Commentary - Genesis 8:1-5

Bird's-eye view

Genesis chapter eight marks the great turning point in the flood narrative. The waters of judgment have reached their apex, and now the waters of salvation begin their work. This is not simply about the water level going down; it is a profound statement of God's covenant faithfulness. He brought the de-creation of the flood, and now He initiates the re-creation of the world. The passage is structured around God's direct and sovereign actions. He remembers, He causes a wind, He closes the sources of the flood, and He brings the ark to rest. This is the beginning of the world's second chance, all of it resting entirely on the grace of God toward Noah and his family, who are safe inside the ark of salvation.

The central theme is God's remembrance. This is not a case of divine forgetfulness followed by a sudden recollection. In Scripture, when God "remembers," it means He is about to act on His covenant promises. The entire chapter flows from this foundational action. The wind that blows is the same word for Spirit, recalling the Spirit of God hovering over the waters in Genesis 1. This is a new beginning, a picture of regeneration. The precise dating of the events underscores that this is real history, not mythology, and it all points forward to that greater salvation secured by Christ, the ultimate ark of safety for God's people.

Outline

Context In Genesis

This passage is the pivot point between the judgment of the flood (Genesis 6-7) and the establishment of the new world under the Noahic covenant (Genesis 8-9). Chapter 7 ended with the waters prevailing over the entire earth, a picture of total de-creation. All flesh that was not in the ark had perished. The world was under water, silent and judged. Chapter 8 begins with two of the most hopeful words in Scripture: "But God..." (in Hebrew, the sense is conveyed by the opening verb). God remembered Noah. This act of divine memory initiates the reversal of the flood and sets the stage for God's covenant promises in chapter 9. It is the bridge from a world washed by judgment to a world prepared for grace.

Key Issues

Verse by Verse Commentary

1 Then God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided.

The passage begins with the central actor of all history, who is God. And the first action is one of remembrance. When the Bible says that God remembered Noah, it is not as though Noah had slipped His mind. It is not God smacking His forehead and saying, "Oh, right, Noah!" Divine remembrance is a covenantal action. It means God is now moving to fulfill His promises and purposes for the one He is remembering. He remembered Rachel, and opened her womb (Gen. 30:22). He remembered His covenant with Abraham, and delivered Israel from Egypt (Ex. 2:24). Here, God remembers Noah, and the waters of judgment begin to turn back. This remembrance extends not just to Noah and his family, but to all the creatures in the ark. God's covenant mercy is comprehensive, covering the whole of the created order He intends to preserve.

And how does God act on this remembrance? He causes a wind to pass over the earth. The word for wind here is ruach, which is also the word for spirit or breath. This cannot be accidental. Just as the Spirit of God, the Ruach Elohim, hovered over the face of the waters in the first creation (Gen. 1:2), so now the wind of God moves over the waters of this de-created world to begin the work of re-creation. God is breathing life back into a world that had been given over to death. He is sovereign over the wind, just as He was sovereign over the rain. The effect is immediate: the water subsided.

2 Also the fountains of the deep and the floodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained;

God's action is decisive and total. The instruments of judgment are shut down. The same God who opened the fountains of the deep and the floodgates of the sky is the only one who can close them. This is a picture of absolute divine control. The de-creation happened because God opened these portals; the re-creation begins because God closes them. He commands the chaos, and it must obey. The rain, which had fallen for forty days and forty nights, is now restrained. The active judgment is over. Now begins the patient work of restoration.

3 and the water receded from the earth, going forth and returning, and at the end of 150 days the water decreased.

The process of salvation, like the process of judgment, unfolds according to God's timetable. The waters recede steadily, progressively. The phrase "going forth and returning" likely describes the tidal motion of a vast sea slowly diminishing. It was not an instantaneous draining. This teaches Noah, and us, the necessity of waiting on the Lord. The 150 days mentioned here marks the total time the waters prevailed, from the start of the flood until this turning point where the decrease became noticeable. God's deliverance is not always instantaneous, but it is always certain.

4 In the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat.

Scripture gives us a precise date. This is not the language of myth or legend; it is the language of history. The ark, this great vessel of salvation, finds its resting place. It does not drift aimlessly forever. It comes to rest on high ground, on the mountains of Ararat. The church, the ark of our salvation, is buffeted by the waves of this world, but it will not be overcome. Christ is our Ararat, the rock upon which we rest, and on the day of resurrection, we are brought to a place of ultimate security. The ark resting is a picture of peace after the storm, of stability after chaos. Salvation has a destination.

5 Now the water decreased steadily until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains appeared.

The process continues. For almost three more months, the waters continue to recede until, finally, new land is visible. The tops of the mountains appear. This is the first glimpse of the new world. What was once entirely submerged under the wrath of God is now emerging, washed clean. This is a powerful image of hope becoming sight. For Noah and his family, after months of seeing nothing but water and sky, the sight of a mountain peak would have been a glorious confirmation of God's promise. It is a picture of our sanctification. As we walk with God, the high places of His truth and righteousness begin to emerge more and more clearly in our lives, which were once flooded by sin.

Key Words

Zakar, "To Remember"

The Hebrew word zakar means much more than simple cognitive recall. In a covenantal context, when God is the subject, it means to act in accordance with a promise. It is a word of faithfulness and impending action. God's "remembering" is what drives salvation history forward. He remembers His people, and acts to save them. He remembers His covenant, and fulfills its terms. Noah's salvation did not depend on his ability to get God's attention, but rather on God's unchanging character and His covenant promise.

Application

The story of the flood's recession is the story of the gospel in miniature. The world was dead in its trespasses and sins, drowned in judgment. But God, in His mercy, remembered His people. He did not leave us to perish. He sent His Spirit, a mighty wind, to bring about a new creation. He closed the floodgates of wrath once and for all at the cross of Jesus Christ.

Our salvation is found in an ark, who is Christ Himself. We are brought into Him by faith, and while the storms of this life may rage around us, we are secure. Our ark has already come to rest on the high mountain of the resurrection, and we are seated there with Him. And just as Noah had to wait patiently for the waters to recede, so we must wait patiently for the Lord's timing in our lives. We may not see the full landscape of our new world yet, but we have seen the mountaintops. We have seen the evidence of God's grace, and we trust that He who began this good work in us will bring it to completion.

Therefore, when you are in the midst of a trial, and all you can see is the floodwater of circumstance, remember that God remembers you. His remembrance is not a passive thought but an active promise. He is at work, causing the waters to subside, and He will bring you to a place of rest.