Genesis 8
"Now What!?" • 12.17.09 • Thursday Night Bible Study
Intro
- The last time we were together, Noah stepped into the ark and God closed the door behind him. After that, we aren't privy to anything that Noah said or that God said to Noah. It's eerily quiet.
- The ship was built with stability in mind but this was no pleasure cruise. 40 days and nights, the rain fell, the fountains exploded and the water canopy eroded.
- The Love Boat never had to face any of these conditions!
- This was a cataclysmic event unlike any the world has ever seen.
- It's quite possible that Noah's family existed in a state of shock, knowing that just outside of their 450 foot barge lie the floating remains of billions of wicked, godless people.
- They also represented anybody that they had ever known or were related to. In that ark, they came to realize emotionally that they were all that was left.
- Noah had gotten into the ark, but there were no details about how long this trip would last. Noah climbed in, but had no real exit strategy.
- Imagine that as this family came to question how long this journey would last.
- Imagine what it would feel like to be "rained in" for 40 days and nights with no relief, no way of escape, and most importantly, no end in sight.
- Imagine what it must have been like to calculate how much food would be needed, wondering if rations would be needed to preserve the food.
- At some point, did Noah or one of the boys turn and say in exasperation, "This is deliverance!?"
- As Christians, we have no other choice but to walk by faith. God calls us to do things one step at a time. He rarely, if ever, shows us the next step, much less the full picture.
- If He did show us, we would either not believe what He shows or be inclined not to obey!
- As much as this was a deliverance and a blessing to the family, the time between promise and fulfillment is always the true test of the steadfastness of our faith.
- Tonight, we return to Noah and his family, the sole survivors of the flood judgment. How Noah handles their faith journey might just inform us a bit more about our own.
Text
• Genesis 8:1-5 : "Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased. Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen." - This sounds pretty funny to our ears. Here is Noah, just floating along, when God finally remembers that they are there!
- This first phrase in Genesis 8:1 has caused many to become confused. Can God forget? Of course, we know that the answer is no. God is omniscient, meaning that He knows everything.
- God can never learn, nor can He forget what He knows. However, it troubles us that Moses uses the word "remembered."
- This is what's called an "anthropomorphism." Moses is ascribing a human characteristic to God. It's not the first one that we've seen. Earlier in chapter 6, God "repented" for making man.
- This is Moses' way of describing God's actions in terms that we can understand. What Moses is communicating is that God now turns His active attention back toward those inside the boat.
- In doing that, God starts to address that which kept them in the boat, namely the water.
- In the same way that God caused the flood, He now prescribes the method by which the floodwaters would subside.
- God made a wind to pass over the earth. Literally, the wind crossed back and forth over the sea. He stopped up the fountains and window of heaven. The rain was restrained.
- God is able to stop anything when it's the right time. Note that God notes the time.
- At the end of 150 days, 7 months and 17 days into their journey, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.
- The ark was no longer floating around, but there was not a place for the life aboard the ark to inhabit. The waters were still decreasing.
- A little over 3 months later, the waters decreased further and now the tops of the mountains were seen, but still no habitable region.
- In considering these statements, I want us to understand that God knows exactly how long our journeys in deep water are to last. They will last as long as He decrees, but never shorter and never longer.
- In that time, we are to wait on Him to guide and direct, but as we see with Noah, that doesn't mean that we sit and do nothing.
• Genesis 8:6-12 : "So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore." - This is pointing to another 40 day period after the mountains became visible and the ark stopped moving.
- Noah is waiting on the Lord. He is seeing progress. He sees the tops of the mountains. At this point, like most of us, he quite literally decides to test the waters!
- First, a raven is sent out. It perpetually went out and came back.
- The raven or crow, never seemed to find a place to land. It just kept circling around and returning to the ark.
- At the same time, Noah sent out a dove. The same thing happened with the dove. Noah then waited another 7 day period and sent out the dove again.
- This time his flying fleece returned with some fruit, a freshly plucked olive leaf! Still being cautious, Noah sent the dove out again 7 days later. The dove finally escaped for good!
- This process is a great illustration of the way that we wait upon the Lord. Noah was investigating. He was looking out for something that would give him an indication of leading.
- Some people think that this idea is for the birds, but I think that the scripture is informing us of Noah's wisdom and faith. He did not do anything ahead of the Lord, but investigated what he could.
- This led him to understand that the ground was not dry, therefore, a little more ark life was necessary. He understood God's answer: The answer was "wait some more!"
- Waiting is not some sedentary experience where you sit dormant without any activity. Waiting involves actively watching and pursuing, yet maintaining a posture of seeking God's permission to fully pursue any avenue.
