GENESIS CHAPTER 8

Verse 1-3, And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.

I.    God remembered Noah.

A.     Doesn't mean that God forgot him.

B.     The expression is that God will now begin to change the flood waters because of Noah.

II.    The wind.

A.     God uses a natural means to destroy the world (water).

B.     God uses a natural means to dry the world (wind).

C.     Symbol of Holy Spirit blowing its therapeutic powers upon those with no hope.

Verse 2, The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;

I.    This verse leads me to believe that as soon as the fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped (at the end of 40 days and 40 nights) the wind began to blow and the waters started decreasing.

II.    Verse 3, And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.

A.     From the end of the 40 days and 40 nights of increasing water, the wind began to blow and the water started  decreasing.

B.     There were 150 days between the time the flood started and the time the ark rested on Mt. Ararat. (verse 4).

Verse 4, And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.

I.    The ark rested on Mt. Ararat.

A.     Must have settled down sufficiently flat.

1.      No one was injured as the ark settled on the earth.

2.      The animals were all able to get out of the ark and down the mountain without injury.

B.     God directed the "resting" of the ark.

1.      Without God's direction it could have set down on a ledge and toppled over thousands of feet to the destruction of all.

2.      God directed the ark correctly because He saw through the water to where the ark was headed.

3.      Remember that the ark did not have a helm or motor.  Noah did not direct the movement of the ark.  This was entirely in the Lord's hands.

4.      God will direct our lives exactly where they ought to go because He sees further and knows what lies ahead.

5.      This ought to teach us that we serve the Lord by faith, not by sight.

C.     God could have caused the ark to rest upon a place where all people could have seen it.

1.      It would have been used as an idol.

a.      II Kings 18:4 - The brazen serpent was destroyed because Israel was worshipping it.

b.      Judges 8:22-27 - Israel went a whoring after the Ephod Gideon made, though Gideon made it so Israel would seek God, not a king.

2.      It would have been ripped in pieces and sold as relics.

a.      Would have made a lot of money for false religion.

b.      People would have prayed to Noah with a piece of ark in their hands.

c.      Would have increased superstition.

3.      If the ark had been kept intact:

a.      Would be made into a place of worship (shrine).

b.      The people would worship the place more than God.

c.      Would be a tourist attraction, with charged admission, of course.

4.      People still wouldn't believe in God, or the reason for the flood.

D.     One of these days, probably during the 1,000 year reign, the ark will be revealed.

1.      God will be on the earth and will control the ark.

2.      People won't worship the ark, or Noah, but God. (They'll be forced!)

3.      Some people still won't believe.

a.      Won't believe because of the "facts".

b.      Intelligence ("facts") doesn't bring salvation.

c.      Must have work of the Holy Spirit in heart, accompanied by preaching of Gospel.

Verse 5, And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.

I.    Continued decreasing of the water.

A.     The water kept going down until the 1st day of the 10 month.

1.      See chart on "Chronology of the Flood".

2.      This is apparently 74 days after verse 4 (17th day of  the month).

3.      This is a total of 224 days since the beginning of the  flood, approximately 33 1/2 weeks.

B.     Note the length of time the water is going down as compared  to the length of time the water is going up.

1.      A great uproar while the water was rising, but a  "settling" while the water was going down.

2.      The length of time proves a world wide flood, not a  local flood.

II.    Tops of the mountains seen.

A.     Apparently lesser mountains.

B.     The mountains were seen.

1.      The ark must have had some places to let in light.

2.      May not have been the window Noah released the dove  and raven through.

a.      Noah "opened" the window (verse 6).

b.      This is the only time the Bible says Noah  "opened" the window.

Verse 6-12, And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.

I.    The window.  Probably a narrow ledge, 1 cubit high, running down the center of the roof, for the entire length of the ark.

