January 11, 2019

It Ain't Over 'til It's Over

Genesis 8

Bethany Moss
Friday's Devo

January 11, 2019

Friday's Devo

January 11, 2019

Central Truth

In seasons of prolonged waiting, obedience is still the answer. 

Key Verse | Genesis 8:13

In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the waters were dried from off the earth. And Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry.

Genesis 8

The Flood Subsides

But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of 150 days the waters had abated, and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. And the waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.

At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground. But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. 10 He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. 11 And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. 12 Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore.

13 In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the earth. And Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry. 14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth had dried out. 15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons' wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—that they may swarm on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 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 families from the ark.

God's Covenant with Noah

20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse 1 8:21 Or dishonor the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

Footnotes

[1] 8:21 Or dishonor

Dive Deeper | Genesis 8

No one likes to play the waiting game. Whether it’s sitting in rush-hour traffic, sticking it out at work for a promotion, or praying profusely for a relationship to be restored, practicing patience can feel like a chore. Yet, it is a common way God chooses to grow and sharpen His people. Today, we will see that Noah had no choice but to grow in patience as he waited for God to fulfill His promise.

Imagine being stuck on a ship during a horrible storm for 40 days and 40 nights straight. There is a constant stench from animals, and the only people to converse with are your immediate family. I know for many of you, the latter sounds more like a nightmare than the former. Most of us can endure anything for 40 days, but what about for a whole year? When we compare the dates given in Genesis 7 and 8, we discover that it took one year and 11 days from the first rains, to when the earth was completely dry. Wow!

I wonder what it was like for Noah to stay inside the ark after he felt it collide with the mountains of Ararat and then three months later see the tops of the mountains? For me, I know I would have been tempted to get out of the boat during the day and hang out on a mountaintop, just to get some alone time and breathe in fresh air. By months eight and nine, it would seem safe enough to start unloading some animals, especially as more land and trees became visible. Noah, however, did not exit the boat until God commanded (Genesis 8:15-16).

Staying patient in the waiting is difficult, especially when troubles seem to drag on and on. When it is over, though, wouldn't it be amazing to look back and respond with praise to God? That’s what Noah did immediately after standing on dry ground (Genesis 8:20-21). When we persevere with patience, we grow, see God move, and can share with others the wonderful things He’s done.

Discussion Questions

1. What has been your response when trials drop into your life? Have you noticed a difference in your response since you've known Christ, compared to before knowing Him?

2. In 1 Corinthians 13:4, the first word Paul uses to describe love is patient. What do you think are some implications of this?

3. Where else in God's Word have you noticed a theme of "waiting"?

4. How can you pursue obedience more fully today (resolve conflict, help a coworker, pray for something you've been avoiding, etc.)?