The springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens were closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained. The springs of the deepThis phrase refers to the subterranean waters that were unleashed during the flood. In Hebrew, "tehom" is used, which can mean the deep or abyss. This term is reminiscent of the primordial waters mentioned in Genesis 1:2, symbolizing chaos and the unformed world. The closing of these springs signifies God's control over the chaos, restoring order to creation. It is a reminder of God's sovereignty over the natural world, emphasizing His power to both unleash and restrain the forces of nature according to His divine will. and the floodgates of the heavens
The "floodgates" or "windows" of the heavens, in Hebrew "arubbah," suggest openings through which the waters above the firmament were released. This imagery is rooted in the ancient Near Eastern cosmology, where the sky was perceived as a solid dome holding back celestial waters. The closing of these floodgates marks the cessation of the deluge, highlighting God's mercy and the beginning of a new covenant with humanity. It underscores the theme of divine judgment followed by grace, as God prepares to renew the earth and establish a fresh start for Noah and his descendants. were closed
The act of closing signifies a deliberate divine intervention. In the Hebrew text, the verb "sagar" is used, which means to shut or close. This action indicates the end of the flood's destructive phase and the beginning of restoration. It reflects God's faithfulness to His promise to Noah, ensuring that the flood would not continue indefinitely. This closing is a pivotal moment in the narrative, symbolizing the transition from judgment to redemption, and it reassures believers of God's commitment to His creation. and the rain from the sky
The rain, "matar" in Hebrew, represents the continuous downpour that contributed to the floodwaters. Its cessation is crucial for the receding of the waters and the eventual restoration of the earth. The rain stopping is a sign of God's mercy and the fulfillment of His promise to preserve life. It serves as a reminder of the balance between God's justice and His compassion, as He provides a way for humanity to begin anew. was restrained
The term "restrained," from the Hebrew "kala," means to hold back or withhold. This indicates God's active role in halting the rain, demonstrating His control over the elements. It is a powerful testament to God's authority over creation, as He commands the natural world to align with His purposes. This restraint is an act of divine grace, allowing the earth to recover and life to flourish once more. It reassures believers of God's providential care and His ability to bring about restoration and hope even after periods of judgment. Persons / Places / Events 1. NoahA righteous man chosen by God to survive the flood and preserve life on earth. He is central to the account of the flood and the subsequent covenant with God. 2. The ArkThe vessel built by Noah according to God's instructions to save his family and pairs of every living creature from the flood. 3. The FloodA cataclysmic event sent by God to cleanse the earth of its widespread wickedness, sparing only Noah, his family, and the animals aboard the ark. 4. The Springs of the DeepRefers to the subterranean waters that contributed to the flood, symbolizing the breaking forth of the earth's waters. 5. The Floodgates of the HeavensRepresents the opening of the skies to release rain, contributing to the floodwaters that covered the earth. Teaching Points God's Sovereignty Over CreationGenesis 8:2 highlights God's control over the natural world. Just as He initiated the flood, He also restrained it, demonstrating His ultimate authority over creation. Divine Judgment and MercyThe flood represents God's judgment on sin, but the restraint of the waters signifies His mercy and the beginning of a new covenant with humanity through Noah. The Importance of ObedienceNoah's obedience in building the ark and following God's commands led to the preservation of life. This teaches the importance of faithfulness and obedience to God's instructions. Renewal and New BeginningsThe cessation of the floodwaters marks a new beginning for the earth, symbolizing hope and renewal after judgment. It encourages believers to trust in God's plan for restoration. Trust in God's TimingThe restraint of the waters came at God's appointed time, reminding us to trust in His perfect timing in our lives, even when circumstances seem overwhelming. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the restraint of the floodwaters in Genesis 8:2 demonstrate God's sovereignty, and how can this understanding impact our daily trust in Him? 2. In what ways does the account of Noah and the flood illustrate the balance between God's judgment and mercy? How can we apply this balance in our understanding of God's character? 3. Reflect on a time when obedience to God's instructions led to a positive outcome in your life. How does Noah's example encourage you to remain faithful? 4. How can the theme of renewal and new beginnings in Genesis 8:2 inspire us to seek God's restoration in areas of our lives that feel broken or judged? 5. Consider the timing of the flood's cessation. How can we learn to trust in God's timing, especially when we face challenges or uncertainties? What other scriptures support this trust? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 7:11Describes the beginning of the flood, where the "springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened," providing context to Genesis 8:2 as the cessation of these waters. Job 38:8-11God questions Job about the control of the sea, which parallels the divine control over the waters seen in Genesis 8:2. Psalm 104:6-9Speaks of God's command over the waters, setting boundaries, and restraining them, echoing the restraint of the waters in Genesis 8:2. People NoahPlaces Mount AraratTopics Closed, Deep, Deep's, Falling, Floodgates, Fountains, Heaven, Heavens, Net-work, Pour, Rain, Restrained, Shower, Shut, Sky, Sky's, Stopped, WindowsDictionary of Bible Themes Genesis 8:2 4272 sky Genesis 8:1-2 7227 flood, the Genesis 8:1-5 4254 mountains Genesis 8:1-11 4819 dryness Genesis 8:1-19 7203 ark, Noah's Library December 27. "He Sent Forth the Dove which Returned not Again unto Him" (Gen. viii. 12).
