You remember that in the moment when Christ was baptized in the Jordan the Holy Spirit fell upon Him like a dove, that emblem of purity and gentleness, not like “fire,” but like a dove. The dove had found, so to speak, a resting place. You will remember also that when Noah sent out the dove from his ark, he sent it out twice, and it came back. And why? Because there was nothing on the water but carrion, and there was no resting place for the feet of the dove. At length, on the third occasion, the dove found something above the water as a resting place; in a resurrection scene she found a place to rest her feet.

And long did the Holy Spirit hover over this world before He could find a resting place. At length He came in the figure of a dove on Jesus. The Holy Spirit had hovered over the world for four thousand long years, and what did He see? Moral carrion everywhere! Mark it, weigh it, challenge it if you like! He had seen nothing but moral carrion. What do you mean, you may ask, by moral carrion? That which is dead, offensive, and only fit for the scavenger. He saw man, every man, in his real state of sin as God sees him.

Sin was everywhere; but at length comes the moment when a sinless, holy Man appears in this scene, and the Holy Spirit falls upon Him like a dove. At last the heavenly Dove has found a resting-place in this world of sin. Ah, it was a marvelous moment. Why did He not rest on others? There was, you see, sin everywhere. Redemption was not accomplished. But at length there comes One on whom He can rest, in virtue of what He was in His own Person, sinless, the Holy One of God, and upon Him the Holy Spirit falls, like a dove, and abides upon Him.