查經資料大全

 

| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index |

 

Genesis Chapter Eight

                             

I. Content of the Chapter

 

The Process of the Waters’ Abating

  A. The waters subsided (v.1-5);

  B. Noah sent out a raven (v.6-7);

  C. Noah sent out a dove for the first time (v.8-9);

  D. Noah sent out a dove for the second time (v.10-11);

E. Noah sent out a dove for the third time (v.12);

 

Situations after Noah Went out of the Ark

  A. Stand upon a new ground (v.13-19);

  B. Build a new altar (v.20);

  C. Make a new covenant (v.21-22);

 

II. Verse by Verse Commentary

 

Gen. 8:1Then 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.

YLT: “And God remembereth Noah and every living thing and all the cattle which with him in the ark and God causeth a wind to pass over the earth and the waters subside ”

Meaning of Words: “wind”: breath spirit;

Literal Meaning: “God remembered Noah” the whole family of Noah had been in the ark for one hundred and fifty days (Gen. 7:24). Apparently they were forgotten but God did not forget them actually. Here it emphasized the faithfulness and loving-kindness of God. When God remembers a man He often expresses it by “showing mercy” (Neh. 5:19; 13:31).

  This verse indicated that the judgment passed away. God would rather show grace than execute judgment all the time.

  And God made a wind to pass over the earth and the waters subsided” it was just the same as that in chapter one ---- “and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters”. Therefore here it contains the meaning of recreation. The second verse of chapter one mentioned the situation of recreation. And here chapter eight and nine described a new beginning on the earth.

Spiritual Meaning: the eight souls of Noah’s family typify those who are saved (1Pet. 3:20). The ark typifies Christ (Gen. 6:14-15). And the waters of the flood typify the waters of baptism (1Pet. 3:21) as well as death and judgment (Rom. 6:3-4; Matt. 24:37-39; 2Pet. 2:4-5).

  Noah went through the waters of the flood in the ark which on one hand typified Christ bore sins for believers and received the judgment of God in place of us so as to deliver us from the eternal perdition and on the other hand typify we believers are baptized unto the death of Christ and are buried with Him and have been planted together in the likeness of His death so as to be delivered from sin (Rom. 6:3-7).

  This verse mentions God and the ark and the wind (the identical word to “spirit”) which stands for the perfect working of the holy Trinity ---- God cares for us and Christ died for us and the Spirit works in us so that we are enabled to experience such wonderful salvation.

Enlightenment in the Word:

  1) We are saved due to the loving attendance of God. The salvation of God can never fail. God never forgets those who believe Him.

  2) If a believer has been long in sufferings and trials they may think God does not care for him any ore. However God always takes actions for those whom He cares for in due time.

  3) Those who remember God must be remembered no matter how lonely and painful they feel.

  4) If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation: old things are passed away; Behold all things have become new (2Cor. 5:17).                             

 

Gen. 8:2The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped and the rain from heaven was restrained.

YLT: “And God remembereth Noah and every living thing and all the cattle which with him in the ark and God causeth a wind to pass over the earth and the waters subside ”

Spiritual Meaning: “stopped” and “restrained” it indicated that the judgment of God was passed. All those who have believed into the Lord Jesus have been forgiven (Acts 10:43). And all obstacles between God and us are eliminated so that God will please us (Col. 1:22).

Enlightenment in the Word: all the experiences and environments of believers are under the arrangement and government of God.

 

Gen. 8:3 “And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased.”

YLT: “And turn back do the waters from off the earth going on and returning; and the waters are lacking at the end of a hundred and fifty days.”

Meaning of Words: “recede”: turn back lay down;

Enlightenment in the Word: sufferings are not removed immediately. When believers are chastened by God though it is painful there will yield the fruit of peace afterwards (Heb. 12:11).

 

Gen. 8:4 “Then the ark rested in the seventh month the seventeenth day of the month on the mountains of Ararat.”

YLT: “And the ark resteth in the seventh month in the seventeenth day of the month on mountains of Ararat;”

Meaning of Words: “rest”: settle down; “Ararat”: high land;

The Background: “the seventh month” it was called “the month Abib” in the land of Canaan. When the Israelites went out of Egypt it was changed as the first month (Ex. 12:2; 13:4). The fourteenth day of this month was the Passover (Ex. 12:6).

