The Dove And The Olive Branch: Flood Series Part 4.

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So far we have talked about how: #1.  Noah built the ark. #2.  It rained for forty days and nights. #3.  All life was destroyed on the earth except for the 8 people in the Ark. #4. The flood waters remained on the earth for 150 days (five months!). #5. The ark rested on the mountains of Ararat on the 17th day of the 7th month. 

The words in bold red letters are of monumental importance in this tale.  The numbers are especially critical to deeper understanding of the message the Holy Spirit wants to convey, which we covered in Part 3 of this series.

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In fact, all numbers in scripture have meaning and are not just there to make the Book thicker.  You can learn more about them and what they mean by following the link below to a short series on that topic:

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Verse 7 says that Noah sent out a raven which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth.  It never returned to him.  Why? Because ravens are carrion birds. There would never be any need for it to return to the ark as it would have found no lack of food. Floating in the flood waters on every side as far as the eye could see were the dead bodies of the creatures that died. {Ewww, yuk!}  The raven simply went from one dead body to the next to the next.  There was literally an overabundance of food.  

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This picture calls to mind the verse in Luke 12:24 that says “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!”

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As for the rain, it is counted as a blessing from God and falls on the just and the unjust.  God SO LOVED the world (unsaved) He sent His Son, and He feeds both the just…..the clean, blood-washed believers (doves)…..and the unjust…..the unclean/unsaved (ravens.)

The Dove.

The dove that Noah sent out, as I said, was a bit unusual.  Though they are counted as clean animals and are not carrion birds per sé, they are not necessarily averse to feeding on dead carcasses.  For some reason, however, this particular dove did not want to land on or feed on them.  Why?

The Holy Spirit, is painting pictures for us again!  This dove is a picture of the Holy Spirit!

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As you learned in an earlier part of this series, Noah’s name means “Rest.”  He sent the dove out, but she found no place on which to “REST” the sole of her foot.  Since she could not find a place of “REST” outside of the Ark, she returned to Noah IN the Ark.  In other words, she returned to “REST.”

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Matthew 3:16-17
“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. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’”

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The flood waters all around the ark were waters of judgment, of condemnation if you will.  They fell on the wicked people outside the ark, who were destroyed by the flood. The vessel that saved those who chose to come into the ark is a picture of all who have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus as their Redeemer.

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Outside the Ark, in other words, outside of Christ, are all the unsaved people who under condemnation because they have not asked Jesus into their hearts.  They refused Noah’s invitation to come into the Ark where there is safety and are represented by all the dead carcasses floating in the flood waters.

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Unfortunately, as you saw in part 3, the unsaved aren’t the only ones who are under condemnation.  Believers can be as well.  How?

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There is a WORLD OF DIFFERENCE between the Holy Spirit residing “IN” a person and resting “ON” someone.  

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Now, He comes and resides “IN” everyone the instant we are born again, to teach, direct, and to guide into all truth.  But if you are under the condemnatory preaching of the law and buy into legalistic, i.e., law-centric doctrine (Galatianism, legalism/mixture, “balance”) you can only have the Spirit IN you.  He will not rest “ON” those who feel condemned because they feel they have not lived up to the standard of the Law.

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Understand, this has nothing to do with your salvation.  You are forever saved when you say, “Yes” to Jesus. But understand, THE REAL POWER IS IN THE HOLY SPIRIT RESTING ON YOU.

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In the Old Testament, the prophets, judges, kings and others, raised up by God, had the mantle of the Holy Spirit “ON” them in some measure.  Thus, they were able to manifest His POWER.  They could not have had the Holy Spirit living “IN” them, like you and I, because the blood of bulls and goats could only cover, not cleanse, their sins.  

Jesus’ Perfect, sinless blood, however, cleanses our sins!  HALLELUJAH!

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Lacking In Power.

Now you understand why the Church at large seems to lack any real POWER or effectiveness.  The POWER of God through the Holy Spirit will not rest ON anyone who is under condemnation.

