In connection with the sending of the raven and the dove by Noah (Note: means ‘rest, comfort’) after the Flood, the waters of God’s righteousness, these were decisive. They were necessary for the ark to settle on God’s predestined height of Mount Ararat (cf. Genesis 8:4-5).
Genesis 8:4-5:
… 4 and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.
5 The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible.
… 4 and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.
5 The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible.
Here we can clearly see that it was not Noah who chose the place to settle, but God, by causing the waters to recede. The name ‘Ararat’ is translated ‘mirror’, which is a reference to reflection by faith (cf. 2 Corinthians 3:18).
2 Corinthians 3:18:
18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate [Note: like in a mirror] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate [Note: like in a mirror] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Noah’s Ark and the Spirit of God
Furthermore, the ark moved on or above the water in a similar way to the way the Spirit of God moved when the heavens and earth were created (cf. Genesis 1:1-2).
Genesis 1:1-2:
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Since we are not looking for a permanent place on earth, but for the everlasting one to come and the ark was ‘a vehicle of transition’ for Noah, his family and the animals, moving with the dynamics of the water, it reveals the importance of walking in the Spirit in connection with the right spiritual perspective to us today (cf. Romans 12:2 i.c.w. Hebrews 13:14).
Romans 12:2:
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Hebrews 13:14:
14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
For everyone who is born of the Spirit, this means that we do not know the starting point of the Holy Spirit as well as His destination (cf. John 3:7-8).
14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
For everyone who is born of the Spirit, this means that we do not know the starting point of the Holy Spirit as well as His destination (cf. John 3:7-8).
John 3:7-8:
7 You should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again.”
8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.’
7 You should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again.”
8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.’
For every believer in Christ Jesus who is born of the will of God, this means that you become a momentum of the Holy Spirit through the influence of the Spirit of God, because you reveal His work through your walk before men. If we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to work through us.
To this end, it is important that we allow the Spirit of prophecy, which is the testimony of Jesus, to work through our prophetic empowerment, which we have received by grace (cf. Revelation 19:10e).
Revelation 19:10e:
‘... 10e For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.’
‘... 10e For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.’
The Open Window and the Gift of Prophecy
This prophetic ability is similar to the window that Noah made for the ark in order to use it later, namely to allow the raven and the dove to fly (cf. Genesis 8:6-8 i.c.w. 1 Corinthians 14:1).
Genesis 8:6-8:
6 After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark 7 and sent out a raven, and it kept flying to and forth until the water had dried up from the earth.
8 Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground.
1 Corinthians 14:1:
1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.
1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.
It is no coincidence that the birds were created before man, namely on the fifth day of creation, and in this context point to a certain quality of the spirit.
In sending out the raven and the dove that followed, Noah initiated a phase of ‘contrast’ or opposition in the spiritual realm, in which we can find the meaning of our voluntary agreement or denial according to the biblical values in the form of our ‘Yes!’ and ‘No!’ (cf. Matthew 5:37).
Matthew 5:37:
37 All you need to say is simply “Yes,” or “No”; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
37 All you need to say is simply “Yes,” or “No”; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
A contrast denotes, for example, the difference between light and dark areas or colours within a picture or image. It is necessary that we move in the spirit of prophecy with the spiritual quality given to us by God in order to have the right perspective on the respective circumstances.
Only this helps us to correctly assess and evaluate complex circumstances from a spiritual perspective in a neutral way (Note: without emotional distortions) and in the sobriety of the spirit (cf. 1 Peter 5:8a).
1 Peter 5:8a:
8a Be alert and of sober mind. …
8a Be alert and of sober mind. …
Jesus also admonished His disciples to ‘watch’ and be active in prayer in order to offer holy resistance to the deception of the adversary (cf. Matthew 26:41a).
Matthew 26:41a
41a ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. …
41a ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. …
The word ‘to watch’ means to observe what comes out of yourself or other people and to pay attention to what is happening in the world around you.
Mount Ararat and the New Time
God, who is Spirit, led the ark to one of the mountain peaks of Mount Ararat, which is also an indication of being positioned at the right time of God (cf. John 4:24a).
