I. Introduction and Review
A. We are now in Genesis chapter 8
B. Noah’s flood has ended
C. THIS is NO Children’s story - it is history!
D. And what happens next is amazing…
“And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.” - Genesis 8:1-4
II. Message
A. God’s Memory (Genesis 8:1)
1. He has a Perfect Memory!
- God did NOT forget about Noah and his family and all the animals in the ark
- He remembered that they were there - in the midst of a world covered in water!
“And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark…” - Genesis 8:1
- He cannot forget like we do - no dementia, no imperfect memories
- He knows and remembers everything! Keeps perfect records
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” - Matthew 12:36
2. He can’t forget some things…
- Like Israel
“But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” - Isaiah 49:14-16
“For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.” - Jeremiah 51:5
- Or a born again believer who is trusting the same God as Noah did!
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” - Hebrews 13:5
- Jesus promises to never forget us or abandon us! AMEN!
3. Yet, God CAN decide to forget some things!
- By choice!
- God has purposefully forgotten all our sins
“Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.” - Isaiah 38:17
“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” - Hebrews 10:16,17
- Not just because God felt like it, but because all our sins have been paid for - judged - by the death of the Son of God in our place on the cross!
4. We need memories like God has!
“Let this MIND be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus…” - Philippians 2:5
- NOT forgetting the goodnesses of God and His mercies
- But forgiving and forgetting every trespass against us all because JESUS already paid for every wrongdoing - EVERY ONE OF THEM!
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” - Psalm 32:1
- Not on record anymore, but covered, paid for, and now blotted out!
- Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross was known for never holding grudges, and was once reminded by a friend about a wrong that had been done to her years earlier by someone. When the friend asked “Don’t you remember?”, Clara firmly replied: “No. I distinctly remember forgetting that.” She made a conscious choice to forgive and move on instead of keep the hurt going.
B. The Water Subsided (Genesis 8:1)
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“And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged.” - Genesis 8:1
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To “asswage” means to subside, sink, fall, settle lower and lower, become peaceful, and at ease - quiet
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Why was it asswaging?
- Because of a stiff, constant wind - not a stormy wind anymore
- God had changed the climate
- There’s cold weather now
- Both the north and the south poles were much colder
- Amazing what wind can dry out
- The fountains of deep water reservoirs and volcanoes stop erupting
- The rains have stopped - now just passing showers
- The ocean floors are collapsing drawing all the water down into deep chasms of ocean depths, some of which are 7 miles deep
- Because of a stiff, constant wind - not a stormy wind anymore
III. Conclusion
A. God remembers His people - He never forgets us
B. Noah’s first response after the flood was worship
C. Worship is the first duty of man
D. What is your first response to God’s blessings?
For more information, contact Bible Baptist Church of Ballincollig at www.biblebc.com