01-35 God Remembered Noah

Genesis 8:1-19

When I was a young (10 Y.O?) I had plans to go to the NE State Fair with my cousin. My aunt was going to pick me up from the house at a certain time—of course going to the state fair meant carnival rides. This happened to be on a Sunday pm and my folks had already gone to the evening service at the church—leaving me at home by myself. Greatly anticipating all the fun at the fair, I was watching the minutes go by until my aunt arrived—except she wasn’t coming. I kept waiting and waiting. It didn’t help that my church had recently shown the old films about the rapture (Thief in the Night, Distant Thunder, Image of the Beast, Prodigal Planet) and the song that haunted those who watched it “You’ve been left behind.” I thought— “I missed the rapture.” So I’m frightened—I called the church and asked whoever answered the phone to have my mother removed from the service so she could talk to me—to give me a little reassurance. When I heard her voice, I knew it wasn’t the rapture, but I still couldn’t help but feel forgotten. My mom said—that’s your aunt—she tends to run late (of course that’s what happened—she came and we had a great time at the fair).

The emotions of fear and sadness are very real at that age—at any age really. And yet those emotions are immediately cast aside at the presence of my aunt’s car. I can imagine that some of you have accounts of your own—being stricken with fear and sadness. It may even have been recently—and in despair you’ve asked “God, where are you?” b/c it appears that He has forgotten you.

Well, our passage today should be of tremendous encouragement to you and like the sight of my aunt’s car to a 10 year old casting aside fear—the reminder of our God’s character should cause those fears, sadness and despair to flee—in the example before us that God remembered Noah.

If you remember several weeks ago, I pointed out that the flood narrative uses a literary device known as a “chiasm” where a sequence of ideas is presented and then repeated in reverse order. Moses gives great attention to detail as he writes this account and right in the middle of the chiasm (the hinge b/t 2 halves of the narrative), which presents the main idea of the passage is “But God Remembered Noah.”

Wenham’s Chart:

7 days of waiting for flood (7:4)

7 days of waiting for flood (7:10)

40 days of flood (7:17a)

150 days of water triumphing (7:24)

150 days of water waning (8:3)

40 days of waiting (8:6)

7 days of waiting (8:10)

7 days of waiting (8:12)

God Remembered Noah

Notice how 8:1 begins “but” Martin Lloyd-Jones “Praise God for the buts in the Bible.”

I’ll guarantee you this mattered to Noah. Noah was a man and I’m sure he had thoughts as we all have, in tough circumstances we begin to wonder: has God forgotten us? God has destroyed billions of people thru this worldwide flood. Animals along with humans have perished in this judgment of the flood. Only 8 people were saved on the ark and Moses breaks the tension by recording this statement: “But God remembered Noah.”

Now, what does this mean?

The Heb term is a general word that refers to remembering, calling to mind, to remind. When applied to God, there are 2 dif. persepctives: God’s and man’s.

God’s Perspective

God does not remember anything b/c He has never forgotten anything. God’s knowledge is immediate, comprehensive, perfect, complete, eternal. There is nothing that lies outside of God’s absolute knowledge. He doesn’t learn. He doesn’t grow in knowledge or understanding. His omniscience is unqualified and the reason he knows everything and never learns anything is b/c of His eternal sovereign decree that was put in place before the foundation of the world. God foreordained all things—making them part of His eternal purpose.

Isaiah 46:8–10 NASB95

8 “Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind, you transgressors. 9 “Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;

God has never learned anything so He cannot remember something that has been forgotten. God does not need reminders b/c something slipped His mind. It’s not as though the flood wiped out all those humans and animals and God lost sight of Noah and those on the ark—and snapped His fingers and said “Oh yeah—I forgot”—that’s not what Gen 8:1 means.