A.     Hebrew "challon" means piercing.

1.      Not like 6:16 - window in Hebrew "tsohar" meaning a  bright object.

2.      Evidently made to be opened and closed.

B.     Why hadn't Noah opened the window before?

1.      We really don't know.

2.      Maybe he had and the Bible only now recorded it.

3.      Maybe he was very content living in the ark. (in the  presence of God.)

C.     Evidently the view Noah had was very limited.

1.      He could see the tops of the other mountains.

2.      But he couldn't see the ground, or any nearby land.

3.      The window could have been facing the side of Mt.  Ararat, so Noah couldn't see anything.

4.      We don't know the details.

D.     Many times, the view we have of life is very limited.  What  do we do?

1.      Like Noah, open the window and try to get information,  sending forth with prayers each week.

2.      Observe thing that are going on, but

3.      doing nothing, until God says so.

II.    The sending out of the birds.

A.     Verse 6 - Noah waited 40 days after the tops of the  mountains were seen (verse 5) before sending out any bird.

B.     God told Noah to the exact day when the flood would come,  but didn't tell him if the flood would ever end!!

1.      Noah did expect the flood to end, and they would get  off the ark.

a.      Gen. 6:21 - packed only so much food (at God's  command).

b.      No "natural" way to get any more food.

2.      Noah needed to know about the coming of the flood to  know about preparing of the ark.

3.      Noah doesn't need to know about the end of the flood,  because he has no work to do toward it.

4.      Noah could not, by natural intelligence, foresee the  flood.  But, by natural intelligence, he could foresee  the decrease of the waters and the end of the flood.

a.      If there is something we need to know, God will  reveal that to us.  (If we have a work in it.)

b.      We are to use our "common sense", going forth  with prayers and thanksgiving.

5.      Noah does not get out of the ark except at God's  command, but he does use natural means to determine  the conditions he will be getting into.

C.     Noah sends out a raven (an unclean bird).

1.      Yields no information.

2.      Lost people, while giving no recognizable help to  God's cause, give Him glory in their every action.

D.     Seven day intervals in sending out the dove.

1.      No doubt in my mind they were holding worship services  every 7 days.

2.      Following the directions of God, Gen. 2:2,3.

3.      The worshipped God every day, but assembled on the 7th  day for special collective worship.

4.      Most likely sent the dove accompanied with their  prayers to God to show them what to do next.

E.      Noah sends out a dove (a clean bird).

1.      Symbol of the Holy Spirit.

2.      See verse 10, apparently 7 days after Noah sent out  the raven, he sent out the dove.

3.      The dove found no place to light, therefore came back  into the ark.  Information gained -- the water is  still high.

F.      Verse 9 - Note tenderness.

1.      7:15 - Dove still considers Noah her overseer.

2.      Noah put forth his hand and puller her into the ark.

a.      The saved person ought to be tender.

b.      The saved person must "reach out" to Christ and  the Holy Spirit, not in the flesh, but  spiritually.

G.     The second time the dove is out.

1.      After 7 days (see part "D").

2.      Returned in the evening.

a.      This is directed by God, not by the dove.

b.      Shows she had been able to find rest and  probably food during the day.

3.      Brought an olive leave plucked off.

a.      This is directed by God, not the dove.

b.      This is a fresh olive leaf, not a leaf found on  the flood of waters, which would be decayed  after this length of time anyway.

4.      Noah knows trees are beginning to grow, thus all  vegetation is beginning to grow.

H.     The third time the dove is sent out.

1.      Didn't come back.

2.      Noah knew the earth was returning to "normal".

3.      Noah still didn't get out of the ark, or turn any  other animals loose until God told him to.

4.      Doubt any of the animals wanted to be loosed until  Noah turned them loose.  Not like some children today,  who want to do more than they ought to do and will  pester those in authority until they get to do it.

Verse 13, And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.

