Today’s passage: Genesis 8:1-19
Helpful thoughts:
- As we read through the narrative, we continue to see specific dates, amounts of days there was water, and the time in the ark. This was a real historical event.
- The waters “prevailed” over the earth for 150 days.
- The waters “abated” for 150 days.
- The ground dried for 70 days.
- Noah and his family were in the ark for 370 days.
- When we read that God “remembered” Noah, it doesn’t mean God had forgotten about him for a year. God was ready to act in the fulfillment of his covenant.
- Noah’s releasing of the birds describes for us the drying out of the land. It was a process, not instantaneous. But Noah didn’t get out of the ark when the dove didn’t come back. Noah left the ark when God told him it was time.
Questions to consider:
- What covenant did God fulfill with Noah? What had He promised? Why is it so encouraging to know God remembers His covenants and His people?
- What is the command at the end of verse 17? How does the story of the flood also speak of hope and new birth?
- In what way did the ark fall short? What was true of the people who came off the ark? What would continue to be true of their children? Was mankind saved from their sin? Was the earth entirely cleansed? What would it take to truly deal with our sin? (Hebrews 9:26)