Man’s Perspective

Looking at this from our perspective, keeping in mind that God never forgets so His remembrance is something different than ours (this is why it is not a simple anthropomorphism). Brevard Childs has does extensive studies on this Heb term (zachar—iah) and he writes “God’s remembering always implies his movement toward the object.… The essence of God’s remembering lies in his acting toward someone because of a previous commitment.”

When God remembers it is not a recollection but action. When God remembers, He acts. And the reason He acts is b/c of the counsel of His eternal purpose.

For Noah and those with him on the ark—we have no record of whether God spoke to them while on the ark but for 1 year and 10 days they were the only humans on the earth. And it would be natural (for we know our own hearts) to become greatly discouraged, feeling abandoned—on account of this—God remembered Noah.

This is not the only time God is said to remember someone/something...

Genesis 19:29 NASB95

29 Thus it came about, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.

Genesis 30:22 (NASB95) Giving birth to Joseph

22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb.

1 Samuel 1:19 NASB95

19 Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned again to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her.

Psalm 25:6–7 NASB95

6 Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, For they have been from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; According to Your lovingkindness remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

Psalm 103:13–14 NASB95

13 Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. 14 For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.

Psalm 105:8 NASB95

8 He has remembered His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations,

Jeremiah 31:34 NASB95

34 “They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

When God remembers—He acts, moves toward the object that is in view…in Gen it is Noah. There are 3 of God’s activities highlighted in relation to Noah and the flood, that pertain to His remembering.

1. God Removes the Water

Gen 8:1b-5 “God caused a wind...”

The term “wind” is the same used in Gen 1:2 in the beginning of the creation account

Genesis 1:2 NASB95

2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

This is not simply a natural wind but a work of the divine Creator causing the water to begin to subside (HS superintending removal of water). Along with the wind, God also closed the fountains of the deep and the floodgates of the sky—lit. restraining the rain that had fallen previously. Now, the point of contention by critics who deny a global flood is “Where did all that water go?” If it covered all mtns by 15 cubits, that water had to go somewhere.

Jonathan Sarfati explained the catastrophic plate tectonics that caused the mtns we have today were quickly and largely uplifted during and after the flood. “This very uplift, combined with the sinking of the ocean floors, would produce the unevenness required” (for water to decrease and for land to emerge). The waters that covered the earth in the flood receded into the seas that we have today. I don’t believe we can fully know all the fine details of the extreme forces at work in the flood judgment or even how God miraculously caused the waters to decrease to the point where it was safe for Noah all the inhabitants of the ark to safely exit.

vs 4…this is exactly 5 months from the beginning of the rain to the time when the ark grounded on the mtns of Ararat. The land wasn’t visible but the bottom of the ark rested on what is described as “mtns” plural of Ararat. The precise location is uncertain b/c it involves a range of mtns that includes the high peak of Mt Ararat (17K’). That mtn is likely a post-flood volcano and b/c of the volcanic activity the ark may have been destroyed by magma—or else Noah and his family might have used the wood of the ark for other structures and to simply survive.

For the next 5 months, the water continues to decrease when the tops of the mtns become visible—what a sight that must have been for Noah and the comfort he derives from God remembering him.

2. God Gives a Sign

vs 6

The next way God acts is by giving Noah a sign thru the dove that was sent. Notice the timing of this “at the end of forty days”—this is now the 11th month and 10th day (reference to Noah’s life). Noah opened the window (refer back to previous discussion about the window). This was not the door but an opening from which Noah could send out the birds beginning with raven.

Moses explains that the raven kept flying here and there until the water dried up. Kenneth Mathews “As the stronger bird and a consumer of carrion, the raven could remain in flight longer, going back and forth while deriving its food from floating carcasses (v. 7). The foremost significance of the raven is its symbolic value as an “unclean” bird, unfit for consumption (Lev 11:15; Deut 14:14).”

Since the raven did not return Noah knew that the water had receded to a specific degree. The other raven would have joined this one at some point in order to begin repopulating the earth (since we have ravens today).

