Genesis Chapter 8
“Grace and Mercy”
Context:
The story of Noah and the ark during the great flood.
Chief People:
- God
- Noah
Choice Verses:
GENESIS 8:1
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.
- God “remembered” does not mean God forgot about Noah, but rather He now decided to act. It appears the destruction is over, and God will begin receding the waters with a great wind.
GENESIS 8:2
Now the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens had been closed, and the rain had stopped falling from the sky.
- Here, we're told that God turns the incoming deluge of water off, closing the gushing "fountains of the deep" and shutting the "windows of the heavens." This also tells us again that the flood was created by more than just rain.
GENESIS 8:3
The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down.
- Although this verse tells us the waters receded, and that it had gone down, it does not tell us all was safe to step foot on land yet.
GENESIS 8:4
and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.
- Once again, Genesis gives us a specific date in the history of the world upon which a major event occurred. Now the ark comes to rest on the mountains of Ararat on the seventeenth day of the seventh month. In addition, the writer means for us to see that the ark of Noah came to rest in a real geographical place in the world: the mountains of a region called Ararat. The mountains of Ararat should not be confused with Mount Ararat; the Bible’s location is more of a region than an actual mountain. If we consider the region theory, it’s believed to be part of Eastern Turkey. Prior to 1923, this region was part of Armenia. (2 Kings 19:37), (Isaiah 37:38), (Jeremiah 51:27)
GENESIS 8:5
The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible.
- 2½ months later and this verse tells us the waters are still receding, but now the mountains are now visible. This is the third specific date given in the story of the flood. Questions arise as to why the ark came to rest on the 7th month, but land is not visible until the 10th? Simple, the bottom of the ark, full at it was, and with all its combined weight, would not sit at the top of the water line but rather several feet below it. That being said, it is very possible the ark could have come to rest before seeing land. Just think of a ship running on a sandbar.
GENESIS 8:6
After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark
- Imagine that feeling Noah had to feel, after close to a year he is finally able open a window. Here we are with 40 again, obviously symbolic, since the rain lasted for 40 days and night, as well as other significant 40’s in the Bible.
GENESIS 8:7
and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth.
- The point of sending out the raven was to learn if any dry land was nearby. This practice was used by sailors in ancient times. Still not completely clear as to why there were 7 pairs of birds. Perhaps some birds never returned, and did not find land.
GENESIS 8:8
Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground.
- In the last verse Noah sent out a raven to search for land, and here he sends out a dove. God considers a raven unclean, and a dove clean, so it's curious as to the choice of birds.
GENESIS 8:9
But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark.
- This verse specifies that the dove did not find land, as it tells us it had nowhere to land. This also tells us Noah had some sort of relationship with the animals, as the dove flew back to his hand.
GENESIS 8:10
He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark.
- There are several significant timeframes in the Bible, one of the most important 7. Here again we see 7; “He waited 7 more days”. He also sends out the Dove again.
GENESIS 8:11
When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth.
- This time the dove returned, but with an olive leaf, a sign there was land nearby. Although the dove had the olive leaf in its beak, there must not have been enough food or shelter to keep the dove from returning to the ark. It was the first visual evidence that the land would once again support them after the destruction of the flood.
GENESIS 8:12
He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.
- Again, 7 days, following a continued pattern with Noah. This time, it appears to be more good news, the dove did not return. This was the first occupant of the ark to find a home back in the outside world.
GENESIS 8:13
By the first day of the first month of Noah's six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry.
- This is the fourth specific timeline given, and it shows that the occupants of the ark spent just a few weeks short of a year locked inside. This also signals that Noah believes the rains are over, and it is at least safe to remove the covering of the ark. He is able to see that the land is dry, a welcomed sight no doubt.
GENESIS 8:14
By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry.
- This differs from the last verse as previously it said the surface of the ground was dry, but here the earth was completely dry. Perhaps it may have looked dry, but not dry enough to step on. Yet it could also be that Noah was waiting for God to declare it was time.
GENESIS 8:15
Then God said to Noah.
- This may be that moment!!
GENESIS 8:16
Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives.
- God gives the command, all is clear to exit the ark, and the news I'm sure everyone was waiting for.
GENESIS 8:17
Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you--the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground--so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.
- This sounds very similar to Genesis1; multiply, be fruitful, and increase in numbers. God is clear, every single living thing needs to leave the ark, head out into the world, and reproduce. The ark has served its purpose!
GENESIS 8:18
So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives.
