Noah Looks Up Beside the Ark on the MountainBible World
8:4Genesis 8:4
And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
Before the ark rested, the waters had stood fifteen cubits above the highest mountains. As the waters decreased, God remembered Noah and caused the ark to rest on top of a cluster of mountains at Ararat, which He in His power had preserved and made to stand fast through the violent storm. He guided it into a sheltered, quiet haven among them. Those mountains stood only a little distance apart. The ark moved about and rested upon one and then another of them within that haven and was no more driven upon the boundless ocean, which gave great relief to the weary, storm-tossed Noah and all within the ark.
As the mountains and hills appeared they were in a broken, rough condition, and all around them looked like a sea of roiled water or soft mud. When the ark was at rest, Noah and his family of eight remained shut up inside, anxiously watching the waters decrease and desiring to go forth upon the earth again. They waited and tested the waters by sending out a raven that flew back and forth to and from the ark without bringing the information desired. Then they sent a dove that finding no rest returned to the ark, and after seven days the dove sent again returned with an olive leaf in its mouth, causing great rejoicing after being so long shut up.
Though Noah could remove the top of the ark, he could not open the door that God had shut. They stayed until an angel opened the door and God spoke through the angel bidding Noah and his family to go forth out of the ark and bring forth every living thing with them. The mountains where the ark rested are where Noah's descendants continued to dwell for a time after the Flood. They remained there until their numbers increased, when apostasy brought division and those who wanted to forget their Creator left for the plain of Shinar.
The verse belongs to the inspired record of a real history: Noah was a literal person and the Flood was an actual event. The Flood history explains that remains found in the earth come from conditions before the Flood, when people, animals, and trees much larger than those now living were buried and preserved when its inhabitants perished. The account identifies when those conditions existed; geology alone cannot establish their time. The Flood was a judgment God brought because of human sin and iniquity. Growing wickedness still brings certain judgment.
The ark was the massive boat God used to save all who would hear the warning and turn from unrighteousness, but only eight persons were saved. All were tested by the truth that Noah preached, and those who believed were saved. The days of Noah prefigure the age before Christ's return, because human nature apart from the Spirit of God is the same in both ages.
Before the ark rested, the waters had stood fifteen cubits above the highest mountains. As the waters decreased, God remembered Noah and caused the ark to rest on top of a cluster of mountains at Ararat, which He in His power had preserved and made to stand fast through the violent storm. He guided it into a sheltered, quiet haven among them. Those mountains stood only a little distance apart. The ark moved about and rested upon one and then another of them within that haven and was no more driven upon the boundless ocean, which gave great relief to the weary, storm-tossed Noah and all within the ark.
As the mountains and hills appeared they were in a broken, rough condition, and all around them looked like a sea of roiled water or soft mud. When the ark was at rest, Noah and his family of eight remained shut up inside, anxiously watching the waters decrease and desiring to go forth upon the earth again. They waited and tested the waters by sending out a raven that flew back and forth to and from the ark without bringing the information desired. Then they sent a dove that finding no rest returned to the ark, and after seven days the dove sent again returned with an olive leaf in its mouth, causing great rejoicing after being so long shut up.
Though Noah could remove the top of the ark, he could not open the door that God had shut. They stayed until an angel opened the door and God spoke through the angel bidding Noah and his family to go forth out of the ark and bring forth every living thing with them. The mountains where the ark rested are where Noah's descendants continued to dwell for a time after the Flood. They remained there until their numbers increased, when apostasy brought division and those who wanted to forget their Creator left for the plain of Shinar.
The verse belongs to the inspired record of a real history: Noah was a literal person and the Flood was an actual event. The Flood history explains that remains found in the earth come from conditions before the Flood, when people, animals, and trees much larger than those now living were buried and preserved when its inhabitants perished. The account identifies when those conditions existed; geology alone cannot establish their time. The Flood was a judgment God brought because of human sin and iniquity. Growing wickedness still brings certain judgment.
The ark was the massive boat God used to save all who would hear the warning and turn from unrighteousness, but only eight persons were saved. All were tested by the truth that Noah preached, and those who believed were saved. The days of Noah prefigure the age before Christ's return, because human nature apart from the Spirit of God is the same in both ages.