Why is the dove often used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit?

[Siddhi Koli]

why holy spirit looks like dove

Matthew 3:16
King James Version​

16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

Mattityahu 3:16

Orthodox Jewish Bible​

​16 And having received the tevilah in the Yarden’s mikveh mayim, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach immediately came up. And, hinei! The Shomayim were opened to him, and he saw the Ruach Hakodesh of Hashem descending like a yonah (dove) and coming upon him.

Luke 3:22​

King James Version​

22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

Lukas 3:22

Orthodox Jewish Bible​

​​22 And the Ruach Hakodesh descended in demut gashmit as a yonah upon Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach; and then came a bat kol out of Shomayim, saying, ATAH BNI AHUVI ASHER BCHA CHAFATSTI
​

 

[Margery]

The Dove is a gentle bird, not a predator, but a timid gentle animal.

The Holy Spirit is gentle, not a predator waiting to devour it's prey, watching for mistakes, but a gentle comforter.

 

[Baby Yoda]

Interesting thing (at least to me) For years we have heard "whooo, whoooo" from our trees, thinking it was an owl.

We got the "Merlin" app on hubby's phone and learned it was actually cooing from a "mourning dove."

 

[Siddhi Koli]

The Holy Spirit appeared in the car to me in white, not gray.

 

[dwb]

The Holy Spirit appeared in the car to me in white, not gray.

I had something happen to me a few years ago that I have never spoken about to anyone but my wife. I was in bed one night having trouble sleeping as I usually do, and a circle/ring with another circle/ring spinning inside floated across the room and went through the wall. It was about the diameter of a tennis ball, was horizontal/sideways but I could tell the center was spinning, and a orange/red color. Not flashing, but glowing. I was not dreaming. I've seen the representations of Ezekiel's wheel and it was not like that. It was more like a Ferris wheel spinning sideways inside a solid outside ring, also sideways. I have always hoped it was the Holy Spirit watching over me as I slept. I don't know?

 

[Margery]

The Holy Spirit appeared in the car to me in white, not gray.

White is a symbol of purity.

Jesus appears in robes of blinding white to John in Revelation 1 and his hair is pure white.

We are given white robes of His righteousness - as seen by the elders in Revelation who represent the church age saints and the martyrs who arrive by the time of the 5th Seal.

Jesus speaks of white robes to the Sardis church and the Laodicean church in Rev 3.

In Rev 19:8 the bride of Christ is dressed in fine linen, bright and pure or clean in different translations.

In the same chapter, 19 Christ comes down in v 14 with the armies of heaven wearing fine linen described as white and clean.

Back in Daniel 7:9 Daniels sees God clothed white as snow with hair white as wool- similar to John's vision of Jesus.

If God the Father in Daniel 7:9 appears in blinding white with white hair, and Jesus appears the same, then it is not surprising that the Holy Spirit would be seen as a pure white dove.

White stands for sinless perfection, purity, holiness.

We are able to wear white before God because of Jesus making us pure and holy by His blood that washes us clean of all sin.

 

[mattfivefour]

Interestingly, not only is white the color of purity and holiness but it is not, as some things, the absence of color. White is actually made up of every other color that exists. There are spiritual lessons that can be taught from that fact.

As to the Holy Spirit being represented by a dove, this belief is almost worldwide. Around this planet and its history, the dove is regarded as representing peace, innocence and gentleness. The fact that doves have been viewed this way by many civilisations and religions suggests that at one time in eons past this was a universal truth, possibly revealed by God before man began to walk in his own ways.