Lessons from the Resting Ark

Genesis 8

1. The ark rested because it had been working for 5 months saving Noah and his family from a sinful world and God's Holy Wrath.

2. God RESTED (finished) the work of Creation. Gen 2.2-3. The Ark RESTED (finished) the Work of Rescue Gen. 8.4 (Christ rose on the 7^th month and the 17^th day according to Exodus 12.2). Christ Rested (finished) the work of Redemption. John 19.30   

Love Purifies. v. 6-14

• Lessons on holiness: Ravens feast on uncleanness and doves don't. No qualms about resting in an unclean place.
• Lessons on waiting: They were in the ark for 371 days or exactly 53 weeks. Why? God has perfect plans! Ararat is the geographic center of earth's land areas.

The schedule of the flood is clearly given in the record. If we count the year of Adam’s creation as 1 then Noah was born in the year 1056 after the Fall.  Gen. 6:3 indicates that God gave Noah 120 years to preach and build the ark (I Peter 3:20), which means he was 480 Years old when he started (7:11).  This would be the year 1536 after the Fall.  The flood came in Noah's 600th year, which would be 1656 after the Fall; and on the 27th day of the second month in the year 1567 AF, Noah and his family were back on dry ground (8:13ff).  The daily schedule would look like this:

1. Month 2 (November) Day 10             They enter the ark (7:1-9)
2. Month 2 (November) Day 17             The floods come (7:10-11)
3. Month 3  (December) Day 26            The rains end (7:12)        
4. Month 7 (April) Day 17                    The ark rests (8:1-4)
5. Month 10 (July) Day 1                     Mountain-tops seen (8:5) waits 40 days
6. Month 11 (August) Day 11               Sends out raven and dove (8:6-9) waits 7 days
7. Month 11 (August) Day 18               Dove brings branch (8:10-11) waits 7 days
8. Month 11 (August) Day 25               Dove fails to return (8:12) waits 36 days
9. Month 1 (October) Day 1                 Noah opens ark (8:13) waits 8 weeks
10. Month 2  (November) Day 27            Then God opens the door, they leave the ark (8:14ff)

Love Sacrifices. v. 15-22

• Lessons on Obeying God's Call

• Lessons on giving: Noah gave the first and best 14% to God.
• Lessons on Remembering God
• Lessons on God's Promises 

God wants us to remember Him all through our lives 

WHEN WE ARE YOUNG: Ecclesiastes 12:1 “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them”: 

WHEN WE ARE ALONE: Jeremiah 51:50 “You who have escaped the sword, Get away! Do not stand still! Remember the Lord afar off, And let Jerusalem come to your mind.” 

WHEN WE ARE NEARING THE END: Jonah 2:7 “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple.” 

WHEN WE ARE TRANSFORMED: Luke 17:11-17 “Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?” 

WHEN WE ARE STRUGGLING: Habakkuk 3:17-19  “Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls -- 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.”  (NKJV) 

Imagine with me some of worst events our present high tech society could get.  How would we respond as Christians if confronted with utter economic, political, social catastrophe, and personal adversity?  In the format of Habakkuk's declaration: 

Though I lose my life’s savings through a crash, down turn, bad investment or bank failure, or never have saved anything,

Though America has another Depression, my company folds, restructures or downsizes me out the door,

Though I lose my job, my husband loses his, or I am single and unemployed and our government’s safety net fails, my benefits run out, and there is no one to care for me in old age, sickness and aloneness,

Though global famine wipes out food supplies in supermarkets, and my cupboards are bare at home and my family is suffering,

Though my loved ones never get saved, and my children turn from God, get pregnant, on drugs or in jail,

Though earthquake, flood, famine, fire, tornado, hurricane, drought or mudslide sweep away all that is precious to me,

Though my car quits and I can’t afford a new one, used one of even to repair it,

Though my health fails, insurance folds, marriage ends, or I get cancer,

Though my mate has a heart attack, and I suddenly find myself alone,

Though America falls to a foreign power, our liberties cease and we are plunged into chaos,

Though Christianity is outlawed, our property confiscated, our loved ones arrested and we are incarcerated without hope in prison, 

Could I still say, YES, LORD,

• I accept Your loving, sovereign hand on national affairs and in my Personal life? 
• Could I affirm, YES, LORD, come what may, I believe Your promise: " I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future " (Jer. 29:11).
• “The Lord is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him” (Andrew Murray). 

God will work all things for my good and for His glory!