The Spirit Descending Like a Dove - John 1:32

John the apostle wrote how John the Baptist baptized and was confronted by religious leaders, “in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John saw Jesus coming unto him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water”, and in chapter one and verse thirty-two of his book, John shared how John the Baptist, “bore record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove” where we read:

And John bore record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove,

and it abode upon him.

The verse reads, “And John bore record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, ...” John began with the words, “And John bore record” which means “and John the Baptist testified and gave witness concerning Jesus”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “I saw the Spirit” or “I, John the Baptist, observed and noticed the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit who is coequal and coeternal with the Father and the Son” “descending from heaven” which means “coming down from the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it” “like a dove” or “in likeness to a dove”. John shared how John the Baptist testified concerning Jesus as he observed “the Holy Spirit of God” coming down from the sky in the form of a “dove”.

The verse continues, “... and it abode upon him.” John added the words, “and it abode” which means “and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove remained and tarried” “upon him” or “on Jesus”. John shared how John the Baptist observed the “Holy Spirit” of God coming as a form of a “dove” and resting upon the top of Jesus.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn how John the Baptist became aware of who Jesus was. John the Baptist observed the “Holy Spirit of God” coming down upon Jesus in the form of a “dove”. John the Baptist will say more about this in our next verse, but let it suffice us to know this was “God's sign” for His chosen Son Jesus to be recognized. Anyone who recognizes who Jesus is and yields their life to Him will be “saved” from the penalty of sin, and they shall receive everlasting life with God.

Next time John shares how John the Baptist says, “he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending … is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".