Hoping and waiting.
I. The PATIENCE Of Noah's hope.
1. Patience a characteristic of all true hope (Romans 8:25).
2. Faith in the Divine covenant is the secret of hope's patience (Hebrews 11:1).
3. The patience of hope is always proportioned to the brightness of faith's vision.
II. The EAGERNESS of Noah's hope.
1. While waiting God's time he kept a steady outlook for the coming of the promise.
2. He employed different methods to discover its approach—the raven and the dove.
3. He sanctified the means he used by devotion.
III. The REWARD Of Noah's hope. In due time the dove returned with an olive leaf, which was—
1. A timely answer.
2. An intelligible answer.
3. A joyous answer; and—
4. A sufficient answer.