I.    The time noted:

A.     According to Gen. 4:11, the chronology of the flood is numbered according to the age of Noah.

B.     Comparing Gen. 4:11 and 8:13, using 30 days for each month, there have been 314 days since the flood began.

II.    Dry ground.

A.     Noah removed the covering of the ark to get a better look.

1.      It's doubtful the covering is the entire roof of the ark.

2.      Probably a small opening was made to get a better view.

B.     The ground was dry.

1.      The water was gone from the face of the earth.

2.      The water was probably still muddy.

Verse 14, And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.

I.    Fifty six days after Noah removed the covering of the ark, the earth was dry enough for Noah to get off.

Verse 15-19, And God spake unto Noah, saying, Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.

I.    Noah made no move to get off the ark until God told him to.

A.     Physically speaking, it would have felt very good to get off the ark into the wide-open spaces of the earth.

1.      Noah had learned in the past 121 years to follow the instructions of God completely.

2.      This is a very necessary thing for us to do.

3.      Never assume that we know what God's will is for us.

4.      If Noah had gotten off the ark in 8:13, he may have been swallowed up by the mud, also many of the smaller animals.

B.     Spiritually speaking, we are always better off by obeying Christ's commands.

1.      I Sam. 15:23 - Saul failed to follow the commands of Samuel (a spiritual command) and lost his kingdom (a material thing). When Samuel anointed David to be king, an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul (I Sam. 16:13,14).

2.      Numbers 22 - Balaam shouldn't have tried cursing Israel.

a.      Num. 25:9 - 24,000 Israelites died because they followed Balaam.

b.      Num. 31:8 - Balaam died in disgrace.

C.     Perhaps Noah knew he was the representative of all future generations.

1.      He was being very careful because he knew what he did would affect his children and grand-children, etc.

2.      We need to be very careful because what we do affects our children and grand children, etc.

3.      Young children know absolutely nothing and depend completely on their elders to teach them right from wrong.

D.     They are sent forth to populate the earth.

1.      There were no children born while in the ark.

2.      Gen. 6:18 and 8:18 - Eight people got on the ark, and eight people got off the ark.

3.      Gen. 11:10 - Arphaxad was born two years after the flood.

E.      Compare 7:7-9 and 8:18,19.

1.      There was not a mad rush out of the ark.

2.      This could have resulted in some smaller and weaker animals being killed.

3.      The animals apparently left the ark in an orderly fashion.

4.      "After their kind", the animals didn't mix together but remained with their "kind".

5.      I Cor. 14:33 - God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.

F.      The animals apparently didn't scatter to the four winds upon getting out of the ark.

1.      This would have been their nature.

2.      Gen. 7:9 - The animals still considered Noah as their guardian.

3.      God put in their heart to wait until the clean animals could be offered as a sacrifice to God.

4.      Even when some animals watched others being killed, they didn't run off for God put in their heart to stay.

II.    The condition of the earth when Noah went forth from the ark.

A.     So many fewer people than when he went into the ark.

1.      probably 3 billion people on the earth in Gen. 6.

2.      now just 8 people.

3.      A real lesson grace. Noah would realize very much how God loved him and saved him and his family from destruction.

4.      Later on, (9:22), we'll see that some didn't realize what God had done for them.

5.      Must have felt something like Adam, knowing that he is the beginning of a "second chance" for mankind.

B.     So fewer animals.

1.      Only the animals in the ark survived.

2.      Another lesson in grace.

3.      Imagine the quietness of the animal world.

C.     The plant world.

1.      Noah could see new plants coming up from the plants that had died in the flood.  

2.      Noah could realize that all things would be starting afresh now that the earth was "washed" from the wicked sinfulness of generations past.

D.     The air must have been very fresh.

1.      Air is always fresh after a storm.

2.      There was absolutely no air pollution.

3.      No smoke from any fire (until Noah offered the burnt offering, but the Bible says that was a sweet savour to the Lord).

