Matins Devotions: March 11, 2025

Genesis 7:11-8:12

Why does the Holy Spirit descend on Christ in the form of a dove after His baptism? The answer, of course, is because of baptism’s connection to the waters of the flood. The dove in the flood goes out from the ark, first returning before it’s safe to leave, then returning with an olive leaf to show that life has returned to the earth, then departing into the world and not returning. So what’s the connection with baptism when the Holy Spirit descends on Christ in the form of a dove?

It’s the same promise taken beyond the boundaries of this earthly life and spread into eternity. Christ has placed His righteousness into the waters of baptism. He will now go to the cross and destroy your sinful nature. He will rise from the dead and give you the right to live forever. Then the Spirit will make that death and resurrection your own in the waters of Holy Baptism. 

And so, when Christ comes out of the water, what is the dove-appearing-Spirit declaring? He’s declaring what was first declared with the olive leaf. Life has now come into this world of death and sin. New life is budding. Salvation is blooming. The Savior has arrived who will cast out demons, raise the dead, conquer Satan, forgive our sin, give eternal life to all who believe, and usher in a new heavens and a new earth. Likewise, just as Noah’s dove doesn’t return, the dove-appearing Spirit shows that, after Christ ascends to the right hand of the Father, He won’t come back to us as He did the first time. He won’t come to us in lowliness, in meekness, but in majesty and triumph, surrounded by clouds and power as He brings forth the new heavens and the new earth. And so we wait for that day in all confidence. Just as Noah’s dove proclaimed that it was safe for those saints to inherit the new earth, so the Spirit’s dove tells us that our baptism has given us the right to follow our Lord into His eternal kingdom.