- Sometimes there is peace in pursuing a course. Other times, that peace is illusive. Until it's clear, we wait in anticipation and submission to God's timing and will.
• Genesis 8:13-19 : "And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried. Then God spoke to Noah, saying, 'Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.' So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark." - Note again the time in verse 13: the six hundred and first year. This is corresponding to Noah's life.
- Remember that the floodwaters were on the earth in Noah's 600th year. It took a year for all of this to take place, from the moment the water was turned on, until the water had dried up.
- Noah took off the covering and saw that the ground was dry. Finally, we see God speaking to Noah. All signs have pointed to habitable planet. Everything is lining up.
- But Noah does not make the move off of the ark until God gives the word.
- Very poignant point. Everything makes sense. The ground is dry. The earth has again become habitable. There is even a dove's nest out there.
- I wonder if the family was pressuring Noah: "Certainly we can open the door now can't we!?"
- Noah did not take it upon Himself to autonomously move ahead of the direct command of the Lord. God had invited Him in to the ark, now God must send Him out of the ark.
- Noah patiently waited for God to open the door. Maybe that's all that needs to be said.
- Opportunities come our way, but God is the one who opens the doors and calls us into our out of any given thing.
- All are evacuated out and given the same command that God gave to Adam and Eve. Be fruitful and multiply on the earth.
- Interesting. Their faith has been tested and stretched for over a year. Now, God, having done a transformative, powerful work within the ark, sends them out to be fruitful.
- There is a deep lesson here for us. We want to be fruitful as Christians, but we never want our faith to be tested. Fruit is borne as a result of testing!
- Turn with me to James 1. We cannot resist this oft quoted passage from James because it says it so well.
• James 1:2-4 : "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."
- God has tested Noah's family. Now, it's time for them to fruitfully produce.
• Genesis 8:20-22 : "Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, 'I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done. While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.'" : Noah's first act after being tested by the Lord was to worship.
- When God allows testing, and the stress rises, the worship is so much sweeter when the release comes.
- There is no doubt that Noah worship God during his time on the ark. But how much more sweet is that worship that comes when we see fulfillment!
- This was the only thing that Noah wanted to do. To offer thanksgiving to God.
- All of the clean animals that had come along were now burnt before the Lord as offerings to Him. I always pause on the word "offering" when it comes to the context of worship.
- When we worship, we are offering something up to the Lord. Our hearts adoration. Our devotion. Our love. All of it is an offering to God.
- It might make us feel good, but that is a by-product, not the intended goal. The intended goal is what happens when God smells what we're cooking!
- Look at those words: The Lord smelled a soothing aroma. It was pleasing to Him.
- I have been reading the book of Leviticus with my kids. It's been an interesting exercise to go through that with them. As I have, I have noticed one phrase that just pops out over and over.
- As an example, turn with me to Leviticus 1:17.
• Leviticus 1:17 : "Then he shall split it at its wings, but shall not divide it completely; and the priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord."
- This phrase, "a sweet aroma to the Lord" is used 16 times in the book of Leviticus. It's always connected with the prescribed sacrifices of worship.
- When the Lord smells Noah's barbecue, He made a promise to Himself. He commits to never curse the ground for man's sake.
- "But this is Noah and his godly children? We've started over right?" Sadly, the eyes of God see the truth that cannot be denied.
- It does not matter what godliness inhabits the earth. Man's heart will continually be wicked and evil from youth. The moment we are able to taste it, we'll long for it.
- But God in His mercy and grace, will forever sustain the good things that He generously provides.
Conclusion
- A few final words about tests of our faith that we observe from the text. There are 6 general lessons that inform us about how to deal with the testing of our faith. 3 from God, and 3 for us!
- First, God orders the test. He invites us into Christ and from there seeks to shape our character to conform with His.
- Second, God ordains the time. From beginning to end, the Lord is in control of the time that it takes to accomplish His purposes. The good news is that every test has a beginning and an end!
- Third, God only acts for our benefit. All that God did was for Noah and His family. Sometimes it feels different, but the truth is that God is acting on our behalf.
- How about our side of the equation? First, we need to to agree with James when tested, that this is to be considered a joy. Not because it feels good, but because God is at work in our lives.
- Second, we should not sit still. Investigating, discovering where the Lord is leading is a major part. Don't stop turning over stones, checking into opportunities or looking at the improbable.
- Finally, whatever you do, don't move until He has made your path clear. Seek His voice, listen intently, confirm it through wise, caring counsel and walk carefully forward.
