The Spirit’s descent signaled the end of judgment and the start of a new era (see Genesis 8:8–12), just as John’s baptism was a sign of salvation before the coming judgment (Matthew 3:6–7).
Already in Genesis 1:2, the work of the Holy Spirit is shown in the image of a bird hovering over the earth. As a bird brings an egg to full development by brooding over it, so the work of the Spirit is to bring God’s work to completion. The dove is a bird that is honoured for the whiteness of its appearance and its nature (Psalm 68:14). It also descends in a stately manner and is therefore appropriate as an image of the Spirit.
By descending like a dove
when John baptized Jesus, the descent of the Holy Spirit signaled the end of judgment and the beginning of a new era (see Genesis 8:8–12), just like the baptism of John served as a sign of salvation in the midst of the coming judgment (Matthew 3:6–7).1
Already in Genesis 1:2, the work of the Holy Spirit is presented with the image of a bird hovering over the earth. Just as a bird brings the egg to full development, to its purpose, by brooding over it, so the work of the Spirit is to bring God’s work to completion. Among birds, the dove is one that is honoured for the whiteness of its appearance and its nature (Psalm 68:14). It also descends in a stately manner and is therefore most suitable to serve as an image of the Spirit.2
16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;