Genesis Chapter 8

The Flood – Destroying Earth

8:1

The Lord God remembers Noah and all that are with him in the ark. God causes a wind to begin blowing over the earth and causes the waters to assuage and sink downward. Before the Flood, all the earth was of a uniform temperature, creating ideal growing and living conditions. Plus the great canopy prevented harmful rays from aging humans, animals and plants. In addition, the atmospheric pressure was probably much higher and more oxygenated. With the earth covered with plant life, large amounts of oxygen were constantly being produced. We know that increased oxygen enables us to breathe easier and be more efficient in our body functions, healing, etc. These conditions were now all destroyed. The wind would be created as the temperatures began to change and the shoreless ocean would allow significant wind movements. As the winds increased it would add to the size and movement of the waves. We know that waves increase in size as soon as winds begins to move over the surface of the water. The assuaging, would mean that the waters would begin to settle down in the subterranean reservoirs that were now emptied of their fresh water storage chambers. These areas would now begin to form the oceans we now see on our earth. Keep in mind that these oceans were free of salt, and were all fresh water oceans. Psalm 104:6-9 “You covered the earth with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At Your rebuke the water fled; at the voice of Your thunder they hastened away, The mountains rose up, the valleys sank down to the place which You appointed for them. You have set a boundary for the waters which they may not pass over, that they turn not again to deluge the earth.” The additional verses of Psalm 104 goes on to state how God created springs in the valleys to water plants and provide drink to all the animals, and how God watered all the earth with rainfall to satisfy the plants and animals and causes vegetation to grow for the benefit of man and beast.

8:2-3

All the subterranean reservoirs were now emptied of their water and the canopy of water above the earth ceased to pour water on earth. Even the conditions to cause rain were held back by God so that the waters could continue to sink down and collect in the large sunken reservoirs now become oceans. We are told again that at the end of the 150 days the waters stopped pouring forth, and began to recede. We can still see evidence today of the subsidence and drainage of the waters receding from covering the entire earth.

8:4

We are given the exact month and day that the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. The Seventh month on the 17th day was an important prophetic ‘new beginning’ for Noah, his family, the animals and all the Earth. So why did the Holy Spirit go into such detail to tell us the exact date and month that the ark came to rest? Remember, God never gives any information, especially dates and numbers, unless there is some important significance to them. A little research tells us that in Exodus 12:2, God tells Israel: “This month (Nisan) shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.” This was to be the month the first Passover was celebrated. This would be the “new beginning” for Israel as a Nation. We must understand that in Judaism there were two calendars, one was the Civil or government calendar, the other was the Religious calendar. Why the difference? One referred to Judaism, the other, to the Gentile world at large. This prophetic “new beginning” in Genesis, was for all mankind. Then in the new Testament we are told that Jesus was crucified on the 14th day of Nisan (the Seventh month of the civil calendar) Jesus was in the grave three days, and rose from the dead on the 17th of Nisan! This marked our “new beginning” in Christ Jesus! So we now know and understand that Noah’s “new beginning” was the prophetic anniversary – in anticipation- of our new beginning in our Messiah and Savior, Jesus!

8:5

Remember, the Earth is still covered with water; the ark was ‘grounded’ on the mountains, yet because of it’s size and weight, it no longer floated around, yet was still in water. It wasn’t until the first day of the tenth month that the very tops of the mountains could be seen.

8:6-7

The term “and it came to pass” gives us a hint of something being fulfilled, something God had planned. After another forty days, then Noah opened the window of the ark, and sent out a raven. (The raven is an unclean bird) Again, why are we told it was another forty days after the resting of the ark on Mr. Ararat? Remember, in the new Testament we are told Jesus spent forty days in the desert fasting and preparing for His mission. Then He spends another forty days after His resurrection from the dead, teaching believers and showing himself to his followers. We are also told the raven flies to and fro until the waters were dried up from the land. The raven is a meat eater and is a strong flyer and could fly for long periods of time without tiring.

8:8-9

Moses now sends out a dove to see if the waters had decreased from the surface of the land. The dove is not a long distance strong flyer, and would need a safe place to land. In addition, the dove needed dry land and vegetation in order to survive. (The dove is classified as a clean bird) Remember, everything was so saturated there was no solid ground. However, we are told there was no place for the dove to safely land, so she returns to Noah and he brings her back into the safety of the ark.

