GENESIS LESSON 16

     We will begin this lesson in Genesis 8:1 "And God remembered
Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that [was] with him
in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters
assuaged;"

     As we have said many times before, the elements are subject to
God's command. When God told the wind to blow, it blew. This word
assuaged means the water was made to cease, or was trapped. I believe
this water was congregated in lakes and rivers, etc.

     Genesis 8:2 "The fountains also of the deep and the windows of
heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;" Genesis
8:3 "And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after
the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated." Genesis
8:4 "And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day
of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat."

     Oct. 17th was the end of the water prevailing; and, at that point,
the water began to subside. There are many people who do not believe
this flood was universal because it was just for the world of the
Bible. It really doesn't matter. We know that it was a judgement of
God on a wicked and perverse generation. For our study here that is
all that is necessary. Mount Ararat is in Turkey, near the border of
Russia. Many expeditions have been made to find the ark. A number of
people have proclaimed seeing the ark. There are bad storms on this
mountain and many have lost their lives searching for the ark. God
does not want us to believe in the ark because we can see it, but
because we know in our hearts the account of the ark was true.

     Genesis 8:5 "And the waters decreased continually until the tenth
month: in the tenth [month], on the first [day] of the month, were the
tops of the mountains seen."

     Their 10th month would be January on our calendar, in fact,
January 1st.

     Genesis 8:6  "And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that
Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:" Genesis 8:7 "And
he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters
were dried up from off the earth."

     Take note of the difference in the raven and the dove. The raven
was a dark bird, not trustworthy to do the job. So, Noah sent the
dove, symbolic of the Holy Spirit of God.

     Genesis 8:8 "Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the
waters were abated from off the face of the ground;" Genesis 8:9 "But
the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto
him into the ark, for the waters [were] on the face of the whole
earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in
unto him into the ark."

     The dove has always been a help to mankind. The symbolic meaning
of the dove is throughout the Bible. One of the most prominent was the
lighting of the dove on Jesus at His baptism. the dove throughout the
Bible means the Holy Spirit of God. (Our teacher and guide).

     Genesis 8:10 "And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he
sent forth the dove out of the ark;" Genesis 8:11 "And the dove came
in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth [was] an olive leaf
plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the
earth."

     The olive oil is,also, symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Isn't it
strange that this leaf was an olive leaf? The Holy Spirit is a promise
of help to mankind. 

     Genesis 8:12 "And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth
the dove; which returned not again unto him any more."

     There are all kinds of symbolisms here, as well. (The helper had
done his work). Noah could take it from there. I could stay on this
verse a week, but we are not studying symbols. We are studying from a
spiritual standpoint.

     Genesis 8:13  "And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first
year, in the first [month], the first [day] of the month, the waters
were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the
ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry."

     This occurred on April 1st, almost one year after the flood
began.  Whether he knocked a hole in the roof, or whether there had
already been an observation opening, or not, we are not sure. It
really appears, to me, that he removed roofing and went on top from the
Scripture above. Again, this is supposition, no one knows for sure.

     At first glance, Noah could not see water on the ground, but land
that had been soaked with water that long, needed to dry thoroughly
before Noah could walk on it without bogging down. God had called Noah
into the ark. God would call him out. I can not overlook this symbolic
message. When God calls us to a place to work, we had better stay
there, until God tells us it is okay to leave.

     Genesis 8:14 "And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth
day of the month, was the earth dried."

     It was over a year since the flood began; a year and ten days
to be exact. It began on May 17th and ended on may 27th, one year
later. It did not rain a year, but the water was on the earth a year.

     Genesis 8:15  "And God spake unto Noah, saying," Genesis 8:16 "Go
forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons'
wives with thee."      Genesis 8:17 "Bring forth with thee every
 living thing that [is]with thee, of all flesh, [both] of fowl, 
and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the 
earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, 
and multiply upon the earth."

     In other words, turn them loose and let them go to make a home
for themselves. These few would repopulate the world.

     Genesis 8:18 "And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife,
and his sons' wives with him:" Genesis 8:19 "Every beast, every
creeping thing, and every fowl, [and] whatsoever creepeth upon the
earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark."

     Noah just opened the big door, and out they came. The same way
they went in. Noah did not drive them out. It was as if some power,
far beyond Noah's, was calling them out. This particular area is
rugged and has much bad weather, so they most probably left the area,
except for those for Noah's own personal use.

     Genesis 8:20  "And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took
of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt
offerings on the altar."

     Noah's first thought was not of self, but God. Can you imagine
the thanksgiving Noah was bringing to God for saving his family. This
is firstfruits worship. It really did not matter what day of the week
it was. It was Noah's first thought to please God. God had not yet
told His people what was clean and unclean, but Noah was so tuned to
God, that he knew what was pleasing to Him. these altars were stones
piled upon each other. Noah took no thought of the cost of the loss of
animals, he was more interested in pleasing God.

     Genesis 8:21 "And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD
said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for
man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart [is] evil from his
youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I
have done."

     This greatly pleased God. Noah had not only won blessings for
himself, but for all mankind. The Lord's heart was touched by this
unselfish act. God knows that man has an evil heart, until he 
completely turns to God. This sacrifice that Noah made, reconciled God
to man. The ground would no longer be cursed, but would grow. God said
He would never again smite all mankind. A great promise for all mankind
was made by God in V-22.

     Genesis 8:22 "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest,
and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not
cease."

     I can not let this pass without taking note that this is while
the earth remains. There will be a time (after the 1000 year reign of
Christ upon the earth) when there will be a new heaven and new earth
for this one will have passed away.

     In V-22 not only a literal seedtime and harvest was meant. the
Bible said one will plant, another water, but God will get the
increase. I believe the planting days are about over. Harvest time is
here. The fields are white unto the harvest. God is about to gather us
into His barn, and there will be no night there, for we will be in the
presence of the Light. Night shall cease then. There will be one
eternal day. Not until we are carried home to be with God, will this
be so.

     Read chapter 9 of Genesis three times for the next lesson.

                                 Notes










































                             Questions 16


1.  What did God cause to come over the earth to begin the drying
    process?
2.  Are the elements under God, or Satan?
3.  What does assuaged mean?
4.  In V-2, two things were stopped, what were they?
5.  After how many days were the waters abated?
6.  What mountain did the ark settle on?
7.  When?
8.  By our time, what month and day is this?
9.  Why do many people believe this flood was not universal?
10. What was this flood?
11. What Country is the mount Ararat located in?
12. What country is it near?
13. Why has it been so difficult to physically prove the ark's
    existence?
14. The tenth month was actually what month to us?
15. What was the first bird sent out by Noah?
16. Why was it called by that name?
17. What second bird did Noah send out?
18. What is it symbolic of?
19. How many times did Noah send the second bird out?
20. On the second trip out, what did it bring back?
21. Why is the Holy Spirit a promise to mankind?
22. What month of our calendar did Noah remove the covering from the
    ark and look out?
23. What message for our day do we get from Noah waiting until God
    called him out of the ark?
24. How long had Noah been in the ark when he came out on dry land?
25. What was the first thing Noah did when he got on dry land?
26. How did Noah know what was clean and unclean?
27. In V-21, how did this offering effect God?
28. What promises did God make at this time?
29. What are two ways to look at seedtime and harvest?
30. Is there a message for our day in all of this?
31. What is it?