent fire with the wind on this occasion. But I want to focus on the wind for now.  

The “ruach” (Hebrew) of God is His Spirit, breath, or wind. When God breathes on something, it’s done!  

What happens next after God sends the wind over the earth and the water receded after the flood?  Noah sends out a raven first through the window, but apparently the raven did not return.  Ravens feed upon dead, floating carcasses.  

My question is, “Why a raven first?’  What significance does a raven have?  

Could God be saying, “What was dead and unclean shall now be washed, new, and made alive by my Spirit?  

A raven was considered an unclean bird.  However, Elijah was fed by a raven to sustain him!  (1 Kings 17: 1-24)  

If there is one thing I have learned by following the Lord is that God usually does not use rational and conventional ways to bring things to pass.  He often uses unconventional ways that make no sense in the natural.  Remember, however, we serve a supernatural, all-powerful Creator.  

The next bird Noah sends forth from the ark is the dove, but the “Dove could find no place to set its feet because there was water over all the surface of the earth, so it returned to Noah in the Ark.”  Genesis 8: 9a

  • The Spirit of God is still crying out today, “Return to me.”  

“He (Noah) reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark.”  Genesis 8: 9b

  • God has always intended for man to be brought back to Himself through His Spirit. 

In Noah’s waiting time, seven more days, Noah tried again and sent forth the dove. 

  • Seven indicates perfect timing.  
  • God’s timing is always perfect, even if it seems like delay. 
  • God has a set time for everything.  

At this point, I’m sure Noah and his family were all anxious to exit the ark.  Five months with smelly animals, and now a little ventilation is occurring, and they can see the rain stopped with the blue sky above.  They were awaiting their time of release.  

Now, after the seven days, the time of completion, the time of waiting is over, and the dove was once again sent forth.  “The dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!”  Genesis 8: 11

The dove was then sent out a third time but did not return.  

The dove’s place would be in the earth to establish new life.  

An olive leaf in the mouth of the dove indicated that the waters had receded, and new life had sprouted on the earth.  The olive tree was alive and growing.  The promise of the dove’s olive leaf was a new beginning for humanity, peace, and reconciliation with God, renewal, and revival.  

What’s the significance of olive trees? 

Some of the oldest olive trees in the world still grow today in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. We stood under one that is still located in the Garden of Gethsemane.  It’s huge, very tall, and very old, yet still thriving.  

The anointing from the Anointed One (Jesus) sustains and carries us to new heights.  

Olive tree oil is symbolic of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, as it was used as the carrier for a mixture of spices that made up the holy anointing oil.   As in other Old Testament analogies, God’s Holy Spirit is represented by the oil of the olive tree. 

Could this be a prophetic analogy that after the flood, God was making sure, when He was reestablishing the earth, that the Spirit of God will be sent forth into the earth to recover all that was destroyed.  

He would bring man, once again, to Himself, through the Anointed One Jesus that He would send into the earth.  

The prophet Isaiah prophesied it, and Jesus proclaimed it about Himself, saying, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives…Isaiah 61: 1 

It’s the anointing of the Spirit that sets us free.  

He still is being released as men and women of God open their hands and hearts to let Him do His releasing power and work.  

God wants to open the windows of heaven, as He opened the window of the ark, to release upon the earth the oil of His Spirit.  

He did that through Jesus when He walked on the earth; now He does that through us, the anointed ones, Jesus’ followers. 

Jesus said, “Follow Me!”  That two-word phrase indicates “Follow Me in Word and deed.”

 


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About the Author

Mary Beth Pecora, a faithful wife, mother, grandmother, friend, worshiper and servant leader, who loves life and loves people. More importantly, she passionately loves God and the fullness of who He is! For twenty-three years she has served in leadership positions within the ministry of Aglow International. Currently, she and her husband serve at The Secret Place--A Psalm 91 Ministry. It's a place for individual folks to come, be exhorted and prayed for, while being ushered to ministry stations within the room. They continue to serve monthly in the Prayer Room at their home church that they have been a part of for almost forty years. In April of 2022 they both received their Ministry License and were Ordained in May of 2023. She delights in encouraging folks of all ages within various walks of life. Her love of writing is now her passion, which led her to publish two books, "Restoration Explosion In The New Year," and "Navigating The Mysteries Of God." Above all that’s been accomplished and concluded, the BEST thing to her is knowing her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is her everything—her very best friend. Visit: Mybelovedsvoice.com

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