- As always, Noah was the obedient servant. One would have thought they would have raced out, or even fought to be first, but it appears to be orderly. Fear of the unknown and uncertainty had to creep in some, only natural knowing the world had been destroyed by God prior.
GENESIS 8:19
All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds--everything that moves on land--came out of the ark, one kind after another.
- We are reminded again that those of the waters and the sea were not in the ark. What is different here from Genesis 1 is that man (Noah and his family) exited the ark first, whereas in Genesis 1 animals preceded man; Genesis 1 was the creation, and this was the recreation.
GENESIS 8:20
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it
- Immediately upon all had exited the ark, the first thing Noah does is to build an altar, and worship God. He does not build shelter, or explore the area, he exemplifies what an obedient servant should do, he gives thanks. This act of worship to God reveals that Noah continued to be faithful to God.
GENESIS 8:21
The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: 'Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
- This is the only time Scripture shows God explicitly smelling the aroma from a sacrifice, though that is the direct intention of many sacrifices described later in the Bible. Further proof that God is the Creator of all is that early Pagan Gods needed food from humans, but here God does not, he only needs to smell it to serve its purpose. Obviously, God is happy with Noah’s sacrifice, but he seems to know man will again revert back to their evil ways. I believe this verse dispels the belief that man is not born evil, but our choices, and society drives us to the evil we do. Evil was born in the Garden of Eden, the moment Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge. God says man was “inclined” to choose evil over good, when He says “every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood”. The key word is “inclination”, which by definition is a person's natural tendency or urge to act or feel in a particular way. The definition points out “natural tendency”, which implies it is natural, not learned. Some will point to society as the cause for much of the evil today; civil rights injustices, racial discrimination, gender inequality, poverty, crime. And although there can be some truth to this, they too often allow man to be the ultimate solution over God. They reject God, and the Bible as their source of wisdom. Imagine how good the world would be if we just followed the Ten Commandments!
GENESIS 8:22
As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.
- It is important to notice that this promise begins with "while the earth remains." God doesn't guarantee that the planet in its current form will exist eternally. There appears to be a disclaimer made when God says “as long as the earth endures”. In fact, at some point in the future, God will re-make the heavens and the earth (Revelation 21:1).
Crucial Words
- Theocentric: Having God as the focal point of thoughts, interests, and feelings.
- Anthropocentric: Regarding humankind as the central or most important element of existence, especially as opposed to God or animals; considering human beings as the most significant entity of the universe
- Inclination: A person's natural tendency or urge to act or feel in a particular way; a disposition or propensity. To incline to someone means to feel favorably toward them.
- Endures: Remain in existence; last, to continue in the same state without perishing.
Cross Reference
- (2 Kings 19:37), (Isaiah 37:38) “One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisrok, his sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king”.
- (Jeremiah 51:27) “Lift up a banner in the land! Blow the trumpet among the nations! Prepare the nations for battle against her; summon against her these kingdoms: Ararat, Minni and Ashkenaz. Appoint a commander against her; send up horses like a swarm of locusts”
- (Revelation 21:1) “Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.”
Questions:
- Genesis 8:1 Is there any meaning to “great wind” other than wind of great force?
- Genesis 8:6 Why 40 days for Noah opened a window?
- Genesis 8:7 Why did Noah send out a raven first?
- Genesis 8:8 Why did Noah send out the raven first in the last verse, and a dove here?
- Genesis 8:10 Why did Noah wait 7 more days to check for land again?
- Genesis 8:19 Was there significance to Noah coming out of the ark before the animals, whereas animals preceded man in the creation of man in Genesis 1?
- Genesis 8:19 it does not specifically say they came out in pairs, does that imply there may have been some breeding happening on the ark?
- Genesis 8:21 Does God know at that moment man will still return to evil? Does He regret all the destruction the flood had brought, and does he second guess himself with the extremity of his act?
- Genesis 8:21 If we go with the fact that God does indeed know we will always return to our evil ways, which I believe he does, then what was his real purpose for the flood?
- Genesis 8:21 Are we born with evil, or is it learned?
- Genesis 8:22 What can be interpreted when God says “As long as the earth endures”?
- Is our society today, as a whole, having more of a theocentric view, or a anthropocentric view?
Christ seen (or mentioned)?
No
Central Lessons(s), and Timeless Truth(s):
- An umbrella won't hide you from evil.
- We are born with evil in our hearts, but through free will can choose good.
Conclusion:
Sidenotes:
- Interesting fact is Noah is not a Jew, the Jewish people and the “Promised Land” did not appear until Abraham.