8:1 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. And God remembered (zakar) Noah —This statement is like a beam of light in a dark and gloomy scene. It is infinitely comforting that at that epoch when Gods name was vindicated in fearful judgment and destruction of those who had corrupted the earth, He recalled to mind those few in the Ark who had remained faithful to Him. The Hebrew ‘zakar signifies to mark so as to recognise, and thus to remember. Though as the sole survivors of a drowned world, Noah and his company must have felt very lonely as they looked out upon the waste of mighty waters, they were very much in the considerations of God. God does not forget.” christadelphianbooks.org/uploads/CMH_digital/Genesis%20-%20Expositor.pdf Noah himself, though one that had found grace in the eyes of the Lord, yet seemed to be forgotten in the ark; but at length God returned in mercy to him, and that is expressed by his remembering him.” (Benson Commentary) And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged— This strong, drying wind hastened the work of evaporation. The word is ruach, spirit. Originally, when water covered the earth, the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters (Gen. 1:2) to effect the work of Creation. Now, again, the Spirit was used to repair the ravages of the Flood.” christadelphianbooks.org/uploads/CMH_digital/Genesis%20-%20Expositor.pdf 8:1 And God made a wind (ruah) over the earth and the waters receded.’ Flood Story 1:2 ‘the Spirit (ruah) of God was hovering over the waters.’ Creation Story The original Hebrew is even closer than most English versions suggest. In both creation and flood the earth is covered by water, ruah is moving over its surface, and dry land eventually appears.” [Back to the Present by Dr. Laurence Turner] 2 The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. 3 And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased. 4 Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. 5 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. 6 So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. 7 Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. 8 He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. 9 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. 10 And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. 11 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. 12 So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore. The ark rested upon a mountain, whither it was directed by the wise and gracious providence of God, that might rest the sooner. God has times and places of rest for his people after their tossing; and many times he provides for their seasonable and comfortable settlement, without their own contrivance, and quite beyond their own foresight. God had told Noah when the flood would come, yet he did not give him an account by revelation, at what times and by what steps it should go away. The knowledge of the former was necessary to his preparing the ark; but the knowledge of the latter would serve only to gratify curiosity; and concealing it from him would exercise his faith and patience.” (Mathew Henry) 13 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. 14 And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried. 15 Then God spoke to Noah, saying, 16 “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 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.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19 Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark. The time had come for the narrow confines of the Ark to be exchanged for the freedom of the cleansed world. Two related commands were given: Go forth! and Bring forth! (v. 17). It marked a new beginning in relationship with God and His purpose, such as now is established at baptism, and foreshadowing that which will be more completely manifested at the commencement of the Millennium.christadelphianbooks.org/uploads/CMH_digital/Genesis%20-%20Expositor.pdf 8:17 ‘Bring out 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 upon it.’ Flood Story 1:22 God blessed them and said: Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.’ Creation Story Just as God blessed the animals with fertility at creation, those that survive the Flood receive the same blessing. God’s world will continue to be productive.[Back to the Present by Dr. Laurence Turner] 20 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. 21 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. 22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.” Noah built an altar to the Lord; hence we should, after deliverance from afflictions and troubles, as a first duty, kneel down and give glory to God [with the proper sacrifice]. Devotion on these occasions is warmed and animated by fresh tokens of providence, and becomes peculiarly acceptable to God.” (Sutcliffes Commentary) This is the first reference to an altar in the Bible, though obviously, it was not the first one set up. The Hebrew is mizbeach from zabach, to slaughter an animal in sacrifice. Moses was instructed that altars were to be set up only at places where Yahweh recorded His Name (Exod. 20:24), that is, where He manifested His power, and that they were to be built of unhewn stone. They pointed forward to Christ our altar (Heb. 13:10) through whom, all offerings should be made to God. Though Jesus was of our nature (stone), his character was Divine (John 1:14), and therefore he was fittingly represented by unhewn stone, or stone shaped by the hand of Yahweh. Concerning the stones of altars, the instruction was given that if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it (Exod. 20:25).. And took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl — These pointed forward to the offering of Christ. He was the antitypical priest, altar and sacrifice, and, as sinless before Yahweh alone among men, was fit to fulfil the type of the offerings. He was the lamb of God with-out blemish and without spot (1 Pet. 1:19)…” christadelphianbooks.org/uploads/CMH_digital/Genesis%20-%20Expositor.pdf 8:21 Then the Lord said in His heart, Never again will I curse the ground (dama) because of man (adam) ’ Flood Story 2:7 the LORD God formed the man (adam)from the dust of the ground (dama) (see also 3:17) Creation Story The play on word between man (adam)and the ground (dama) defined his relationship to the earth at creation. It continues to do so after the Flood.” [Back to the Present by Dr. Laurence Turner] Dust thou art and to dust thou shall return. And Yahweh said in His heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for mans sake — The Hebrew lo yesaph is derived from the root yasaph, to add or augment (Strong), and may be rendered: I will not add to curse the earth.’ Although the circumstances that led to the Flood demonstrated that the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth, the action of Noah so pleased Yahweh, that He made the declaration that He would not add to the curse that had been imposed at the beginning (Gen. 3:17).” christadelphianbooks.org/uploads/CMH_digital/Genesis%20-%20Expositor.pdf Jesus said. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” Matthew 24:35
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 13:38:14 +0000