And he said unto him,
"Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon."
Take me... a turtledove, and a young pigeon."
I believe one posssible symbolic interpretation of the turtledove (dove), is that it represents the Holy Spirit which comes to every true believer in Jesus Christ. For the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the shape of a dove which was then followed by His ministry and His plan of salvation for mankind. Noah sent a dove out of the Ark after the rain had stopped. On one of the dove's journeys, the dove came back with an olive tree branch, which symbolizes life. For the branch was the first signs of new life after the old world had been destroyed. Meaning, that Noah and his family were about to begin a new life in a new world. In other words, the Spirit can bring new life by spiritually regenerating a person which is made possible by one repenting of their sins and in accepting Jesus Christ as one's Savior (
John 3:16) (
1 John 1:9) (
1 John 1:5-7) (
Titus 3:5).
As for the pigeon: I believe one possible symbolic interpretation is that the pigeon represents the believer radiating the Spirit by the Spirit's sanctification process (Which is made possible by our mediator Jesus Christ who is symbolically represented in the 3 animals that Abram takes as a sacrifice). For the Spirit helps the believer to conform more and more to the image and likeness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Here in Genesis 15 within the Old Testament we see only 1 dove and 1 pigeon being offered; However, in the New Testament, when Joseph and Mary came to present Jesus to God the Father within the Temple in Jerusalem, they offered 2 doves and 2 pigeons (
Luke 2:22-24).
Why is there double the amount of doves and pigeons than Abram's offering?
I believe it represents the blessings a New Covenant believer receives in Jesus Christ. For by Christ, a believer will receive a double portion of the Holy Spirit along with more gifts of the Spirit. Whereas in the Old Testament, a saint did not generally have a double portion of the Holy Spirit, with the exception of Elisha (Because he asked for it from Elijah - See:
2 Kings 2:9). For Jesus essentially said, you will do greater works than me (
John 14:12). (Important Note: Please take note that while I believe the Old Testament saint had the Holy Spirit (See
Psalm 51:11,
1 Samuel 16:14,
Daniel 6:3,
Ezekiel 36:27,
1 Corinthians 10:1-4), I believe the disciples did not have the Holy Spirit during Christ's ministry until He breathed the Holy Spirit upon them (
John 20:22). I believe those disciples (who proved to be true to Jesus) were regenerated spiritually by the Spirit (
John 1:12-13), but Christ lived within them before another Comforter came (
John 17:10) (
John 14:16) (
1 John 5:12)).
In addition, it is also important to point out that the firstborn was to receive a double portion of the inheritance from their father. Esau sold his birthright in being the firstborn to Jacob for some pottage (
Genesis 25:29-34). Which means Jacob now had a legal right to receive the Blessing from his father Isaac (The same Blessing that came from God and was given to Abraham). Receiving this Blessing not only included one in being a part of Abraham's lineage whereby their descendants would be as innumerable as the stars, but it would also include them (select patriarchs) in inheriting the Promised Land.
This is important to understand because Jesus is the firstborn of the church (
Hebrews 12:23). In fact, Christ is the firstborn of all of creation (
Colossians 1:15). Meaning Christ is the firstfruits of the resurrection whereby everyone in Christ (From the Old Testament to the New Testament) will one day be resurrected bodily in Him (i.e. Christ will be firstborn of a whole new creation).
This all ties into the Land Promised to Abram with God making a Covenant with Abram in Genesis 15. For by Christ's resurrection (Who is the Promised Seed), Abram will one day inherit the Promised Land in the Millennium. For I believe Abram will be one of those who will sit upon the thrones in the Millennium in
Revelation 20:4 along with the Tribulation saints. Abram will one day receive the blessings in Christ Jesus in the Millennium. Abram will have a double portion of the Spirit (Like a believer in Christ Jesus today) (i.e. the Spirit being symbolized by the dove) and Abram will receive the inheritance of the Land from His Father, who is God.
The dove also symbolizes love and peace, too. God loved Abram and wanted to give him many blessings for Abram's love and faithfulness in Him. For one day Abram will live and reign with Christ in His kingdom of peace for 1000 years.