"Now What!?" • 12.17.09 • Thursday Night Bible Study
Intro
- The last time we were together, Noah stepped into the ark and God closed the door behind him. After that, we aren't privy to anything that Noah said or that God said to Noah. It's eerily quiet.
- The ship was built with stability in mind but this was no pleasure cruise. 40 days and nights, the rain fell, the fountains exploded and the water canopy eroded.
- The Love Boat never had to face any of these conditions!
- This was a cataclysmic event unlike any the world has ever seen.
- It's quite possible that Noah's family existed in a state of shock, knowing that just outside of their 450 foot barge lie the floating remains of billions of wicked, godless people.
- They also represented anybody that they had ever known or were related to. In that ark, they came to realize emotionally that they were all that was left.
- Noah had gotten into the ark, but there were no details about how long this trip would last. Noah climbed in, but had no real exit strategy.
- Imagine that as this family came to question how long this journey would last.
- Imagine what it would feel like to be "rained in" for 40 days and nights with no relief, no way of escape, and most importantly, no end in sight.
- Imagine what it must have been like to calculate how much food would be needed, wondering if rations would be needed to preserve the food.
- At some point, did Noah or one of the boys turn and say in exasperation, "This is deliverance!?"
- As Christians, we have no other choice but to walk by faith. God calls us to do things one step at a time. He rarely, if ever, shows us the next step, much less the full picture.
- If He did show us, we would either not believe what He shows or be inclined not to obey!
- As much as this was a deliverance and a blessing to the family, the time between promise and fulfillment is always the true test of the steadfastness of our faith.
- Tonight, we return to Noah and his family, the sole survivors of the flood judgment. How Noah handles their faith journey might just inform us a bit more about our own.
Text
• Genesis 8:1-5 : "Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased. Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen." - This sounds pretty funny to our ears. Here is Noah, just floating along, when God finally remembers that they are there!
- This first phrase in Genesis 8:1 has caused many to become confused. Can God forget? Of course, we know that the answer is no. God is omniscient, meaning that He knows everything.
- God can never learn, nor can He forget what He knows. However, it troubles us that Moses uses the word "remembered."
- This is what's called an "anthropomorphism." Moses is ascribing a human characteristic to God. It's not the first one that we've seen. Earlier in chapter 6, God "repented" for making man.
- This is Moses' way of describing God's actions in terms that we can understand. What Moses is communicating is that God now turns His active attention back toward those inside the boat.
- In doing that, God starts to address that which kept them in the boat, namely the water.
- In the same way that God caused the flood, He now prescribes the method by which the floodwaters would subside.
- God made a wind to pass over the earth. Literally, the wind crossed back and forth over the sea. He stopped up the fountains and window of heaven. The rain was restrained.
- God is able to stop anything when it's the right time. Note that God notes the time.
- At the end of 150 days, 7 months and 17 days into their journey, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.
- The ark was no longer floating around, but there was not a place for the life aboard the ark to inhabit. The waters were still decreasing.
- A little over 3 months later, the waters decreased further and now the tops of the mountains were seen, but still no habitable region.
- In considering these statements, I want us to understand that God knows exactly how long our journeys in deep water are to last. They will last as long as He decrees, but never shorter and never longer.
- In that time, we are to wait on Him to guide and direct, but as we see with Noah, that doesn't mean that we sit and do nothing.
• Genesis 8:6-12 : "So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore." - This is pointing to another 40 day period after the mountains became visible and the ark stopped moving.
- Noah is waiting on the Lord. He is seeing progress. He sees the tops of the mountains. At this point, like most of us, he quite literally decides to test the waters!
- First, a raven is sent out. It perpetually went out and came back.
- The raven or crow, never seemed to find a place to land. It just kept circling around and returning to the ark.
- At the same time, Noah sent out a dove. The same thing happened with the dove. Noah then waited another 7 day period and sent out the dove again.
- This time his flying fleece returned with some fruit, a freshly plucked olive leaf! Still being cautious, Noah sent the dove out again 7 days later. The dove finally escaped for good!
- This process is a great illustration of the way that we wait upon the Lord. Noah was investigating. He was looking out for something that would give him an indication of leading.
- Some people think that this idea is for the birds, but I think that the scripture is informing us of Noah's wisdom and faith. He did not do anything ahead of the Lord, but investigated what he could.
- This led him to understand that the ground was not dry, therefore, a little more ark life was necessary. He understood God's answer: The answer was "wait some more!"
- Waiting is not some sedentary experience where you sit dormant without any activity. Waiting involves actively watching and pursuing, yet maintaining a posture of seeking God's permission to fully pursue any avenue.