Verse 20, And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

I.    The altar.

A.     The first thing Noah did upon getting out of the ark.

1.      The first thing we ought to do is give God thanks.

2.      Noah's heart was greatly humbled in the sight of God and in his own sight.

3.      Noah made the altar without God commanding him.

a.      God doesn't have to command us to serve Him.

b.      We serve Him willingly, out of a heart full of thanksgiving and grace.

4.      Even though Noah needed a house and a supply of food for his family, he rightly put first things first -- Matt. 6:33.

B.     Made the altar out of earth. The very first record of an altar being built.

1.      Ex. 20:24 - Make an altar of earth.

2.      The altar is not to be a thing of beauty, the sacrifice is the thing of beauty.

3.      Church buildings ought not be as beautiful as the worship inside the building.

a.      Nothing wrong with beautiful church buildings.

b.      But many people worship the beauty of the building without ever seeing the beauty of the Savior.

C.     Sacrifice was of propitiation and thanksgiving.

1.      Propitiation - offering the animal sacrifices while looking forward to one that would die for their sins.

2.      Thanksgiving - cannot give a propitiation sacrifice without being thankful.

a.      Noah would especially be aware of the grace of God upon him at this time.

b.      Noah would think of all the people who died in the flood and be thankful God had spared him.

II.    The sacrifice.

A.     Used one of every kind of clean beast and clean fowl.

1.      Gen. 7:2 - brought 3 pair and 1 "extra".

2.      Offered the "extra" clean animal, though the "stock of animals" was small.

3.      Left 3 pair of clean animals to breed.

B.     Burnt offering - the only kind of offering mentioned in the Bible, thus far. Instructions for other types of offerings are given in the Levitical law.

Verse 21 and 22, And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

I.    God accepted the sacrifices.

A.     How could the stench of burning bodies (imagine the smell of burning feathers!!) be acceptable to God?

1.      The Bible is not saying that God liked the "smell".  God is a spirit.

2.      God looked past the smoke to the desire of Noah's heart.

3.      Many things that are acceptable to God doesn't seem to be very pretty to men.

4.      I Cor. 1:23 - Christ crucified (the gospel) doesn't appeal to the natural man, but he Spiritual man rejoices in what has been done on Calvary.

5.      The blood of Christ is repulsive to sinners, but to saved sinners, it is a thing to rejoice in.

B.     Ps 51:16,17.

1.      God doesn't desire burnt offering and sacrifices.

2.      God desires a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart.

II.    God's promise to Himself (said in His heart)

A.     Ps 147:5 - God's understanding is infinite (unlimited).

1.      God knew beforehand of this moment.

2.      The passage is written like this so man will be able to understand that his actions (good and bad) have a reaction in God.

B.     God makes the promise to Himself (8:21,22) before He ever voices that same promise to Noah (9:1-17).

1.      This is the way real promises are made.

2.      If we would faithfully keep our promises to God and man, we must first make this promise to ourselves.

III.    The promise.

A.     No contradiction between 6:3,5 and 8:21.

1.      Must look at the verses from different points of time.

2.      God, by destroying the earth by water, is giving a warning to future generations that he will destroy the earth because of sin (I Cor. 10:11)

3.      The reason for the destruction by water is sin. (Gen. 6:3,5 and II Peter 3:5,6).

4.      The reason God won't destroy the earth by water again is because He is reserving it ( for He knows man is still a sinner) to be destroyed by fire. II Peter 3:5-7.

5.      This also ought to teach that no amount of water can cleanse from sin.

a.      Those that teach baptismal regeneration try to wash away sin with water.

b.      This is something even God did not do!! or try to do!!

c.      The people in the flood were held under until they died and still weren't cleansed.

6.      It takes fire to cleanse from sin - II Peter 3:7.

a.      Rev. 1:14,15 - Christ comes in judgment with eyes of fire and feet as if they burned in a furnace.

b.      I Cor. 3:13-15 - God shall judge the saved by fire.

c.      Christ is all we need for He has been judged by the fiery eyes of God in our place. Heb. 2:9,10.

