“Genesis 8:13-19”

Sunday, November 03, 2019

“Now it came about in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the water was dried up from the earth. Then Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the surface of the ground was dried up. In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. Then God spoke to Noah, saying, ‘Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 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.’ So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by their families from the ark.”

---End of Scripture verses---

“In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first day of the month…” (verse 13) At this time “Noah removed the covering from the ark” and observed that ground was dried up. It is possible that the difference between the statement that the earth was “dried up” (verse 13 ) and 27 days later “the earth was dry” (verse 14), may indicate that all the water was gone on the earlier date, and that the earth was actually solidified and dry enough to walk upon on the day of verse 14. If so, Noah waited long enough for his family and the animals to have a firm foothold on solid ground before exiting the ark. But whether there was any difference in the “dryness” of the earth revealed in the two verses or not, the reason Noah waited as long as he did to disembark is because he was awaiting the Lord’s command to “Go out of the ark” before doing so (verse 16).

The covering of the ark – “The word is elsewhere used of the covering of skins for the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:14; Numbers 4:25), and it has probably a similar meaning here. To have removed the solid framework of the roof would have been a very laborious task, and still more so to have broken up the roof itself. But as the asphalt employed for filling up the interstices between the beams in the hulk of the ark would have been difficult to manage for the roof, it was apparently protected from the rain by a covering, probably of skins sewn together.” (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers)

“In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. Then God spoke to Noah, saying, ‘Go out of the ark…’” (verses 14-16) Noah, his family and the selected animals likely spent a complete "solar year" of 365 days in the ark. They entered the ark the 17th day of the 2nd month, in the 600th year of Noah's life (Genesis 7:11,13). They exited on the 27th day of the 2nd month, in the 601st year of Noah's life. It is believed that the ancient Hebrews based their calendar on lunar year (Twelve complete lunar cycles consisting of 354 days), with an additional eleven days spent in the ark.

The following tabulations have been submitted from Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: The rain continued for 40 days. The waters prevailed on the earth 150 days. The waters subsided for 99 days. Noah delays for 40 days. The sending of the raven and the dove, 20 days. Another month of 29 days. The interval until the 27th of the 2nd month, 57 days. The sum-total of days 365 days. The chart attached is an additional compilation to consider. It is difficult to tabulate with precision the exact breakdown of the days, but friends, no matter how you slice it or dice it or do the math, they were on the ark for a long, long time! Those must have been the sweetest words to ever bless their ears: “Go out of the ark”! Stretch! Breathe! Move about! Be free!

“God consults our benefit, rather than our desires; he knows what is good for us better than we do for ourselves, and how long it is fit our restraints should continue, and desired mercies should be delayed. We would go out of the ark before the ground is dried; and perhaps, if the door is shut, are ready to thrust off the covering, and to climb up some other way; but God's time of showing mercy is the best time. As Noah had a command to go into the ark, so, how tedious soever his confinement there was, he would wait for a command to go out of it again. We must in all our ways acknowledge God, and set him before us in all our removals. Those only go under God's protection, who follow God's direction, and submit to him.” (Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary)

“Be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” (verse 17) God gave the inhabitants of the ark the same command to populate (repopulate actually) the earth that He did His original animal and human creation (Genesis 1:22, 28). Although to 99.9% of the world's inhabitants the flood brought utter devastation, to Noah, his family and the animals on the ark, it was an opportunity for a new beginning. Noah was faithful, obedient, diligent, trusting, reverent and patient, and the Lord rewarded and blessed him and his loved ones for his devotion. Noah had a heart that was open to the will of his Father in heaven. He listened. He believed. He heeded. “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves... But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:22, 25)

Please read Genesis 8:20-22 for tomorrow.

- Louie Taylor

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