"He sent forth the dove which returned not again unto him" (Gen. viii. 12). First, we have the dove going forth from the ark, and finding no rest upon the wild and drifting waste of sin and judgment. This represents the Old Testament period, perhaps, when the Holy Ghost visited this sinful world, but could find no resting-place, and went back to the bosom of God. Next, we have the dove going forth and returning with the olive leaf in her mouth, the symbol and the pledge of peace and reconciliation, …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth 'Clear Shining after Rain'
'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 …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Sermon of the Seasons
"Oh, the long and dreary Winter! Oh, the cold and cruel Winter!" We say to ourselves, Will spring-time never come? In addition to this, trade and commerce continue in a state of stagnation; crowds are out of employment, and where business is carried on, it yields little profit. Our watchmen are asked if they discern any signs of returning day, and they answer, "No." Thus we bow our heads in a common affliction, and ask each man comfort of his fellow; for as yet we see not our signs, neither does …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 32: 1886 The Best of the Best
"I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys."--Song of Solomon 2:1. THE time of flowers has come, and as they are in some faint degree emblems of our Lord, it is well, when God thus calls, that we should seek to learn what he desires to teach us by them. If nature now spreads out her roses and her lilies, or prepares to do so, let us try, not only to see them, but to see Christ as he is shadowed forth in them. "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys." If these are the words …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 42: 1896 The Unchangeable One
Psalm cxix. 89-96. For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants. Unless thy law had been my delight, I should then have perished in mine affliction. I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me. I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts. The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: …
Charles Kingsley—Town and Country Sermons On Gen. viii. I
On Gen. viii. I Hippolytus, the expositor of the Targum, and my master, Jacobus Rohaviensis, have said: On the twenty-seventh day of the month Jiar, which is the second Hebrew month, the ark rose from the base of the holy mount; and already the waters bore it, and it was carried upon them round about towards the four cardinal points of the world. The ark accordingly held off from the holy mount towards the east, then returned towards the west, then turned to the south, and finally, bearing off eastwards, …
Hippolytus—The Extant Works and Fragments of Hippolytus The Song of the Three Children
DANIEL iii. 16, 17, 18. O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. We read this morning, instead of the Te Deum, the Song of the Three Children, beginning, 'Oh all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise …
Charles Kingsley—The Good News of God Nature of Covenanting.
A covenant is a mutual voluntary compact between two parties on given terms or conditions. It may be made between superiors and inferiors, or between equals. The sentiment that a covenant can be made only between parties respectively independent of one another is inconsistent with the testimony of Scripture. Parties to covenants in a great variety of relative circumstances, are there introduced. There, covenant relations among men are represented as obtaining not merely between nation and nation, …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting That it is Profitable to Communicate Often
The Voice of the Disciple Behold I come unto Thee, O Lord, that I may be blessed through Thy gift, and be made joyful in Thy holy feast which Thou, O God, of Thy goodness hast prepared for the poor.(1) Behold in Thee is all that I can and ought to desire, Thou art my salvation and redemption, my hope and strength, my honour and glory. Therefore rejoice the soul of Thy servant this day, for unto Thee, O Lord Jesus, do I lift up my soul.(2) I long now to receive Thee devoutly and reverently, I desire …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ Covenanting Enforced by the Grant of Covenant Signs and Seals.
To declare emphatically that the people of God are a covenant people, various signs were in sovereignty vouchsafed. The lights in the firmament of heaven were appointed to be for signs, affording direction to the mariner, the husbandman, and others. Miracles wrought on memorable occasions, were constituted signs or tokens of God's universal government. The gracious grant of covenant signs was made in order to proclaim the truth of the existence of God's covenant with his people, to urge the performance …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting Genesis
The Old Testament opens very impressively. In measured and dignified language it introduces the story of Israel's origin and settlement upon the land of Canaan (Gen.--Josh.) by the story of creation, i.-ii. 4a, and thus suggests, at the very beginning, the far-reaching purpose and the world-wide significance of the people and religion of Israel. The narrative has not travelled far till it becomes apparent that its dominant interests are to be religious and moral; for, after a pictorial sketch of …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Genesis 8:2 NIVGenesis 8:2 NLTGenesis 8:2 ESVGenesis 8:2 NASBGenesis 8:2 KJV
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