  “The mountains of Ararat” it was located in the border area of Armenia and Turkey. The plural form of “mountains” showed that the ark did not rest on the highest peak.

Spiritual Meaning: the Lord Jesus is the Lamb of the Passover (John 1:29 36; Ex. 12:6) who was crucified for us on the cross and risen three days later (Matt. 27:63). Therefore “the seventh month the seventeenth day” it typifies the day of the Lord’s resurrection.

  “The ark rested on the mountains of Ararat” it typifies the ascension of Christ after resurrection (1Pet. 3:21-22) and is seated in the heavenly places (Eph. 2:6).

Enlightenment in the Word:

  1) As the ark is as are we who are in the ark. We believers have been raised up and made sit down together in the heavenly places (Eph. 2:6).

  2) God never makes us toss for a long time but lets us rest in the peaceful and stable place ---- in Christ.

  3) The church in the world is like the ship in turbulent sea. However the Lord’s presence will enable us to over the waves (Matt. 8:26) and be comforted (Acts 9:31).

 

Gen. 8:5 “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.”

YLT: “and the waters have been going and becoming lacking till the tenth month; in the tenth on the first of the month appeared the heads of the mountains.”

Literal Meaning: the four words from verse two to five ---- “stopped” “restrained” “at the end of” and “were seen” ---- indicated that the judgment of God by the waters of the flood was passed away. To those who are saved there will be a brand new situation.

  “The tops of the mountains were seen” it means that there is an assurance of the hope of salvation.

Spiritual Meaning: “waters” typify death.

  This verse indicates that the risen life of Christ cannot be held by death (Acts 2:24) but will swallow up death (1Cor. 15:54). The risen power of Christ surpasses all that puts all things under His feet (Eph. 1:20-22).

Enlightenment in the Word:

  1) We who have believed the Lord Jesus are confident that the judgment is passed away. No matter how serious the sinful cases are God will not condemn anymore!

  2) If we have been raised with the Christ seek the things above and set not our mind on the things on the earth (3:1-2). 

 

Gen. 8:6 “So it came to pass at the end of forty days that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made.”

YLT: “And it cometh to pass at the end of forty days that Noah openeth the window of the ark which he made ”

Literal Meaning: “the window of the ark” (Gen. 6:16) it is on the above of the ark. Man in the ark can see the sky only but not the situations around and beneath it.

Spiritual Meaning: “forty days” typify the period of temptation (Matt. 4:1-2). God did not foretell Noah when the waters would stop which was the best chance to try Noah’s faith and patience.

Enlightenment in the Word:

  1) It is the chance for believers to practice faith and patience in temptations and trials.

  2) Let us pray continually and look upon God all the time so that we will not be fretful but wait in rest.

 

Gen. 8:7 “Then he sent out a raven which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth.”

YLT: “and he sendeth forth the raven and it goeth out going out and turning back till the drying of the waters from off the earth.”

Literal Meaning: it was guessed that the raven did not die because it ate the dead bodies floating on the waters.

  “Kept going to and fro” it suggested that the raven did not leave the ark far away but probably stood upon the top of the ark instead of entering in.

Spiritual Meaning: the raven is a kind of unclean bird (Lev. 11:13 15) which symbolizes the evil nature of man in the old creation (Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:5-9).

  The raven kept going to and fro upon the dead waters and was unwilling to return back to the ark. Spiritually it means that those who are of the flesh never care about whether their living conditions are clean ---- they care for themselves instead of others and look upon the present rather than the future. 

Enlightenment in the Word:

  1) He who has no God in life has neither goal nor direction but only “keeps going to and fro” busily and lives in a disorderly fashion every day.

  2) Some Christians are just like the raven following the mass public opinions or activities without rest.

 

Gen. 8:8 “He also sent out from himself a dove to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground.”

YLT: “And he sendeth forth the dove from him to see whether the waters have been lightened from off the face of the ground ”

Spiritual Meaning: “dove” it is a sign of the Spirit (Matt. 3:16);

    This verse implied that He was seeking the guidance of the Spirit and whether the living environment was fit for the saints.

 

Gen. 8:9 “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.”

