Newsletter — August 3, 2025
Your interpretive antenna should go up every time you hear or read a repeated word or phrase in the Scriptures. Why? Because God is connecting story to story as he reveals himself to us, teaching how his great love and promises fit together.
For example, we are told in Genesis 1:2 that “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” at creation. Well, guess who is hovering over Jesus at his baptism, his new “creation” as the anointed Christ? The dove, representing the Holy Spirit. In Jesus a new creation is beginning. But then you remember the dove that hovered over Noah’s waters in Genesis 9 until she found new ground and new growth, an olive branch? Noah was in a new creation. Deuteronomy 32:11 also speaks of the Lord “hovering” over the children of Israel at the time of the Exodus, teaching you that Israel was a new creation being formed by the Spirit of God. Gabriel draws on this imagery when he announces Jesus’ birth to Mary, saying that the Holy Spirit will “overshadow you, therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” The Holy Spirit brought about a new creation in Jesus! Very similar to John’s gospel language of “in the beginning was the Word, …” Jesus is the beginning of a new creation!
Are there more “hoverings” that signal a new creation? Sure, but I’ll just tell you of one more: Saul on the road to Damascus had Jesus speak to him out of a blinding light, but also had the Holy Spirit hover over him as Ananias laid hands on him to receive his sight. He was a new creation as scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. He was no longer a serpent, but now a Spirit-filled man!
Now, you think of some more!