After the tremendous downpour, which was the judgement upon the world Noah still finds himself in the ark, he needs a way out of the waters of judgement, they must become for him waters of restoration, otherwise it has been a wasted expereince of grace. Noah when building the ark did so under the instruction of God (Genesis 6:15-17, 22). However we read in 8:6 that Noah opened the window that he had made in the ark, a place of looking and wondering of the life that was before him, is God faithful to save him?
The window in 8:6 has the sense of 'perforation' a making of a hole? Did Noah make a hole in the door looking and expecting God to call him out to salvation? This shows faith as Noah looked patiently into the work of God. The window was opened by Noah in contrast to God shutting the ark, Noah was looking for the hope that was before him, being saved into the ark was to be saved from drowning, but not saved to live life on the earth which God had given humanity to live, rule over and enjoy. Noah soon hears the voice of God calling him out. The 'window/door' has a sense of 'glistening', maybe as Noah looked out the waters glistened with the sunshine - the same sunshine that would latter mingle with the rain to produce the rainbow of the covenant. The root of the word also has the source of the type of glistening - that is olive oil. The window itself is rooted in the picture of the 'anointing oil', the work of the Spirit which is so graciously given as we turn our hearts to the Lord in faith. Noah made some effort to open the window, but if the window is in the door, it is a door into the life of God, and this great covenant and salvation - leading us to the wonderful person of Jesus...through whom we enter into, and out of to feed on the good pastures for which He has given His life to us (John 10:9).
First the raven was sent out, and then the dove...the great symbol of peace and rest. Each seven days Noah sent out the birds, it has been thought that this happend then on the sabbath day, and it was the dove and not the raven that brought hope of peace on the day of rest itself, that is a wonderful picture of the work of the Holy Spirit. Week by week we must seek to live in the hope of the life given to us by Christ, we must have the desire to look into that which God has done for us, otherwise we might be left sitting in the ark...wondering what to do, when God has brought to us a salvation which sets us free to live in Him, by the covenant of Christ's death to us. This is sacrificial grace that is offered to us...more than a rainbow...let us by patient endurance know the quality of this 'anointing' of the Saviour.
Matthew Armstrong
Blantyre, March 31st 2010
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