Never Again a ‘Raven’

21 Sept 2013 by Adeline Lum CM-

 

Rev Samuel Rodriguez, anointed speaker of the Lord, spoke about the ‘dove’ and the ‘raven’ in Noah at the World Pentecostal Conference 2013 in Calvary Convention Center on August 29.

 

 

After 40 days of the flood, Noah first sent out a raven. Then, he sent out the dove to see if the water has receded, in which it returned the second time it was sent out with a freshly plucked leaf (Genesis 9:6-12).

What do the ‘raven’ and ‘dove’ metaphorically signify?

The ravens are scavengers of dead animals, representing the death of spirit, i.e. a dead dream, a dead ministry, a dead anointing, a dead integrity, and a dead loving person. On the other hand, the doves bring the hope of life! It carried a freshly plucked olive tree, signifying the presence of oil, which represented the anointment by the Holy Spirit.

 

 

While the ‘raven’ carried the meaning of the past, the ‘dove’ showed us the future. The ‘raven’ reminded us of the hell we went through; the ‘dove’ showed us the Heaven we are going to. The ‘raven’ says that we are victims; the ‘dove’ says that we are more than conquerors. The ‘raven’ says ‘look at what the devil did’; the dove says ‘look at what the Lord did!’

Even finding an olive tree had profound meanings. When Rodriguez was in Israel, he was intrigued to find that the age of an olive tree could stretch to over 1500-years-old. Owing its longevity to living in the rocks, it made sense why the olive tree was one of the first trees that emerged after a disaster.

“The tour guide told me, ‘As long as the root is embedded in the rock, the olive tree would live.’ As long as the rock does not move, the olive tree would last!” said Rodriguez.

And like the olive tree, no matter what disasters we are confronting, we have nothing to be afraid of but to thrive in our God, the immovable rock.

 

 

“Some of you are in the season of the raven. I declare in the name of Jesus that this season is the season of dove, not raven. The season of rave is over!” said Rodriguez.

What significance can we find in the dove?

Firstly, a dove represents life that only the Holy Spirit can bring. We was humans cannot bring anything to life (John 6:63).

 

John 6:63

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.

 

Secondly, the dove represents God’s holiness, for it is written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy’ (1 Peter 1:16).

 

 

Thirdly, the dove represents the freedom brought by God (2 Cor 3:17, Romans 8:1)

 

2 Cor 3:17

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

 

Romans 8:1

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

 

Fourthly, the dove represented power in God (Acts 1:8).

 

Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

 

Recognizing the many blessings of the Holy Spirit, we could not keep quiet but sing and proclaim our praises to the Lord. Pentecostal churches are not too ‘exuberant’ and ‘noisy’ for their own good according to some commentaries, but they are effective and free in expressing their emotion toward the Lord.

“The very first thing that Noah did when he came down from the ark was not to hold a press conference but to build God an altar place to offer sacrifice,” said Rodriguez. “Noah praised and worshipped the Lord!”

In fact, the praise was so powerful that God said, “Never again will I curse men and send the flood.” It reminded God the very reason He created men, so much so that God blessed Noah to be fruitful and multiply (Gen 9:1).

 

 

We don’t know how powerful praise and worship could be. In a National Geographic program, Rodriguez watched how dying lion released a loud roar despite its apparent weakness when its enemies attempted to steal its possessions and cubs away.

“As long as the lion can roar, the enemy understands it cannot take any thing away from us. We have a commitment to offer praise and worship God,” said Rodriguez.

Growing up in United States, he suffered from ‘cultural myopia’ in the different styles of worship.

“Worship does not depend on nationalities but a small group of people who knew how to worship. The size of your praise is proportionate to the magnitude of the hell God took you off!” said Rodriguez.

 

 

“No more ravens in your life! Never again, never again, never again… Receive the doves! I am here to prophesy over you that your flood season is over, open up your window and the dove has been brought into your life,” said Rev Samuel Rodriguez to a crowd of people who stood affront to receive the anointment.

Are you in a ‘raven’ or a ‘dove’ season now? If we plant our faith like the olive tree in the immovable rock of our Lord Jesus, we will survive and thrive even in the ‘raven’ season. The ‘dove’ season is coming! And while we wait for it, let us make some noise, singing and praising our God for his love and sovereignty. Hallelujah!

 

Note: The Wall Street Journal identified Rev Samuel Rodriguez as one of America’s seven most influential Hispanic leaders, with him as the only religious leader on the list. He is the president of The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, which is America’s largest Hispanic Christian Organization with over 30,000 member churches.