Joe Dude's Bible Thoughts: Genesis 8

"God remembered Noah" seems to be more of that human language barrier thing going on. Since God made Noah, I'm pretty sure he didn't forget him.

And of course there is some barrier, look at the power of God again. He made a wind to blow on the earth to dry up all this water. "Okay, wind, so what?" No no no. He MADE WIND to blow on the earth that HE MADE -- the earth that sits in a pile of billions of stars in a universe that HE MADE. What's the best we can do? Make a wind to blow out our birthday candles or to clear the room after we eat beans? And the only reason we can do that? God allows it, because he is sovereign and in control. That's crazy, but that's God. We often make him seem smaller than he is, but we could never make him seem bigger than he is.

Did you get the location of the ark? Ready to search for it? Have fun, send me a post card. It's probably best we don't find it. As a friend and brother guesses, a bunch of people would probably start worshiping it.

I'm sure there is some significance to sending out the raven before the dove. I don't know what it is.

I don't know the origins (maybe here!) but I recall the olive branch being a symbol of peace. Is this an indicating that Noah now has peace with God through the symbolic new birth he had? Maybe.

This isn't the first time I've read the phrase "be fruitful and multiply". I've only thought of it as "go, have a bunch of kids and fill up the place". I'm not saying here it means anything more, but it does remind me of a story Jesus told -- this dude gives three servants 10 talents, 5 talents, and 1 talents. The first two multiply their money and are rewarded. The last doesn't do anything worthwhile and is punished. What did Jesus say? "By your fruits you will know them". What are we supposed to do as God's children? Be fruitful and multiply, making more of God's children -- i.e., disciples of all nations.

More offerings to the LORD. It seems from early on, in many other cultures as well, this notion of sacrifice was prevalent. It's like it's wired in us or something!

"The intention of man's heart is evil from his youth" -- a very early statement of our big problem, our own sinful nature that we're born with. We're not sinners because we sin; we sin because we're sinners.

I don't remember ever noticing the last verse before today. I think we gloss over it a lot.