Genesis 8: The Flood Recedes (NLT)
Let us finish the story of Noah tonight in the next 2 chapters. Chapters 8 & 9.
God sent a wind to blow across the waters, and the floods began to disappear. The water sources ceased their gushing, and the torrential (pouring, violent) rains stopped. So the flood gradually began to recede. After 150 days from the time the flood began, the boat came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Two and a half months later, as the waters continued to go down, other mountain peaks began to appear.
Let's recap. The floods came and covered the earth for 150 days (5 months). Then, another 150 days for the floods to recede when the boat rested on the mountain of Ararat. Two and half months later (74 days), other mountain peaks began to appear. So basically, Noah and his family were in the boat for a year and two weeks when they see the mountain peaks. It doesn't stop there, cause the water is still receding as I am still typing.
Let's continue.
After another 40 days, Noah opened the window he had made in the boat and released a raven that flew back and forth until the earth was dry. Then he sent out a dove to see if it could find dry ground. But the dove found no place to land because the water was still too high. so it returned to the boat, and Noah held out his hand and drew the dove back inside. Seven days later, Noah released the dove again. This time, the dove came back with an olive tree leaf in its beak. A week later, the dove never returned.
Finally, when Noah was 601 years old, (still can't explain this) he lifted back the cover to look. The water was drying up, two months later the earth, at last, dried up.
Wow, what a relief. 150 days in the boat when the flood covered the earth. Another 150 days when the flood receded and the boat rested on the mountain of Ararat. Another two and a half months later when they saw the other mountain peaks. Another 40 days to release a raven until the earth was dry. 14 days of sending a dove to find dry ground. Then finally, two months later, the earth was finally dried up. So if you calculate the total number of days in the boat, thats a total of 488 days.
Occasionally Noah would send a bird out to test the earth and see if it was dry. But Noah didn't get out of the boat until God told him to. He was waiting for God's timing. God knew that even though the was gone, the earth was not dry enough for Noah and his family to venture out. What patience Noah showed, especially after spending an entire year inside his boat! We, like Noah, must trust God to give us patience during those difficult times when we must wait.
God said to Noah, "Leave the boat, all of you. Release all the animals and birds so they can breed and reproduce in great numbers." Noah and his family left the boat, and all the animals and birds came out, pair by pair.
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and sacrificed on it the animals and birds that had been approved for that purpose. God was pleased with the sacrifice and said to himself, "I will never again curse the earth, destroying all living things, even though people's thoughts and actions are bent toward evil from childhood. As long as the earth remains, there will be springtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night."
Countless times throughout the Bible we see God showing his love and patience toward men and women in order to save them. Although he realizes that their hearts are evil, he continues to try to reach them. When we sin or fall away from God, we surely deserve to be destroyed by his judgment. But God has promised never again to destroy everything on earth until the judgment day when Christ returns to destroy evil forever. Now every change of season is a reminder of his promise.
God sent a wind to blow across the waters, and the floods began to disappear. The water sources ceased their gushing, and the torrential (pouring, violent) rains stopped. So the flood gradually began to recede. After 150 days from the time the flood began, the boat came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Two and a half months later, as the waters continued to go down, other mountain peaks began to appear.
Let's recap. The floods came and covered the earth for 150 days (5 months). Then, another 150 days for the floods to recede when the boat rested on the mountain of Ararat. Two and half months later (74 days), other mountain peaks began to appear. So basically, Noah and his family were in the boat for a year and two weeks when they see the mountain peaks. It doesn't stop there, cause the water is still receding as I am still typing.
Let's continue.
After another 40 days, Noah opened the window he had made in the boat and released a raven that flew back and forth until the earth was dry. Then he sent out a dove to see if it could find dry ground. But the dove found no place to land because the water was still too high. so it returned to the boat, and Noah held out his hand and drew the dove back inside. Seven days later, Noah released the dove again. This time, the dove came back with an olive tree leaf in its beak. A week later, the dove never returned.
Finally, when Noah was 601 years old, (still can't explain this) he lifted back the cover to look. The water was drying up, two months later the earth, at last, dried up.
Wow, what a relief. 150 days in the boat when the flood covered the earth. Another 150 days when the flood receded and the boat rested on the mountain of Ararat. Another two and a half months later when they saw the other mountain peaks. Another 40 days to release a raven until the earth was dry. 14 days of sending a dove to find dry ground. Then finally, two months later, the earth was finally dried up. So if you calculate the total number of days in the boat, thats a total of 488 days.
Occasionally Noah would send a bird out to test the earth and see if it was dry. But Noah didn't get out of the boat until God told him to. He was waiting for God's timing. God knew that even though the was gone, the earth was not dry enough for Noah and his family to venture out. What patience Noah showed, especially after spending an entire year inside his boat! We, like Noah, must trust God to give us patience during those difficult times when we must wait.
God said to Noah, "Leave the boat, all of you. Release all the animals and birds so they can breed and reproduce in great numbers." Noah and his family left the boat, and all the animals and birds came out, pair by pair.
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and sacrificed on it the animals and birds that had been approved for that purpose. God was pleased with the sacrifice and said to himself, "I will never again curse the earth, destroying all living things, even though people's thoughts and actions are bent toward evil from childhood. As long as the earth remains, there will be springtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night."
Countless times throughout the Bible we see God showing his love and patience toward men and women in order to save them. Although he realizes that their hearts are evil, he continues to try to reach them. When we sin or fall away from God, we surely deserve to be destroyed by his judgment. But God has promised never again to destroy everything on earth until the judgment day when Christ returns to destroy evil forever. Now every change of season is a reminder of his promise.
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