I reiterate:  This condemnation DOES NOT touch your righteousness in Christ. Thank God for that!

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It does, however, make life more difficult.  You see, It doesn’t matter what status you have, what level of education you’ve attained, your position in your Church, how many degrees you have, how many mission trips you’ve been on, or whether or not your Dad is the senior pastor.  Real and lasting breakthroughs, miracles, healings, divine health and all God’s greatest gifts remain elusive if you think you must somehow be good enough or do good enough to receive them from God.  You are, in effect, trying to earn God’s “FREE GIFTS” by your good works.  If you can earn it by merit, then it’s not a gift; it’s a reward.

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The Holy Spirit always appears like a dove.  Did you ever wonder why?  Me, too.  Well, no surprise, there’s a very good reason for that, another story in and of itself, so for more on that topic, you may follow the link below:

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I’ll give you a hint:  it has to do with the gifts and fruits of the Spirit. 😉🤭

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Timeline!

But fear not, Church!  I have good news! The scripture says that the Dove returned to Noah “in the evening” with a FRESHLY-PLUCKED OLIVE BRANCH in her mouth.  What does it mean?  It’s a timeline!  The Dove–the Spirit of Grace and truth–came in the evening on God’s prophetic time clock.  –

Church, we have just moved past midnight on that “kairós (prophetic)” time clock.  We have just crossed over into the early dawn hours of the third day, counting time the way God does. To Him, one day is “As a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.”  (See 2 Peter 3:8 ). By that reckoning, Jesus has only been gone only two days.  Remember what the scriptures said?  He rose from the dead, not “Early in the morning,” but “Very early” in the morning on the third day!  

That means the Lord will return in our lifetime! 🙌🏻 😁 

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(For more information on the exciting things in store for the Church on the third day, you may follow the link below:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2016/03/26/on-the-third-day-2/)

The olive leaf in the dove’s mouth was a “freshly plucked” leaf.  That means she didn’t find it floating in the water. Green color means “New Covenant.”  She had it in her mouth meaning she “speaks words of grace; New Covenant = NO LAW!”  AWESOME!

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It also signified that the flood waters–of judgment and condemnation–had almost completely abated.  Soon they would be able to step out onto dry, NO JUDGMENT GROUND, with a rainbow over their heads.  It was a brand new world, one where there are NO signs of the curse anywhere!

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Waters Of Judgment Receding.

The worldwide flood waters of condemnation via condemnatory preaching in our day are beginning to recede.  HALLELUJAH!  There are pockets of Grace everywhere you look:  Peaks of mountain tops showing through the waters. Some of you reading this are standing on some of those mountain peaks, wondering if you’re the only ones who get it, who know the truth.

As you look around, there are signs of the curse everywhere:  Believers who are sick, suffering lack, and not having victory in their lives. But the sound of The Dove is once again being heard in our world in these last days!  Seven days after she brought that olive branch to Noah, The Dove went out from him and never returned.

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That same Dove TODAY is proclaiming to us that the world wide floodwaters of this “Gospel of condemnation” are receding.  Soon we, like Noah, will step out into a brand new world where there will be no more mixture, no more legalism, no more Galatianism, and NO MORE SIGNS OF THE CURSE:  Sickness, disease, dying before your time…..and NO MORE CONDEMNATION from Levitical priests in our churches.

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The Melchizedek priesthood of those who preach from the pure gold of (Divine righteousness) from the Mercy Seat( Jesus), are taking over as THE GREATEST REVIVAL OF ALL TIME spreads across the globe. Unlike those of the past, this one is not based on law, but on PURE, RADICAL GRACE.  It is happening NOW and already so much greater!  It is GLOBAL and bigger than ALL OTHER REVIVALS COMBINED!

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That, Church, is the message of the Dove and the Olive Branch.

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You may follow the link below to part 5 where we’ll be discussing the Covenant of th Rainbow: