"The Creator's Turtle Doves"
December 2001 - By Jeny Covill

I don't often get the opportunity to really dig into the Word .... AND ... then share the revelations the Lord puts on my heart.  However, what He has been showing me the last few days, I feel I really want to share with you.

It started the end of November with a scripture I found in the NKJV:

"Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!  Do not forget the life of Your poor forever." Psalm 74:19

I immediately thought of some of the Lord's people that I know who are struggling, and I prayed for them by name ... "Oh, Lord, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove, _________, to the wild beast!" 

I began to see them as the Lord's turtledoves.  No matter what their circumstances .. they are like turtledoves to the Lord.  So I was confident in proclaiming the Lord's favor and faithfulness over their lives.

Even today I was reminded of the scripture and began to pray accordingly. Then later I received an email from a person who lives on Turtledove Lane!!! This person was requesting a copy of our prayer guide.  I thought, Lord! You are awesome.

I began to really think on this scripture and I was reminded that our land is Turtle Island!  I thought it very appropriate that the Lord would refer to us as His turtledoves ... especially the First Nations people/ Native American people of Turtle Island! 

I want to encourage YOU!  YOU are the Creator's Turtledove!  You are of great value and the Lord delights to deliver you from whatever challenges (or changes) you may face! 

The First Nations people of Turtle Island are like turtledoves in the eyes of the Creator!  Please join me in praying  that the Creator will not deliver the lives of His turtledoves into the hands of the enemy.

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"Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever."  (NIV)

"Oh deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the wild beast: Forget not the life of thy poor for ever." (ASV)

"O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever."
(KJV)

"You treat us like pet doves, but they mistreat us.  Don't keep forgetting us and letting us be fed to those wild animals."  CEV

"O do not deliver the life of your turtledove to the wild beast - to the greedy multitude.  Forget not the life (of the multitude) of Your poor forever." Amplified

STRONGS:
turtledove = 8449  towr (tore); or tor (tore); probably the same as 8447; a ring-dove, often (figuratively) as a term of
endearment: KJV-- (turtle) dove.

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Other Scriptures with 8449/ turtledove regarding sacrifices: Gen 15:9; Lev 1:14, Lev 5:7, Lev 5:11,  Lev 12:6, Lev 12:8, Lev 14:22, Lev 14:30, Lev 15:14, Lev 15:29, Num 6:10

Other Scriptures with 8449:Song 2:12: "Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land."   (NIV)

Jer 8:7: "Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration. But my people do not know the requirements of the LORD."   (NIV)

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Definition: ANIMALS OF THE BIBLE (A TO D)

Dove. Doves and pigeons belong to the same family. They are often mentioned in the Bible as if they are the same animal. The rock dove found in Palestine is the wild ancestor of our common street pigeon. Turtledoves are migrants. They spend the months of April to October in the Holy Land, filling the air with soft cooing when they arrive each Spring .

Doves come in several colors, from pure white to the chestnut-colored palm turtledove. Even the plain gray pigeon has a silver sheen. Solomon waxed poetic over doves' eyes. David longed for "wings like a dove" , so he could fly away from his enemies. Pigeons were probably the first domesticated bird. When people realized doves could travel long distances and always find their way home, they used them to carry messages. Homing pigeons have keen eyes with which they spot landmarks to help them stay on the right route. Hebrews ate pigeons and, from Abraham's time, used them in sacrifice.

Even a poor man could provide a pigeon or two for worship, as Joseph and Mary did at Jesus' circumcision . Doves appear to express affection, stroking each other, and "billing and cooing." They mate for life, sharing nesting and parenting duties. They are gentle birds that never resist attack or retaliate against their enemies. Even when her young are attacked, a dove will give only a pitiful call of distress.

Because of its innocence and gentle nature, the dove is a common religious symbol. The Holy Spirit took the form of a dove at Jesus' baptism . The dove also symbolizes peace, love, forgiveness, and the church. (from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

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Other references to doves, other than sacrifices: Matt 10:16: "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (NIV) Also - Noah sent a dove. Also - Holy Spirit like a dove. Also - Merchants selling doves.

Greek 5167: turtledove - a turtledove ( as cooing) and only seen in Luke re: sacrifice.  All the rest are: Greek # 4058/ pigeon