The Spirit of the Living God is Hovering

Into the darkness and emptiness the Spirit of God was brooding over the face of the deep. As a brooding hen nesting over her chicks, the Spirit of God in love and concern filled the void with light and life. God the Father, Son and Spirit breathed life into the heavens and the earth, and it was good. As you listen be blessed, empowered and transformed in Jesus name.

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Transcript

00:00 Intro music and voice over.

Welcome to jesus loves the world podcast. For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name! 

00:21 Speaker

Into the darkness and emptiness the Spirit of God was brooding over the face of the deep. As a brooding hen nesting over her chicks, the Spirit of God in love and concern filled the void with light and life. God the Father, Son and Spirit breathed life into the heavens and the earth, and it was good.

Let us read Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

As the text reveals the earth was without form. It was void and the darkness was there over the face of the deep. 

Without form and void means that there nothing was defined. There was no shape or colour, identity or life. Only an emptiness. A wasteland of nothingness that existed without life or purpose. 

But the Spirit of the living God was hovering over the face of the waters.

This word that has been translated as hovering is used to reveal the divine nurturing, brooding, relational nature of God.

So God’s nurturing, brooding, relational nature is hovering, preparing to fill the darkness with light and the void with life. In love and intimacy, concern and purpose, the eternal voice of the living God speaks. As the elements of God’s creation surrender to the will of God, they come forth into being. 

The earth is no longer without form and void, identity and purpose. It is now beaming with light and life. Everything is perfect, as everything is very good. It is a beautiful expression of the living God. As it is a living sanctuary for God’s creation to live in perfect peace and equality. Communing with their creator and each other.  

However as humanity gave over their God given dominion to their selfish desires and evil, God’s once perfect creation is now damaged. It’s purpose and identity is marred. Once again there is a place that has only emptiness, is worthless and exists without life and purpose.  

Yet the nurturing life giving work of God continues throughout the ages. Both the Old and New Testament testify to this. His brooding, relational nature is most evident through His relationship with His creation and especially with humanity. That is individuals and people groups. 

The next time the word that has been translated as hovering in Genesis 1:2 is used in the book of Deuteronomy. This time in the context of God and His relationship with the Ancient Israelites. 

Deuteronomy 32:9-12 For the LORD’s portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance. “He found him in a desert land And in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. As an eagle stirs up its nest, Hovers over its young, Spreading out its wings, taking them up, Carrying them on its wings, So the LORD alone led him, And there was no foreign god with him.

This word that has been translated as wasteland is also the exact same word used in the original language that has been translated as without form in Genesis 1:2. That is worthless, empty without colour or shape. It is a state of existence that is devoid of life and purpose. A desert land, a wasteland that is described as a howling wilderness. 

A howling wilderness in this instance is a solitary and desolate place. Empty and worthless. As the Ancient Israelites, having given up their identity of God being their God, have also given up their purpose. As their purpose through the eyes of the surrounding nations is to be His. That is the apple of His eye. So that in relationship with the one true God would testify of who God us to the surrounding nations. 

As it is God’s brooding, relational nature to want to reveal Himself to the surrounding nations. So they too can make an informed choice to receive Him or reject Him. To choose life over death and purpose over emptiness.

So God’s nurturing, brooding, relational nature of His divine presence is hovering. Again preparing to fill the darkness with light and the void with life. This time into a people group that said they were His, yet unlike God’s original creation, did not surrender to the will of God. For the majority had chosen to go their own way without God. They had turned their back on Him and denied their only pathway to salvation. That is the living God Himself.    

Yet the brooding, hovering nature of God was still there with them. The divine relational nature of God never changes. Even in the rebellion of the Ancient Israelites, God continued to nurture and hover over them. He journeyed with them through the wilderness and continued to hover over them.

Even when the Ancient Israelites wandered into the spiritual wasteland of solitude and desolation, God was there. For His hovering, nurturing and brooding nature never changes. 

In relationship with the Ancient Israelites, God uses the word picture of an eagle hovering over its young to represent not only His naturing, brooding nature or character, but also His mighty power. 

As God is relational, His nurturing brooding nature is intertwined with His covenant of love. 

A covenant that is a binding agreement or commitment to an intimate relationship between two parties. In this instance it is the covenant that God has made with humanity. It is a divine covenant that is initiated, maintained and fulfilled by God. 

Yet to live in the reality of this divine covenant, both parties have to agree. That is God has chosen to be their God and humanity has chosen to be His people. 

So the intimate and personal love of God in relationship with the Ancient Israelites is likened to an eagle brooding over its young. Not only brooding, but spreading out its wings, taking them up and carrying them intimately and personally on His wings of His presence.

