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Bible Study: Starting Over

What is God doing in your life right now?

In Touch Ministries staff January 8, 2023

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1 But 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.

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

3 and the water receded steadily from the earth, and at the end of one hundred and fifty days the water decreased.

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

5 The water decreased steadily until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains became visible.

6 Then it came about at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made;

7 and he sent out a raven, and it flew here and there until the water was dried up from the earth.

8 Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land;

9 but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself.

10 So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark.

11 The dove came to him toward evening, and behold, in her beak was a freshly picked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the water was abated from the earth.

12 Then he waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; but she did not return to him again.

13 Now it came about in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the water was dried up from the earth. Then Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the surface of the ground was dried up.

14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry.

15 Then God spoke to Noah, saying,

16 ``Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons' wives with you.

17 ``Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you, birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth."

18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him.

19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by their families from the ark.

20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

21 The LORD smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said to Himself, ``I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.

22 ``While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease."

A child goes to school. A parent dies. Friends part—or reconcile. The calendar flips to a new year, or we simply wake to God’s fresh mercies in the dawn of another day. Life is full of change, and change often means beginning again. Noah experienced this in a most radical way, and so did you, when Christ cleansed your soul and granted you salvation. God is always making things new, even when we might not notice.

BACKGROUND

Because of the corruption of humankind, God brought a destructive flood that lasted about a year. Then Noah and his family, along with all the life forms they had rescued at the Lord’s command, waited aboard the ark for the flood waters to recede.

READ

Genesis 8:1-22

REFLECT

When God wipes the slate clean, He is thorough. But He sometimes leaves a well-planned foundation to help us begin again.

After the rains, “God remembered Noah and all the animals and all the livestock ... in the ark” (v. 1). This doesn’t mean God had ever “forgotten” Noah. Strong’s Concordance says zakar, Hebrew for “to remember,” can mean “bring to mind in a way that affects present action.” What does this tell you about the Lord’s concern and involvement in human life? Scripture sometimes uses zakar this way when God’s people cry out to Him in prayer. Read Psalm 25:6-7. Try praying in a similar way for His blessing in your life—or someone else’s.
In Genesis 8:3-5, how are God’s omnipotence and faithfulness revealed? What part of Noah’s story shows that God is also perfectly wise and loving?
Even after the deluge subsided, it took months for the mountaintops to become visible (v. 5). Changes in life can be abrupt, and trials often involve waiting and uncertainty. Imagine the situation aboard the ark. List some things that might have helped Noah avoid frustration. How’s your patience today? What about trust, peace, and prayer?
To determine whether the land was again inhabitable, Noah first released a raven and later sent a dove out three times at seven-day intervals (vv. 6-12). How does his planning reflect the balance between God’s omnipotence and our initiative in an obedient life?

CONTINUING THE STORY

After the flood, Noah and his family rebuilt life on earth.

The dove brought an olive leaf back to Noah (v. 11). Olive trees have an excellent root system, enabling them to survive in difficult environments, but they require much care and tending to grow well. Explain how this might be a parallel for recovering after dramatic failure—as humanity did through Noah—or simply flourishing in a new year. Where should you “root” yourself? How will you tend your life in Christ?
Using the same words He said to Adam at creation, God instructed Noah, his family, and all the animals to “be fruitful and multiply” (vv. 16-17). Second chances can be cause for both hope and sorrow. Though we can’t perfectly reconcile God’s justice and His mercy, spiritual maturity increases our peace. Describe a time you’ve had to accept a loss or try again after failure. How did God sustain you?

REFLECT

Are you currently growing, being pruned, or starting over?

The Lord always wants His people to be fruitful (John 15:8). That looks different for every believer and varies with the stages of life. It requires pruning (John 15:2) and sometimes starting over. Ask God for whatever you need in order to move forward today in a Christlike way.

GOING FURTHER

Consider deeper aspects of this study.

While the rainbow (Gen. 9:13) may be the story’s best-known symbol, the dove’s appearance (Gen. 8:8-12) is also full of meaning. Throughout Scripture, it symbolizes innocence, love, and beauty. In the Gospels, God’s Spirit took the form of a dove and “descended upon [Christ] in bodily form” (Luke 3:22). And Jesus promised that His followers would receive the precious gift of the Comforter’s presence through faith (John 15:26). So let’s compare the dove in Noah’s life to the Holy Spirit in ours.

Noah first released a raven, but it “kept flying back and forth” (Gen. 8:7 NIV). He then sent a dove, which became the harbinger of hope, initiating a new phase of life on earth. How has God’s Spirit ushered in a new phase of life for you? Try seeing even small steps of growth as accompanied by His encouragement and love.
Unable to find a “resting place” on earth, the dove flew to Noah, who “brought it into the ark” (v. 9). In the New Testament, the Spirit of God descended on Christ, “settling on Him” (Matt. 3:16). Is your heart a peaceful resting place for the Holy Spirit? Give thanks for His calming presence, and ask His help in addressing any matters that might grieve Him.
God commanded Noah to be fruitful after the flood (Gen. 9:1). It is now the Holy Spirit who does this work, bringing forth spiritual fruit in believers (Gal. 5:22-23). The “dove” within you will increase your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—wherever you are on the journey.