YLT: “and the dove hath not found rest for the sole of her foot and she turneth back unto him unto the ark for waters on the face of all the earth and he putteth out his hand and taketh her and bringeth her in unto him unto the ark.”

Literal Meaning: the dove is fond of a dry and clean environment and eats grains. Since there was nothing to eat outside the dove could only return back to the ark.

Spiritual Meaning: the dove returned back to the ark because of finding nothing to eat which implied that those who have been born again always take Christ as rest and blessing in a void situation.

Enlightenment in the Word:

  1) Believers will in no wise set their feet upon the dead waters ---- things that are under the judgment of God.

  2) Since we believers are partakers of the divine nature (2Pet. 1:4) we have got the inner inclination and interest of seeking holiness in life. Therefore let us not be friends of the world (James 4:4) so as not to be defiled with the earthly filthiness.

  3) Let believers not imitate the raven to feed them with unclean things but shall be like the dove to seek spiritual food.

 

Gen. 8:10 “And he waited yet another seven days and again he sent the dove out from the ark.”

YLT: “And he stayeth yet other seven days and addeth to send forth the dove from the ark;”

Literal Meaning: another seven days” except for verse twelve it also appears in verse eight in some old scriptures. “Seven” stands for the number of perfection. Therefore “wait another seven days” means that Noah fully waited for and looked upon the guidance of God.

 

Gen. 8:11 “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.”

YLT: “and the dove cometh in unto him at even-time and lo an olive leaf torn off in her mouth; and Noah knoweth that the waters have been lightened from off the earth.”

Literal Meaning: a freshly plucked olive leaf” the olive tree did not on high places. To Noah the freshly leaf showed that water has receded from the earth many days so that the olive tree got enough time to put forth buds and leaves again. It is originated from the holy Bible of the popular sign of peace in the world namely a dove with an olive branch in mouth.

Spiritual Meaning: olive typifies the Holy Spirit (Zech. 4:3-6). The freshly olive leaves typify the newness of the Spirit (Rom. 7:6).

  Spiritually this verse means living in the newness of the Spirit is a manifest token that life has swallowed up death (Rom. 8:6).

Enlightenment in the Word:

  1) God knows when to give us invisible evidence or when to give us visible evidence.

  2) If we can trust in Him and His words utterly we can often get many visible evidences.

 

Gen. 8:12 “So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove which did not return again to him anymore.”

YLT: “And he stayeth yet other seven days and sendeth forth the dove and it added not to turn back unto him any more.”

Literal Meaning: that the dove went without returning again anymore showed the waters were dried up from the earth.

Spiritual Meaning: the Spirit dwells in the clean and undefiled environment only.

    This verse typifies that Christ may dwell in our hearts (Eph. 3:17) if believers put to death the members which are upon the earth by the Spirit (Rom. 8:13; Col. 3:5).

 

Gen. 8:13 “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.”

YLT: “And it cometh to pass in the six hundredth and first year in the first in the first of the month the waters have been dried from off the earth; and Noah turneth aside the covering of the ark and looketh and lo the face of the ground hath been dried.”

Literal Meaning: in the first month the first day of the month” here it implied that human beings had a new beginning.

Note: though Noah saw the surface of the ground was dry he did not take actions immediately.

Enlightenment in the Word: sight is less than faith in God for God knows the most proper time to go out.

 

Gen. 8:14 “And in the second month on the twenty-seventh day of the month the earth was dried.”

YLT: “And in the second month in the seven and twentieth day of the month the earth hath become dry.”

Literal Meaning: in the second month on the twenty-seventh day of the month” the waters of the flood began “in the second month the seventeenth day of the month” (Gen. 7:11). So far it had been one year and ten days.

Spiritual Meaning: in the second month on the twenty-seventh day of the month” it is the multiple of ten plus seven indicating that God had temporarily fulfilled the appointed judgment in His will.

  In verse thirteen and fourteen there are three times of mentioning “the ground was dry” which shows that everything is brought back into line under the care of “the holy Trinity”.

 

Gen. 8:15 “Then God spoke to Noah saying ”

YLT: “And God speaketh unto Noah saying ”

 

Gen. 8:16 “"Go out of the ark you and your wife and your sons and your sons' wives with you.”