John 4:24a:
24a God is spirit, …
The word used in Hebrew for peak or head (Note: Hebrew ‘rō'š’) goes hand in hand with the beginning of a biblical month or year which is Rosh Chodesh, Rosh Ha-Shanah. In such time frames, it is advisable and wise to put aside the past, i.e. to let go of the past and be ready to enter the new time with God.
The emphasis here is on spiritual consistency and developing the fruit of the Spirit in the form of patience. This is what the raven can point to in this context, among other things.
As already mentioned, the name ‘Noah’ means ‘rest, comfort’ and can be a reference to Christ Jesus, who is the Lord of the day of rest – the Sabbath (cf. Matthew 12:8).
Matthew 12:8:
‘… 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.’
‘… 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.’
Since both the raven and the dove have wings, they point to different powers of the Spirit, such as the raven, which refers to consistency, faithfulness and patience in the life of a believer. The dove, on the other hand, should serve as an indication of the presence of the Holy Spirit in connection with humility, who always takes from Christ to reveal the truth in the respective moment or phase (cf. John 16:13-15).
John 16:13-15:
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.
15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.’
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.
15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.’
The Olive Tree and the Dimension of God’s Rest
In this case, it was in God’s interest to reveal the hidden revelatory truth about the Messianic body of Christ in the form of the olive tree from the dimension of God’s rest as Noah waited seven days when sending out the dove (cf. Genesis 8:10-12 i.c.w. Romans 11:17-18).
Genesis 8:10-12:
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.
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.
Romans 11:17-18:
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
=> The understanding of God’s rest that includes resting in the finished work of Christ is a blessed perspective. Furthermore, one of the greatest blessings in a person’s life is to discover that Jesus Christ has truly won the victory and that we simply need to trust Him in this regard (cf. John 19:30 i.c.w. 1 Corinthians 15:54-57).
John 19:30:
30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
1 Corinthians 15:54-57:
54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written (cf. Isaiah 25:8; Hosea 13:14) will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’
55 ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written (cf. Isaiah 25:8; Hosea 13:14) will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’
55 ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Every believer should definitely enter into this rest in Christ.
However, even if we truly understand all that Jesus Christ has accomplished for us and experience His rest spiritually, we can still at certain times become physically and emotionally exhausted.
However, even if we truly understand all that Jesus Christ has accomplished for us and experience His rest spiritually, we can still at certain times become physically and emotionally exhausted.
God is not only interested in our spiritual side, but He wants to bless us in every area of our lives, because He created man as threefold, namely with one spirit, one soul and one body.
It is God longing for us to enter into His rest, and not just in a spiritual or theological way, but in a way that including enjoying His presence and joy each week (cf. Mark 2:27).
It is God longing for us to enter into His rest, and not just in a spiritual or theological way, but in a way that including enjoying His presence and joy each week (cf. Mark 2:27).
Mark 2:27:
27 Then he (Note: Jesus Christ) said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
27 Then he (Note: Jesus Christ) said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
Therefore, God has prepared special times for us personally as well as for our families so that we may rest by receiving the restoration of our strength.
This means times that have been specially prepared for us so that we can receive God’s goodness and new strength and thus be able to move forward and overcome the obstacles in order to follow our destiny. God wants us to stop at His special time and take time to remember that He is good (cf. Psalm 103:2).
Psalm 103:2:
2 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits – … <=
2 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits – … <=
(Note: The text set in ‘=>’ is based on the theme of God’s rest from the book ‘A Time To Advance’ (ISBN-13: 978-0-9791678-3-6; Glory Of Zion International) by Chuck D. Pierce with Robert and Linda Heidler).
In this context, the continuous flight of the raven at the time of Noah should serve us. In our spiritual walk of consistency and patience, we are dependent on the presence of the ‘dove’, i.e. the Holy Spirit, coming into our spiritual sphere in the dynamic of God’s rest in order to strengthen us in our walk of the Spirit, so that we find the sustenance of the prophets in the form of ‘the manna of heaven’ in the spiritual sphere and in this way increase in strength in our spiritual man (cf. Genesis 8:6-8 i.c.w. Matthew 3:16b; John 6:51; 1 Kings 17:4-6).