8:10-11

Again we are told Noah waits another seven days, then sends the dove out again to see if she finds any dry land or vegetation. Again, we need to remember the importance of the sevens in God’s plans. Noah was probably waiting another week (seven days) at God’s direction. Keep in mind that the Seventh day was a holy day, according to God’s original creation week. Since Seven often denotes God’s plan for completion and/or perfection, this would also indicate the need to wait for God’s perfect timing. This time the dove returns in the evening with an olive leaf in her mouth. This new leaf would mean that an olive branch had survived the flood, was rooted, and sprouted a leaf. The olive tree is extremely hardy and can grow on barren rocky slopes. Experiments have shown that seeds and a wide variety of plants can grow even after many months of submergence in salt water. But remember that the waters of the earth were not yet salty right after the Flood. So this would mean that all kinds of plants and seeds could begin growing as soon as enough soil and sunlight were available. We know how quickly greenery appears in our desert after a rainfall.

8:12

Sometimes we want to jump ahead of God’s perfect timing. So notice that Noah waits another seven days before sending the dove out again. This time she does not return to the ark. I suspect they were very anxious to get out of the ark and check things out, yet they waited for God’s direction.

8:13

Now we see the phrase “it came to pass” again indicating the was the pre-planned timing of God. We are also given the exact year, month and day that Noah removes the covering of the ark and looks out at the earth and sees the face of the ground is dry. This is a hint that only the surface was dry. There was probably still thick mud and sediment under that thin dry crust that was unsafe to walk on! So notice that Noah does not yet leave the ark.

8:14

So here they all are still sitting in the ark waiting, waiting, waiting. For what? God’s perfect timing! So they remain another month and 27 days before the earth is completely dried and safe to walk on.

8:15-17

Now we are given God’s Words, speaking to Noah telling him to go forth from the ark with his wife, sons and their wives. He also tells him to bring out all the animals, birds and every living thing so that they may breed abundantly and be fruitful and multiply upon the earth. We remember that this was God’s command in the beginning, to multiply and fill the earth. So God had Noah wait until it was safe for both humans and animals to walk on the dried earth. That would probably also have given the earth time to grow vegetation as food for Noah and the animals and birds, which was necessary for their survival. God knew that to exit the ark too soon would have been disastrous! How many times do we fail to wait for God’s perfect guidance and direction; not waiting for his perfect timing, and then things turn out badly? We cry “Why did this happen, how could You let this happen to me, Lord?” Who is truly at fault, God or us? We need to prayerfully consider God’s guidance, direction, wisdom and His perfect timing in everything we do and plan. Do we ask God for His direction, His wisdom, His guidance and timing, or just plunge into things ourselves?.

8:18

Noah obeyed God again, just as He had commanded. No wonder God chose Noah to be His instrument to be used in saving both mankind and the animal kingdom. Noah always obeyed God. What a great example he is to us. No questions, complaints, arguing, or hesitation. Just faithful obedience to God’s every command. Notice that even though Noah obeyed, it was not easy, in fact it was very difficult, hard and time consuming. Yet the end result was the saving of mankind and the animal kingdom. All our land animals today had to come from these animals, chosen by God, to be on the ark.

8:19

All the animals all exit the ark and remain in their family groups. So even the animals somehow knew to obey God’s command. If we are smarter than animals, and we are, how much more should we obey God?

8:20

Noah does something extraordinary; he builds an altar then sacrifices one of every clean animal and bird on the altar as an offering to God. Noah and his family immediately gave thanks to God in a sacrificial way. Since there were only seven pairs of each of the clean animals and birds, this would have been a great act of Trust in God on Noah’s part. Remember, Noah and his family needed these clean animals in order to begin life anew on earth. We would probably expect them to immediately begin to assess their surroundings and provide for food and shelter for themselves and their animals. The animals would be their source of both food and clothing. Yet, they thank God first by sacrificing one of each of the animals they needed to survive! When God grants us his Mercy and Grace for some situation, are we immediately thankful and offer a tangible act of thanksgiving, or do we just say “Thank God!” Really thanking God for His blessings, should mean a change of heart and actions. How are we doing in this area of true thanksgiving to God?

8:21-22

We are told that God smelled a sweet pleasant scent of their act of worship in the burnt offerings, He said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man…” Even though we are told the imagination of our hearts is evil and wicked from our youth, God promises ecological stability until the end of history. This regularity in our seasons is the basis for science. God also has mercy on us and even though our hearts imagine and think evil thoughts, God still keeps His promises to us. Even though we act unfaithfully, God is ALWAYS FAITHFUL!