Noah – Re-Creation

Noah Lesson 5 – Re-Creation

Text: Genesis 8:1-20

Now we come to chapter 8, and there is actually no break in the narrative between the two chapters.

1. The Connection. And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark.

This is the verse that connects ch7 and ch8.   ‘But God.’  The chapter begins in the middle of a sentence!

Note.

• The Remembering. What does it mean that ‘God remembered Noah?’ Had he forgotten about him?  Had he been so busy flooding the earth that Noah had slipped his mind?  No!  When God REMEMBERS God ACTS!
• Genesis 19:29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
• Genesis 30:22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.

Now here is the point. Noah is no different from any of us. Remember our description of Noah’s character?  He was a sinner, saved by grace through faith. God remembers US just as much as he remembered Noah!  Listen to these wonderful promises from the Scriptures… Psalm 136:23 

There’s a negative aspect to this as well, for see who God did NOT remember.  It does not say here that God remembered all the millions of sinners who had perished in the flood.  Just that He remembered Noah!   

2. The Construction.

We see great catastrophic floods around the world, and sometimes we are forced to ask if these are God’s judgment on people.  Are they?  All of these were catastrophic, disastrous, loss of property and life.  They were all caused by the weather.

Now these are greatly different from the biblical flood.  It was not caused by global warming, or climatic conditions, or freak weather systems – it was God, pressing the reset button on creation, restoring creation to its Genesis 1:1 situation.  Earth was destroyed, and it needed to be completely rebuilt if there was to be a future for Noah, the man who found grace in the sight of God.

• The Ruach! When he remembered Noah, what did he do?  He sent a wind. A ‘Ruach’ – the very same word as used for ‘Spirit’ in Genesis 1:2.  
• The Re-creation. A new world. A new life, a new heaven a new birth and a new earth! A whole new beginning. And it solely the work of God, effected for us by the agency of the Holy Spirit.   The waters ceased to cover the earth and returned to their boundaries as had happened at creation. There is a great attention to detail. It’s all too precise, too meticulous to be anything other than a factual account

Notice again the parallel accounts of how God de-created and re-created the world. (Wenham’s chart) And note that not only do they parallel each other, but the act of recreation parallels the original act of creation. God will do it again!  2 Pet 3. There will be a day of judgment and a day of recreation.

3. The Conclusion of the Voyage 4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.

• The Ark RESTED! Isn’t that interesting!  Why?  Because at creation, God RESTED on the seventh day.  Resting is a very important theme in both creation and the flood stories, as Noah’s very name means “rest.” The ark, according to people with a more mathematical brain, hit the bottom on a Friday, so that the first full day it rested was a Saturday.  Again, see that this parallels God’s work in creation, for in six days he created the earth, but on the seven day he rested. When we looked at God resting, we find that it was him being worshipped – being enthroned as king of the universe.  Ps 29:10
• Noah Seeks God’s Plan. v6 And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:
  • The Raven The unclean bird. And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.
  • The Dove The symbol of peace. v8 
• The Cover Removed. v13 

4. The Command to Disembark. 15 And God spake unto Noah, saying, 16 Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee.

• Noah has been a long time in the ark. Seven days preparation, 40 days of rain, 150 days drifting – and there is no account whatsoever that says that he had any word for God during all that time. God spoke to Noah, and he told him to enter the ark, – now he speaks again, and he says, leave the ark – it’s safe outside! Take all the animals, and go out and populate the earth.  It was God’s time to go forth!  Habakkuk 2:3 
• God calls Noah in, but he sends him out! God had said, Come into the ark and at the end of the flood Go forth, – He didn’t say ‘Come out!’  isn’t that interesting.  For although Noah had heard nothing from God during the voyage, God was with him in the darkest of times!
• They were sent forth as a married couple! When they were called into the ark, they were called separately, Genesis 6:18 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. – as we all must be.  We cannot flee for refuge in Christ on behalf of another.  We come alone, ourselves.  But when God sent them out, they were sent forth together, as a married couple.

5. The Celebration of God’s Grace. 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.

There was worship!  Noah offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord.  He had been saved, he had been brought through the waters of the flood, he was safely at rest in his new home, and God was to be given all the glory.  Note:-

• Praise. 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.
• Pleasure. ²¹ And the Lord smelled a sweet savour;
• Promise. 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. ²² While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Now, why am I emphasising this parallel account of creation and recreation so much? Because Peter warns us that there are people who will think that this present world will go on forever!  And it won’t.  God has already created this world, de-created it and re-created it.  And he is going to do so again.  This time by fire.  And only those who are in the Ark, – in Christ, will safely arrive in that land of eternal rest, where God is truly worshipped as our Creator and King, in a new, rejuvenated heaven and earth. 2 Peter 3:3