The Dove and the Cloud

Jesus received his Father’s Spirit, as he did “all things,” by inheritance as the divine Son of God from eternity.

He received his Father’s Spirit when he came into the world to be “manifest in the flesh,” Immanuel, God with us. He received his Father’s Spirit when he was baptized, when he was transfigured, when he rose from death.

John the Baptist was told to watch for one upon whom he would see “the Spirit descending and remaining” John 1:33. We, too, must see the One upon whom the Spirit descended and abode. We must “look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith” Heb 12:2. Jesus wants to give to us what his Father gave to him—His glory, His name, His word, His Spirit. Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Spirit and with fire. As the Father baptized His Son with His own Spirit, so Jesus baptizes us with his own Spirit.

John did not know him (verse 31). But John was aware that Jesus was “mightier” than himself (Matt 3:11). John understood that Jesus would “baptize with the Holy Spirit” John 1:33. But John misapplied the prophecies concerning the second coming to reap the earth’s harvest and “burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matt 3:12) fulfilled by the autumn feasts by combining them with the prophecies regarding the sacrifice of God’s Son, “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29) at his first coming as fulfilled by the spring feasts.

The day finally came when “the heavens were opened unto him” (John) and he “saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighted upon him” (Jesus) Matt 3:16, while Jesus was praying (Luke 3:21). The Holy Spirit was “in a bodily shape like a dove” Luke 3:22. Then a voice which came “from heaven said, This is my beloved Son” Matt 3:17, “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased” Luke 3:22.  This was the first of three times that Jesus heard the audible voice of his Father. With the first two times, the Father identifies Jesus as his beloved Son.

Isaiah had prophesied this. “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; my elect, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit on him” Isa 42:1. Matthew picked up on this as well, recognizing that these words applied to Jesus. “Isaiah said, Behold my Servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom I am well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him” Matt 12:18.  The dove was the Father’s Spirit, visibly appearing in recognition of His Son.

The second occurrence was on the mount of transfiguration. Jesus took Peter, James, and John “up into a high mountain” Matt 17:1. There he was “transfigured,” transformed, changed before their very eyes: his “face shining as the sun,” his clothes “white as the light.” After Moses and Elijah appeared, all six “entered into the cloud” Luke 9:34. “A bright cloud overshadowed them” Matt 17:5. Just as “the power of the most High” overshadowed Mary (Luke 1:35) when Jesus was “conceived of the Holy Spirit” Matt 1:20, the glorious visible presence of the Father appeared as a bright cloud overshadowing them. They did not see the Father. Jesus said “No man has seen the Father” John 6:46, “no man has seen God at any time” John 1:18, men have not even “seen his shape” John 5:37. But then “a voice from out of the cloud said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear him.”

Just like the Father’s witness at the baptism of Jesus, there was both a visible and audible manifestation of the Father’s presence. In one He appeared in a bodily form shaped like a dove, and in the other as a bright cloud.

Free from the Law of Sin

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

Is there condemnation if we are not in Jesus? Yes.

Where does that condemnation come from? 

From Satan, the Accuser of the brethren; he condemns us.

Then what is your answer to our accuser?   I am IN Christ Jesus.

Then Jesus will say to us, “Where are your accusers? Neither do I condemn thee.”

If I am in Jesus there is no condemnation.

Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  What is the Spirit? Let’s read on.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus

has made me free from the law of sin and death.

The Spirit of life is in Jesus the Anointed One.  Who anointed Jesus? His Father.

Hebrews 1:9  Therefore God, even thy God, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.  How did He anoint him?  Jesus said, The Spirit of the LORD is upon me and has anointed me…  The Spirit of the LORD Jehovah, his God and Father is the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus.  Why is the Spirit of the Father’s life in Jesus His Son?  John 5:26 For as the Father has life in Himself so has he GIVEN the Son to have life in himself.  Jesus has the life of his Father in himself which he received by inheritance as the Son of God.  The Spirit of the Father’s life is in Christ Jesus.

And the Father’s life operates on everything it touches; it is a law of cause and effect.

2Cor 3:18  By beholding we become changed, from glory unto glory. How? By the Spirit of the Lord.  By beholding what? “beholding…the glory of the Lord.” By beholding who?  Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith we are changed from our glory, the glory of man which is laid in the dust, unto His glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father—full of grace and truth.

For what the law could not do—what law? The law of the Spirit of the Father’s life? No. The law of sin and death.  And what is that law?  By walking after the flesh, beholding the things of this world with all its sin and death we are changed into sin and death.  So, it is the law of sin and death that “could not do”; the law of sin and death is powerless to do, why? In that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son who has in himself the Spirit of the Father’s life, was sent by God his father in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh;  that was the cause and what was the effect?  That the righteousness of the law (which law? The law of the Spirit of the Father’s life in Christ Jesus) might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh (obeying the law of sin and death), but after the Spirit of the Father’s life in Christ Jesus.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit (of life in Christ Jesus) the things of the Spirit (of the Father’s life which is in His Son).