Two Turtle Doves: The Gift of Covenant

“And [Abram] believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness...So He said to him, ‘Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.’” – Genesis 15:6, 9 (NKJV)

On the second day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree

In our previous reflection, we explored the partridge in a pear tree as a gift of realization, uncovering our need for God’s justice and redemption. We noted that the Christmas story begins with a holy God of justice seeking a loving intimate relationship with utterly depraved humans. The gift of the second day of Christmas—according to our allegorical carol—takes the Christmas story even further.

How can a holy, just God draw near to sinful humanity? One way is through covenant—a binding agreement that brings intimacy and commitment. In Genesis 15, we see God make a covenant with Abram, choosing him to father a nation that would carry God’s blessing and ultimately point to the coming Messiah. The two turtle doves were part of sacrificial rituals, like those in Leviticus 5, where even the poorest could offer a dove for their sins, foreshadowing the perfect sacrifice to come.

This covenant with Abraham was more than a promise to an individual; it set the foundation for a new relationship between God and all who would believe. Through this covenant, God committed Himself to humankind and pledged to make a way for sinners to return to Him. Later, Paul reveals that this covenantal promise reaches its fulfillment in Christ, the “seed” of Abraham who brings blessings to all nations (Galatians 3:16).

In the Yoruba culture, a proverb about the turtle dove says, “Ibi gbogbo ní ńrọ àdàbà lọ́rùn”—"Every place is hospitable and comfortable for the turtle dove." Of course, this is often used in the context of making the point that no circumstance will be beyond one’s ability to cope. It is a proverb that conjures the image of predictability and unwavering constancy, come-what-may — the same qualities God shows in His covenant with us. Although humanity often falls short, God remains faithful to His promises, standing by His covenant through every season. How remarkable that, in the story of Christmas, we see God’s willingness to bind Himself to us through a covenant that would be fulfilled in Jesus!

When we sing of two turtle doves this Christmas, let them remind us of God’s covenant faithfulness. Just as He kept His promises to Abraham, He offers us His unfailing love and loyalty. Christmas marks the beginning of the ultimate fulfillment of God’s covenant, when His love took on flesh in the form of Christ and made a way for all people to come to Him.

Over to You:

• Think about how the two turtle doves point to God’s covenant with His people. How does the image of covenant help you understand God’s faithfulness?
• As you celebrate Christmas, reflect on the lengths to which God has gone to make Himself known to you.

Further Scripture References:

• Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:16; Hebrews 8:6

Prayer:
Faithful God, thank You for Your covenant with us, a covenant that finds its fulfillment in Jesus. Remind us this Christmas of Your unwavering commitment and sacrificial love. May our hearts be open to the depths of Your promises, and may we trust in Your faithfulness, now and always. In Jesus’ name, Amen.