And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried. יָבְשָׁה The three Hebrew verbs employed to depict the gradual cessation of the floods express a regular gradation; קָלַל (Genesis 8:11), to be lightened, signifying their abatement or diminution ( κεκο ì πακε το Ì ὑ ì δωρ, LXX.); חָרַב (Genesis 8:13), to be dried up, indicating the disappearance of the water ( ἐ ξε ì λιπε το ì ὑ ì δωρ, LXX.); יָבֵשׁ (Genesis 8:14), to be dry, denoting the desiccation of the ground ( ἐ ξηρα ì νθη ἡ γῆ, (LXX.). Cf. Isaiah 19:5, where there is a similar gradation: וְנָהָר יֶחֱרַב וְיָבְשׁ, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.
Chronology of the Flood
(Reckoning from the first day of the year.)
Mos.
Days
Days
I. Beginning of the flood
1
17 =
47
Continuance of Rain
=
40
Prevalence of Waters
=
110
II. The Ark touches Ararat
6
17 =
197
III. The Mountains seen
9
=
270
Raven sent after 40 days
=
310
Dove sent " 7 "
=
317
Dove sent " 7 "
=
324
Dove sent " 7 "
=
331
IV. The Waters dried up
12
27 =
360
V. The earth dry
13
27 =
417
The data are insufficient to enable us to determine whether the Noachic year was solar or lunar. It has been conjectured that the year consisted of twelve months of thirty days, with five intercalated days at the end to make up the solar year of three hundred and sixty-five days (Ewald); of seven months of thirty days and five of thirty-one (Bohlen); of five of thirty and seven of twenty-nine (Knobel); but the circumstance that the period from the commencement of the Deluge to the touching of Ararat extended over five months exactly, and that the waters are said to have previously prevailed for one hundred and fifty days, naturally leads to the conclusion that the months of Noah's year were equal periods of thirty days.
HOMILETICS
Mount Ararat, or the landing of the ark.
That disembarkment on the mountain heights of Ararat was an emblem of another landing which shall yet take place, when the great gospel ship of the Christian Church shall plant its living freight of redeemed souls upon the hills of heaven. Everything that Mount Ararat witnessed on that eventful day will yet be more conspicuously displayed in the sight of God's believing people who shall be counted worthy of eternal life.
I. SIN PUNISHED. Mount Ararat was a solemn witness to the severity of Goad's judgments upon a guilty world. Never had the world looked on such a vindication of the insulted holiness and offended justice of Almighty God, and never will it look upon another till the hour strikes when "the heavens, being on fire, shall dissolve" (2 Peter 3:10), and "the Lord himself shall be revealed in flaming fire" (2 Thessalonians 1:7).
II. GRACE REVEALED. Mount Ararat saw Divine grace displayed to sinful mere. Pre-eminently Noah and his family were debtors to Divine grace that day when they stepped forth from the ark; add who can doubt that a sense of the richness of Divine grace in saving them will be one of the first feelings to take possession of the souls of the ransomed on reaching heaven?
III. SALVATION ENJOYED. Mount Ararat beheld salvation enjoyed by believing sinners. The deliverance of Noah and his family was a type of the salvation of the saints, which, however, is immeasurably grander than that of Noah.
1. In kind, as being a spiritual, and not merely a temporal, deliverance.
2. In degree, as being complete; whereas Noah's was at the best an imperfect deliverance—a deliverance from the Flood, but not from that which caused the Flood—sin.
3. In duration. Noah's deliverance was only for a time—in the end he descended to the grave; the deliverance of the saints is for ever (Luke 20:36).
IV. GRATITUDE EXPRESSED. Mount Ararat heard the adorations and thanksgivings of a redeemed family. In Noah's sacrifice was a wonderful commingling of ideas and emotions,—
all of which will have a place within the bosoms of the ransomed host who yet shall sit upon the sea of glass. If not the offering up of sacrificial victims, as the expression of the soul's faith, there will be
V. SAFETY CONFIRMED. Mount Ararat listened to the voice of God confirming the salvation of his people. In two ways was it confirmed.
And so is the eternal happiness of God's believing people secured