Genesis 8:6-8:
6 After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark 7 and sent out a raven, and it kept flying to and forth until the water had dried up from the earth.
8 Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground.
6 After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark 7 and sent out a raven, and it kept flying to and forth until the water had dried up from the earth.
8 Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground.
Matthew 3:16b:
… 16b At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
… 16b At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
John 6:51:
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live for ever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.’
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live for ever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.’
1 Kings 17:4-6:
4 You will drink from the brook, and I have instructed the ravens to supply you with food there.’
5 So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there.
6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
4 You will drink from the brook, and I have instructed the ravens to supply you with food there.’
5 So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there.
6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
The Two Birds and the Day of Mercy
In connection with the head area (Note: Hebrew ‘rō'š’) of the Beloved from the Song of Songs, which represents Jesus Christ, with the black plumage of the raven and the white plumage of the dove, it reveals to us that these are connected with the curls and the eyes of the LORD (cf. Song of Songs 5:11-12).
Song of Songs 5:11-12:
11 His head is purest gold; his hair is wavy and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves by the water streams, washed in milk, mounted like jewels.
11 His head is purest gold; his hair is wavy and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves by the water streams, washed in milk, mounted like jewels.
This includes a supernatural understanding of the mysteries of God’s Word (Note: curls => scrolls) and the right prophetic pure vision through the Spirit of wisdom and revelation based on pure faith (Note: gold; cf. Ephesians 1:17-18 i.c.w. Revelation 3:18a).
Ephesians 1:17-18:
17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, …
17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, …
Revelation 3:18a:
18a I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so that you can become rich; …
18a I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so that you can become rich; …
It is no coincidence that Noah used the creation of the fifth day - the birds - to check whether the water of the time of judgment decreased or not (cf. Genesis 1:20-23).
Genesis 1:20-23:
20 And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.”
21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”
23 And there was evening, and there was morning – the fifth day.
Through this sending of Noah, there was a so-called locating between the day of mercy and the day of judgment. It was the day of mercy that finished the judgment and announced the new day in creation.
This means in a prophetic context that Noah acted in the power of the grace of God which is represented by the number 5, and sent out both birds after the mountain tops became visible on the 11’th day of the biblical month ‘Av’. This biblical month means ‘fullness, fruit, father’.
Noah opened a new spiritual ‘window of time’ and by releasing the ‘contrast’ (Note: raven => black plumage; dove => white plumage) created a new day of grace amid the Father’s fullness.
In this context the black raven with its wings represents the evening and the white dove with its wings represents the day. Both birds are an indication of a spiritual time frame of the Father’s care.
It was the bird species of the raven that provided during a famine on God’s behalf at the brook Kerith for the prophet Elijah. And it was the bird species of the dove, whose form the Holy Spirit chose to settle on Jesus during His baptism, so that He went full of the Holy Spirit into the desert for testing (cf. 1 Kings 17:3-4 i.c.w. Luke 3:21-22; Luke 4:1).
1 Kings 17:3-4:
3 “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan.
4 You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”
Luke 3:21-22:
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Luke 4:1:
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, …
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, …
It is the Holy Spirit through whom we proclaim the Father in the spirit of Christ’s sonship and get to know the Father (cf. Romans 8:15 i.c.w. Galatians 4:6).
Romans 8:15:
15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
Galatians 4:6:
6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
Accordingly, through Noah, God manifested a new time frame of His grace, which was covered with His fatherly fullness, because with God the day begins with the evening and Noah also sent out the raven first and shortly afterwards a dove (cf. Genesis 1:1-5).
Genesis 1:1-5:
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.
5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.
5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day.
May this open window and the dynamics of God’s Spirit be felt in our lives in all that goes on in the fullness of God’s grace in this time of transition.
Amen and Amen.
In His Wisdom,
Daniel Glimm