Next was the dove. Moses also explains Noah’s purpose in releasing the dove “to see...” (vs 8). Water still covered the bulk of the land (valleys and meadows). So Noah reached out his hand and took her (female dove) back into the ark. This is a valuable expression of Noah’s care for the animals—a tenderness that ensured the animals were bought safely thru the flood.

So Noah waited (vs 10) with great patience another 7 days and released the dove again. Here’s the sign: it returned with an olive leaf. Olive trees are beginning to sprout. The vegetative propagation of the olive tree is spectacular. It can grow readily from seeds and also branches—requires only a shoot 5-10cm long. Olive trees can sprout on wet ground but a dove will not make her nest on that soil.

God provided Noah the sign of His remembrance—a precious symbol that God did not forget Noah or the ark’s inhabitants. It is often in these little things that God reminds us and reassures us that what we are going thru is part of HIs eternal and loving plan. I’m sure you’ve had these special signs (while we’re cautioned against asking for signs—God often attends our distress with these gentle reassurances).

Noah again waits 7 days and sends the dove again—but this time it does not return. Noah knew then that this gentle bird, which required a sufficient environment to nest in—finally found a place.

3. God Speaks Words of Comfort

vv 13ff

On Noah’s birthday he opened the covering of the ark and saw the earth was dried up. I don’t think I could begin to imagine the excitement in Noah and his family in what was seen. 56 days later the earth was fully dry (vs 15). This is where God speaks to Noah:

Genesis 8:16–17 NASB95

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 animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”

It has been a year and 10 days since God last spoke with Noah. Feelings of isolation, loneliness, Noah must have wondered “where is God?” “Why hasn’t He revealed Himself to me?” In hardships, we’re likely to ask those same questions. That doesn’t mean our faith is invalid, but it is simply a matter of still being in the flesh and at times having the tendency to doubt. It is in those moments God comforts us by reminding us that He never forgets.

Similarly, God repeats this promise to His people: Thru Moses to Israel:

Deuteronomy 31:6 NASB95

6 “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 NASB95

8 “The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Joshua 1:5 NASB95

5 “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.

Hebrews 13:5–6 NASB95

5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” 6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”

God promises to deliver us from the greatest fears—all the while, never forsaking or forgetting. With his trust and faith in God renewed, Noah left the ark:

Genesis 8:18–19 NASB95

18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by their families from the ark.

Application

1. Wait

One manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit is patience. You might find yourself in a very difficult situation: could be a job that’s faltering, a relationship that is being severed, financial hardship, or significant health issue—while our flesh wants to blurt out “Where’s God?” the HS ministers the necessary peace to endure these hardships while we wait upon the Lord to bring about His perfect purpose.

2. Remember

God remembers but you also are called upon to remember the Lord—which is a way of saying remain faithful. Noah remembers—1st thing he does is builds an altar and makes a sacrifice (we’ll look at this in greater detail).

It is commonplace for the flesh to forget the benefits of the Lord.

Psalm 103:2 NASB95

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;

Lk 17:11-19; the 10 lepers healed only 1 returned to give thanks

Ecclesiastes 12:1 NASB95

1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”;

Jeremiah 51:50 NASB95

50 You who have escaped the sword, Depart! Do not stay! Remember the Lord from afar, And let Jerusalem come to your mind.

The Israelites who were deported to Babylon following the Jerusalem conquest must fight the urge to forget God in the midst of the paganism they were surrounded by. They were cut off from their roots and their temptation would be to forget all that God had done. Jeremiah exhorts them to remember God. So must we, both when we’re encountering all the blessings of our good God and also when we encounter difficult seasons.

Jonah 2:7 NASB95

7 “While I was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple.

Our Lord understood the frailties of human nature and for this reason He established an ordinance for the church to keep before her the atoning work of the Savior—Communion.

Do this in “Remembrance”… As we come together to the Lord’s table shortly, remembering is active on our part:

Psalm 103:3–4 NASB95

3 Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; 4 Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;