Welcome to Elmhurst CRC’s Daily Dose of the Word of God. This is Jason Turner.
It’s Wednesday, September 9th and today’s reading is from Genesis 8: 6-12.
After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark and sent out a
raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the
earth. Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of
the ground. But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water
over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out
his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark. He waited
seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. When the dove
returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!
Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. He waited seven
more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.
The Bible tells us in Genesis 7: 11-12 that “all the springs of the great deep burst
forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth
forty days and forty nights.” The end of the 40 days was counted from the time when all the rain and water sources flooded the earth. It was a horrible season of judgment on earth due to widespread sin and people turning away from God. Thankfully, the Bible tells us that Noah was a righteous man who walked faithfully with God (Genesis 6:9).
Noah believed in God and had genuine faith to go to the window expectantly -- a
window located in the upper deck of the Ark -- one that scholars believe was made
with a protective covering that could be opened and closed. It was also a light
source.
We can imagine that Noah was expecting to see a dry and green earth, the tops of
mountains, and more. Noah used a raven and dove to test the conditions of the earth.
After waiting 7 more days, he sent out the dove from the ark. Upon its return in
the evening, in the dove’s beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Praise God! The olive leaf is symbolic of new life, hope, and peace between God and humanity. The earth is habitable again. We learn a couple verses later in Genesis 8 that the earth was completely dry. Indeed, it’s a new beginning for God’s creation!
Let’s pray. Holy and Gracious God, thank you for your faithful servant and preacher of righteousness Noah. May we grow to have a faith like that through the power of Your Holy Spirit. May we receive the good news that we don’t have to wait to experience a new
beginning with You. It can start right now, today, through your saving grace and plan. Amen and have a great day!
.jpg)