YLT: “Go out from the ark thou and thy wife and thy sons and thy sons' wives with thee;”

Literal Meaning: note that the whole family of Noah “went into the ark” because of the word of God (Gen. 7:1). Now it is still out of the word of God that “they could go out of the ark”. Noah had seen the surface of the ground was dry “in the first month the first day of the month” (v.12) but he still waited in the ark for more than fifty days and refused to go out by himself. 

  It is “going out” instead of “coming out” which suggests that God Himself had also entered into the ark and been with Noah all the time.

Enlightenment in the Word:

  1) Let believers in no wise walk by sight or by their own will but look upon and wait for the word of God.

  2) The first testimony of believers’ living in the newness of life is living by every word which goes out through God’s mouth (Matt. 4:4).

  3) Let believers obey the guidance of God and magnify the Lord in everything.

  4) Only those who have entered into the ark can “go out” of the ark. Those who have not entered into the Lord cannot manifest the divine life.

 

Gen. 8:17 “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."”

YLT: “every living thing that with thee of all flesh among fowl and among cattle and among every creeping thing which is creeping on the earth bring out with thee”

Enlightenment in the Word:

  1) If believers find favor before God people and things around them will also be blessed by God.

  2) The will of God is that the living things on the earth should “be fruitful and multiply” on the earth and manifest their living vitality. God does not like us “to have a name that we live and are dead” (Rev. 3:1).

  3) Let Christians preach the gospel with diligence that the children of God will “be fruitful and multiply”.

 

Gen. 8:18 “So Noah went out and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him.”

YLT: “And Noah goeth out and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him;”

Literal Meaning: “so” it shows that they keep the word of God.

Spiritual Meaning: “went out” the sins and transgressions and old man of one who is saved are buried in the dead water (undergo the waters of the flood in the ark) with Christ. When he goes out of the water he is a new creation and walk in newness (Rom. 6:4).

Enlightenment in the Word:

  1) God speaks to us for the purpose of making us hear and obey.

  2) Whoever hears the words of the Lord and does them he is a prudent man. The foundation of his whole life is built upon the firm rock (Matt. 7:24-25).

  3) Whoever hears the words of the Lord and does not do them he is a foolish man. No matter how many fulfillments he has got in his life he can still not stand up to any test (Matt. 7:26-27).

 

Gen. 8:19 “Every animal every creeping thing every bird and whatever creeps on the earth according to their families went out of the ark.”

YLT: “every beast every creeping thing and every fowl; every creeping thing on the earth after their families have gone out from the ark.”

Literal Meaning: “every...”: with rare exceptions; whatever was entrusted to Noah he took care of them faithfully.

Enlightenment in the Word:

  1) All that God has given to the Lord Jesus He shall lose nothing (John 6:38; 18:9).

  2) Let us be a faithful and prudent bondman whom his lord has set over his household to give them food in season (Matt. 24:45).

 

Gen. 8:20 “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.”

YLT: “And Noah buildeth an altar to Jehovah and taketh of every clean beast and of every clean fowl and causeth burnt-offerings to ascend on the altar;”

Literal Meaning: built an altar to the LORD” there are two great common mistakes of the common people: 1) be favored but not grateful (Luke 17:12-18); 2) pay more attention to the tool through which God grants His grace (e.g. The ark) but ignore the God who is the source of grace. Noah here built the altar to “give thanks” to God.

  Burnt offerings”: put the offerings on the alter and burn them all to God (Lev. 1:4);

Spiritual Meaning: alter typifies the cross of Christ. Burnt offerings typify that Christ died on the cross to satisfy the righteous requirements of God to bring about a reconciliation between God and men (Rom. 5:10; Eph. 2:16).

  That Noah offered burnt offerings to God typified that he yielded himself to God as alive from among dead (Rom. 6:13; 12:1). Therefore offering burnt offerings represents that we are gained by God.

Enlightenment in the Word:

  1) Noah’s obedience by faith was in keeping with his worship by faith. Where he built the altar was exactly the place that had been just undergone the judgment.

  2) Let not believers be drawn by the tool or customs or letter of God’s salvation to leave God Himself. No spiritual thing is able to replace the position of God.

  3) Man can draw near to God by offerings. Let believers often offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.

  4) Man shall find favor of God in Christ only.

  5) All believers that are saved are no longer their own (1Cor. 6:19). Therefore we now live unto the Lord not to ourselves (Rom. 14:7-8).

 

Gen. 8:21 “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.”

YLT: “and Jehovah smelleth the sweet fragrance and Jehovah saith unto His heart `I continue not to disesteem any more the ground because of man though the imagination of the heart of man evil from his youth; and I continue not to smite any more all living as I have done;”

Literal Meaning: smelled a soothing aroma” it is a kind of symbolic saying which shows that God accepts the worship of His children to Him (Eph. 5:2; Phil. 4:18).

  I will never again curse the ground for man's sake” God will no longer curse the earth (the living environment of man) according to the conditions of men.

  Although the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth” it indicates that the fact “that sinners may commit sins” cannot be changed because of the inborn corrupted nature even though they are chastened again and again

  Nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done” it shows that God will not deal with sins of men by the destructive flood (Gen. 9:11 15). However it does not mean there will not be regional flood anymore.

Spiritual Meaning: “a soothing aroma” typifies that we will be the soothing aroma of Christ (2Cor. 2:14-15) when we devote ourselves to God because of the knowledge of Christ so that the heart of God will be satisfied. 

Enlightenment in the Word:

  1) God changes His mind because He has pleased with the soothing aroma of the offerings man has offered not that He ignores man’s sins.

  2) Man was brought forth in iniquity (Ps. 51:5; 58:3). No flesh shall be justified before God by good works (Rom. 3:9 20).

  3) That we believers are accepted by God are utterly for the sake of Christ instead of our own goodness.

 

Gen. 8:22 “"While the earth remains Seedtime and harvest Cold and heat Winter and summer And day and night Shall not cease."”

YLT: “during all days of the earth seed-time and harvest and cold and heat and summer and winter and day and night do not cease.'”

Literal Meaning: this verse shows that the time and seasons appointed in God’s creation will be kept till the end of the world (Gen. 1:14).

  While the earth remains” it suggests that this earth will not remain one day and will be replaced by “the new earth” at that time (Heb. 1:11; 2Pet. 3:10 13; Rev. 21:1).

Seedtime and harvest”: it refers to the sprouting and ripening of the seed “cold and heat” refer to the climate “winter and summer” relate to seasons day and night” refers to the time of days; all the above-mentioned elements are closely related to the survival of all living things.

In other words when the earth will not remain all of these will be stopped.

Spiritual Meaning: spiritually this verse reveals that all things work together for good to those who love God (Rom. 8:28).

Enlightenment in the Word:

  1) Since the world and all things thereof pass away let us not set our mind on things on the earth (Phil. 3:19) but on things above (Col. 3:2).

  2) God makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matt. 5:45). However God makes all things work together for good to those who love God (Rom. 8:28).

 

III. Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons

 

Experience the Death and Resurrection in Christ

  A. Die with Christ:

1. Noah underwent the flood in the ark (chap. 7).

2. The waters of the flood decreased (v.1-3) ---- which showed the judgment was over.

  B. Live with Christ:

1. The ark rested on the mountains of Ararat (v.4) ---- be raised up with Christ;

2. The tops of the mountains were seen (v.5) ---- ascend with Christ;

 

Be a New Creation in Christ

  A. On one hand we still have the evil nature of the old creation:

1. Raven (v.6-7) typifies the evil nature of the old creation;

2. The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth (v.21) ---- man is still born with the sinful nature;

  B. On the other hand we are partakers of the holy nature of God:

1. The dove (v.8-12) symbolizes things concerning the Spirit ---- the new life born from the Spirit;

2. A freshly plucked olive lead was in the dove’s mouth (v.11) ---- have the newness of the Spirit;

3. The ground was dry (v.13-14) ---- live in the clean and undefiled environment;

 

Live in the Newness of Life

  A. Live by the word of God only:

1. God spoke to Noah (v.15) ---- look upon and wait for the word of God always;

2. All went out of the ark (v.17-19) ---- keep the word of God;

  B. Live unto God:

1. Built the alter and offer the burnt offerings (v.20) ---- offer oneself and live unto God through the works of Christ’s cross;

2. Give out the soothing aroma and be accepted by God (v.21);

3. The living environment is kept by God (v.22);

 

── Caleb HuangChristian Digest Bible Commentary Series

Translated by Mary Zhou