7.      The promise.

8.      God will not again destroy all living as He did.

a.      People will be killed by drowning.

b.      There will be local floods.

c.      If the flood in Noah's day was local, this promise is no good, for there are still local floods.

9.      God will give stability to the earth.

a.      Long-term (yearly) - for the stability of the seasons so the earth will bear fruit for the welfare of mankind (physical).

b.      Short term - man will have periods of rest and work. And a special time each day and week for service to His God.

10.  The reason "times" are stabilized is because God made a promise, not because "mother nature" does so.

11.  II Peter 3:3,4 - This stability (God's promise) will cause unbelievers to go away from God.

a.      Good Bible preaching always causes Anti- Christ people to leave, I John 2:18,19.

b.      Good Bible preaching always draws God's people closer to Him and His people.

12.  Rev. 8:12 - At the sounding of the 4th trumpet, the days are cut from 24 hours to 16 hours, but days do not stop until eternity begins.

a.      Rev. 10:6 - Doesn't mean there shall be no more "time", but "no more delay".

b.      The 1,000 year reign of Christ comes after the Great Tribulation, and this must be measured by time.

c.      Rev. 21:4 - All former things are passed away. (This includes not only sorrow and death and such, but also all things pertaining to the material earth: chemistry, laws of science, gravity, and time.)

CHRONOLOGY OF THE FLOOD

1.      7:12 - rained and fountains broke up for 40 days and 40 nights.            40 days.

2.      7:24 - Waters prevailed for 150 days.  According to 8:1-4, God sent he wind after 40 days and 40 nights and after 110 days (150 minus 40), the ark sent down on Mt. Ararat.  {For additional proof compare 7;11 and 8:4.  This is a period of five months [2nd month, seventeenth day of the month to 7th month, seventeenth day of the month].  If a month contains roughly 30 days, then this is 150 days from the time the flood began until the ark set down on Mt. Ararat.}.            110 days.

3.      8:4 and 8:5 - The waters continued to decrease another 74 days until the tops of the other lesser mountains were seen.  (13 days in the 7th month, plus 30 days in the 8th month, 30 days of the 9th month and 1 day in the 10th month.).            74 days.

4.      8:6 - Forty days after the tops of the mountains were seen, Noah sent out a raven, which didn't return.            40 days.

5.      8:10 - Apparently Noah sent out the dove for the 1st time 7 day after he sent out the raven.            7 days.

6.      8:10 - Seven days later Noah sent out a dove again, which came back with an olive leaf in its mouth.            7 days.

7.      8:12 - Noah sent out the dove after 7 days, but the dove didn't come back.            7 days.

8.      Compare 8:13 and 7:11              (Steps # 1 - # 7)

2nd month - 13  days            # 1 =  40 days

3rd month - 30  days            # 2 = 110 days

4th month - 30  days            # 3 =  74 days

5th month - 30  days            # 4 =  40 days

6th month - 30  days            # 5 =   7 days

7th month - 30  days            # 6 =   7 days

8th month - 30  days            # 7 =   7 days

9th month - 30  days                  285 - number of days

10th month - 30  days                        so far.

11th month - 30  days

12th month - 30  days

1st month -  1  day

Total of - 314 days.  {It was 314 days from the day the flood waters came (7:11) to the day the waters were dried up from the face of the earth (8:13).}

Subtract 285 days (number of days accounted so far) from 314 days, gives 29 days from the time the dove didn't come back (8:12) and the time Noah removed the covering of the ark. (8:13).   29 days.

9.      8:14

1st month - 29 days

2nd month - 27 days

56 days after the water left the earth for the earth to  dry.  56 days.

10.  Length of the flood............370 days.

11.  Noah was on the ark for approximately 277 days.

The flood waters were increasing for approximately 6 weeks.

The flood waters were decreasing for approximately 33 weeks.