The Pulpit Commentary — Genesis — Section 205

stepped forth from the ark; and who can doubt that 11 sense of the richness of Divine grace in saving them will be one of the first feelings to tako possession of tho souls of the ransomed on reaching hea~n? III. SALVATION ENJOYED. Mount . ,framt beheld salva.tion enjoyed by believing si7!-ne1·s. '.!'he deliveran?e !>f Noah and his family was a typo of the salvation of the ~a1_nts, wh1~h., however, 1s immeasurably grander than that of Noah. 1. In ldnd, as bcmg a spmtual, and not merely a temporal, deliverance. 2. In degree, ns 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 d1eration. Noah's deliverance was only for a time-in the end he descended to the grave• the deliYerance of the saints is for ever (Luke xx. 36). .. ' . IV. GRATITUDE EXPRES,SED. MounJ; ,Arara:t heard the adorations and tlianksgiv- !11~s of a redee;ned family._ In Noah? sacnfice was a w_o~derful commingling of ideas and emot10ns,-(l) faith, (2) pemtence, (3) thanksgiving, (4) consecration - nil of ~hich ·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, ns the expres- ~ion of the soul's faith, there will be (1) in the midst of the throne a Lamb as it li~d been slain; (2) the continual offering up of broken and of contrite he:irta; (3) the chanting of perpetual hosannas and hallelujahs; and (4) the eternal consecration of our redeemed hearts to God. V. SAFETY CONFIRMED. Mount .Ararat listened to the voice of God confirming the salvation of his people. In two ways was it confirmed. (1) By a voice, and (2) by a sign-the rainbow. .And so is the eternal happiness of God's believing people secured (1) by the sure word of promise (Rev. xxi. 3) nnd (2) by the covenant of grace (Rev. iv. 3). Vers. 10-12.-Hoping and waiting. I. The PATIE?.CE of Noah's hope. l. Patience a characteristic of all true hope (Rom. viii. 25). 2. Faith in the Divine covenant is the secret of hope's patience (Heh. xi, 1). 3. The patience of hope is al~ays 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 Ly devotion. Ill. The nEWAilD of Noah's hope. In due time the dove retumed with an olive leaf, which was-1. .A timely answer. 2. An intelligible answer. 3. A joyous answer; ::md-4. A sufficient answer. Ver. 14.-The returning of the waters, or the recall of Divinejudgments. I. Goo's JUDGMENTS HAVE THEIi!. SPECIFIC PURPOSES. I. Separation-the elimination of _the righteous from the wicked. Under the present condition of the world there 1s n strange intermingling of the good and the evil. The tares and the wheat, the draw- net with good and bad fish (Matt. xiii.) are suggestive emblems of this mixed state of society. The grand object contemplated by Christianity is the elimination of the saintly element from that which is corrnpt. For this end it lays a special injunction on the former to withdraw themselves from the company and contagion of the latter (2 Cor. vi. 17; 2 Thess. iii. 6; 1 Tim.. vi. 5). Only it forbids_ men, unde~ cover of real or pretended zeal for righteousness, to attempt any forcible separation of the commingled elements (Matt. xiii. 30). Yet what the ha.nd of man cannot do the J1and of God can-winnow the chaff from the wheat. He did so by the Flood. Ha did so by the incarnation (Matt. iii. 12). He will do so at !he ~econd advent (M~tt. xiii. 30 ; xxv. 32). 2. Condemnation-the infliction of retribution on th_e finally im- penitent. Undisguisedly was this the design of the fe11 cata.strophe which overtook "the world of the ungodly" in the time of Noah. It was sent for the specific pur- pose of punishing their evil deeds. And so have all ~ivine ju~gments of a like k~nd, what we misname accidents,-catastrophes, floods, fammes, pestilences, &c,,-a ternble ou look of wrath and judicial retribution to t),em w~o forget to humbl? themselves beneath the mighty hand of God. So certamly will the last great JUdgment, of which Noah's flood was a prophetic symbol and warning, have 11s its specific purpose the coinplete clestructio11 of the fin.ill,)' impenitent (Rom. ij, 5; 2 1'hcsa. i. 7 i Heb, OH, VIII, 1-14.] THE BOOK OF GENESIS.. 129