- Sometimes there is peace in pursuing a course. Other times, that peace is illusive. Until it's clear, we wait in anticipation and submission to God's timing and will.
• Genesis 8:13-19 : "And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried. Then God spoke to Noah, saying, 'Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.' So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark." - Note again the time in verse 13: the six hundred and first year. This is corresponding to Noah's life.
- Remember that the floodwaters were on the earth in Noah's 600th year. It took a year for all of this to take place, from the moment the water was turned on, until the water had dried up.
- Noah took off the covering and saw that the ground was dry. Finally, we see God speaking to Noah. All signs have pointed to habitable planet. Everything is lining up.
- But Noah does not make the move off of the ark until God gives the word.
- Very poignant point. Everything makes sense. The ground is dry. The earth has again become habitable. There is even a dove's nest out there.
- I wonder if the family was pressuring Noah: "Certainly we can open the door now can't we!?"
- Noah did not take it upon Himself to autonomously move ahead of the direct command of the Lord. God had invited Him in to the ark, now God must send Him out of the ark.
- Noah patiently waited for God to open the door. Maybe that's all that needs to be said.
- Opportunities come our way, but God is the one who opens the doors and calls us into our out of any given thing.
- All are evacuated out and given the same command that God gave to Adam and Eve. Be fruitful and multiply on the earth.
- Interesting. Their faith has been tested and stretched for over a year. Now, God, having done a transformative, powerful work within the ark, sends them out to be fruitful.
- There is a deep lesson here for us. We want to be fruitful as Christians, but we never want our faith to be tested. Fruit is borne as a result of testing!
- Turn with me to James 1. We cannot resist this oft quoted passage from James because it says it so well.
• James 1:2-4 : "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."
- God has tested Noah's family. Now, it's time for them to fruitfully produce.
• Genesis 8:20-22 : "Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, 'I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done. While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.'" : Noah's first act after being tested by the Lord was to worship.
- When God allows testing, and the stress rises, the worship is so much sweeter when the release comes.
- There is no doubt that Noah worship God during his time on the ark. But how much more sweet is that worship that comes when we see fulfillment!
- This was the only thing that Noah wanted to do. To offer thanksgiving to God.
- All of the clean animals that had come along were now burnt before the Lord as offerings to Him. I always pause on the word "offering" when it comes to the context of worship.
- When we worship, we are offering something up to the Lord. Our hearts adoration. Our devotion. Our love. All of it is an offering to God.
- It might make us feel good, but that is a by-product, not the intended goal. The intended goal is what happens when God smells what we're cooking!
- Look at those words: The Lord smelled a soothing aroma. It was pleasing to Him.
- I have been reading the book of Leviticus with my kids. It's been an interesting exercise to go through that with them. As I have, I have noticed one phrase that just pops out over and over.
- As an example, turn with me to Leviticus 1:17.
• Leviticus 1:17 : "Then he shall split it at its wings, but shall not divide it completely; and the priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord."
- This phrase, "a sweet aroma to the Lord" is used 16 times in the book of Leviticus. It's always connected with the prescribed sacrifices of worship.
- When the Lord smells Noah's barbecue, He made a promise to Himself. He commits to never curse the ground for man's sake.
- "But this is Noah and his godly children? We've started over right?" Sadly, the eyes of God see the truth that cannot be denied.
- It does not matter what godliness inhabits the earth. Man's heart will continually be wicked and evil from youth. The moment we are able to taste it, we'll long for it.
- But God in His mercy and grace, will forever sustain the good things that He generously provides.
Conclusion
- A few final words about tests of our faith that we observe from the text. There are 6 general lessons that inform us about how to deal with the testing of our faith. 3 from God, and 3 for us!
- First, God orders the test. He invites us into Christ and from there seeks to shape our character to conform with His.
- Second, God ordains the time. From beginning to end, the Lord is in control of the time that it takes to accomplish His purposes. The good news is that every test has a beginning and an end!
- Third, God only acts for our benefit. All that God did was for Noah and His family. Sometimes it feels different, but the truth is that God is acting on our behalf.
- How about our side of the equation? First, we need to to agree with James when tested, that this is to be considered a joy. Not because it feels good, but because God is at work in our lives.
- Second, we should not sit still. Investigating, discovering where the Lord is leading is a major part. Don't stop turning over stones, checking into opportunities or looking at the improbable.
- Finally, whatever you do, don't move until He has made your path clear. Seek His voice, listen intently, confirm it through wise, caring counsel and walk carefully forward.
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