This is not a literal representation of God’s form or shape. For He is Spirit. It is however beautiful imagery that reveals God’s love and identity, responsibility and loyalty, empowerment and honour. All of which He continually gives freely in all that He does. 

Interestingly in this world damaged by evil, the relationship between the eagle parents and their offspring is different. The eagle parent does not carry the young upon their wings. Instead when they are old enough, the young eagles are forced by the parents to leave the nest to go catch the wind for themselves. So the eagle parent teaches their young that when they are old enough, they are to spread out their wings and wait for the updraft. That is the breath of warm wind to propel them effortlessly into the sky of this earth.

This is a beautiful picture of how God teaches us to be at rest in Him. To wait to be led by His Spirit and be carried into the unending depths of His great love. God, unlike the eagles with their young, never left humanity, including the Ancient Israelites. Instead He was always with them, hovering over them and carrying them on His warm breath of love. Enabling the Ancient Israelites to soar with Him in the heights of His covenant. If only they were willing.

All that was required of the Ancient Israelites was for them to have a willing heart and give their total allegiance to God. To be immersed in His covenant of love and identity, responsibility and loyalty, empowerment and honour, by worshipping only Him. For the covenant of the divine is initiated, maintained and sustained by Him. We simply live in continual surrender of Him.

Even in the Ancient Israelites’ rebellion, the brooding nature of God never changed. The Spirit of the living God hovered over them and carried them through their wilderness journey. He carried them intimately and personally, on His warm embrace. 

Soaring on the wings of the divine, the Ancient Israelites could be immersed in God. In His presence, dwelling in a sanctuary of peace and harmony, empowerment and freedom. 

So God carried them to their place of inheritance and rest of being immersed in Him. Being immersed in His covenant of love and identity, responsibility and loyalty, empowerment and honour, by worshipping only Him. A covenant that is only found and experienced by being enjoined with God Himself. That is saying yes to God and giving total allegiance to Him.

As God’s brooding nature never changes. He is the same towards all humanity. Yet it is only those who are willing to enter into His covenant, who are enjoined with Him. Having chosen to receive Him, are carried in His warm embrace, through this life journey to His eternal paradise with Him.  

Let us go to that moment in time when God the Son became human in Jesus. When again God brought light into the darkness and life into the void. This time Jesus Laments over those who will never receive Him, receive God. Especially those of the Jewish bloodline of the Ancient Israelites.  

Matthew 23:37-39 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ” 

In this lament, Jesus reveals the brooding, relational character of God. As Jesus laments over the unwillingness of humanity, in this instance those of Jewish bloodline in receiving Him, He reveals the result. That their dwelling place, which God originally designed to be a living sanctuary communing with Him, is desolate. 

The word that has been translated as desolate is rich in meaning. It is to be alone, in waste, solitary and a wilderness. 

Again God is using a rich word picture to reveal His nurturing, brooding, relational nature. For it is God’s desire that none should perish and that all would willingly choose Him. As in choosing Jesus, choosing God, they would live in the reality of being enjoined with Him. Thriving in the state of original intention and purpose. That is to be in His presence, dwelling in a sanctuary of peace and harmony, empowerment and freedom. Together one in Him for all eternity. 

God and His nurturing, brooding, relational nature never changes. So for us today the Spirit of the living God continues to hover. 

Even in the wasteland of the finite and futile selfish ambitions of this world, God is there. He is hovering, waiting, desiring to bring His eternal identity and purpose into the void. An identity and purpose that cannot be taken or lost. A purpose that is divine and eternal. Wrapped up in the identity of being a child of the living God.

Even in the solitude and desolation of the inequality and injustices of this world, God is there. He is hovering, waiting, desiring to bring His eternal relationship of love and loyalty, equality and honour into the isolation, exclusion and shame.

Even in the emotional and spiritual darkness of this world, God is there. He is hovering, waiting, desiring to bring His eternal light and worth into the emptiness and worthlessness of this life without God. His light is the revelation of who He is and all He has done. Pushing back the darkness He continues to reveal Himself to individuals and people groups in way they can understand. For God has placed the highest value on each individual and people group throughout the ages. He became human and lived, died, rose and ascended on high. He did it all for the one. The one who would be willing to receive the highest value that He has placed on our salvation. That is Himself.

So the the Spirit of the living God is hovering. Brooding and waiting for anyone who is willing to enter into His covenant of love and identity, responsibility and loyalty, empowerment and honour, and worship only Him. 

For it is only in Him that we can truly live. Being immersed in His warm embrace, He carries us above the effects of the storms of this life. 

The Spirit of the living God is hovering. Brooding, nurturing all who are willing to His eternal sanctuary of peace and harmony with Him. 

19:40 Outro music and voice over. 

For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name!