Genesis 8:6-19 – Time to Leave
God tells Noah when the Flood is coming, so he can build and enter the ark, but God doesn’t tell Noah when the Flood will go away, so Noah has to trust and be patient. But even though he doesn’t know when, Noah is still eagerly looking for the deliverance that he knows God is going to send. When the dove returns with the olive leaf, it is a sign to Noah and his family that plants are beginning to grow again, and their deliverance is coming.
On the first day of the first month, the ground is dry – it is a joyful new year. Noah removes some of the covering off the ark to see for himself. Never again will he take dry ground for granted. We appreciate our everyday blessings so much more after God has taken them away for a time. God keeps Noah in the ark, even though the ground is dry, until the earth is ready for them. God’s timing is always perfect.
Noah doesn’t leave until God tells him to. Just as God leads Noah into the ark, God now leads him out into the world. Noah has been in the ark for one year and ten days. Through all this time God has preserved Noah, his family, and all the creatures alive.
Questions
- Why might it have been hard for Noah to be patient?
- What does the dove bring to Noah?
- How long was Noah in the ark?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks for God’s everyday blessings.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters