33. This story is certain proof that God, though long-suffering and patient, will not allow the wicked to go unpunished. As Peter says (2 Pet 2, 5), if he "spared not the ancient world," how much less will he spare the popes or the emperors who rage against his Word? How much less will he spare us who blaspheme his name when our life is unworthy of our calling and profession, when we freely and daily sin against our consciences? Let us, then, learn to fear the Lord, humbly to accept his Word and obey it; otherwise punishment will overtake also us, as Peter threatens.
Vs. 5-10. And Noah did according unto all that Jehovah commanded him. And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. And Noah went in, and his sons and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creepeth upon the ground, there went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, male and female, as God commanded Noah. And it came to pass after the seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
34. This is clear from what precedes. Noah's faith is praiseworthy in that he obeyed the Lord's command and unwaveringly entered the ark with his sons and their wives. God truly could have saved him in innumerable other ways; he did not employ this seemingly absurd method because he knew no other. To him who kept Jonah for three days in the midst of the sea and in the belly of the whale, what do you think is impossible? But Noah's faith and obedience are to be commended because he took no offense at this plan of salvation divinely shown to him, but embraced it in simple faith.
| II. | COMPLETE DESTRUCTION BY FLOOD. | |||
| * | Why Moses so often repeats and expresses in few words what other writers describe at length [35-39]. | |||
| * | Noah's grief because of the approaching calamity [38]. | |||
| * | The way of coarse and satiated spirits [39]. | |||
| 1. | When did the flood commence. | |||
| a. | Some think it began in the spring [40]. | |||
| b. | Others think it began in the autumn [41]. | |||
| c. | Which is the more probable [42]. | |||
| * | What to think of the Jews reckoning the year has two beginnings [44]. | |||
| 2. | How the flood continued. | |||
| a. | Must distinguish the fountains of the earth, the windows of heaven and the rain [45]. | |||
| * | Of the earth and the water. | |||
| (1) | Why the water does not overflow the earth since the earth floats in the water [46]. | |||
| (2) | Why the water above the earth does not fall and overflow the earth [47-48]. | |||
| (3) | How the prophets wondered at this as a miracle, but we in our day give it little thought [49]. | |||
| b. | How were the fountains broken up, how can such a work be ascribed to God [50-51]. | |||
| * | Overflowing of the German fountains at Halle [51]. | |||
| c. | How were the windows of heaven opened [52]. | |||
| (1) | What is meant by the windows of heaven [53]. | |||
| (2) | Why such words used here [53]. | |||
| 3. | Flood covered and destroyed the whole earth [54]. | |||
| 4. | Why God sent the deluge [54]. | |||
| * | Why God so often repeats the same thing [55-60]. | |||
| * | What is meant by Zippor [55]. | |||
| * | How God's wrath as seen in the deluge was very great [56-57]. | |||
| 5. | The deluge was a terrible spectacle; Noah and his sons took courage from it [58-60]. | |||
| * | Noah's glorious faith at the sight of the deluge [60]. | |||
| * | Noah's long ship voyage; how he was comforted [61]. | |||
| 6. | How the world's destruction harmonizes with God's promises: how the promises to the Church agree with his threatenings [62ff]. | |||
| * | God's threatenings and man's unbelief. | |||
| a. | Why the first world believed not the threatenings about the deluge [62ff]. | |||
| b. | Why the Jews believe not the threatenings of the prophets [63]. | |||
| c. | Why the Papists believed not the threats against them [64]. | |||
| * | God's Church and her maintenance. | |||
| a. | The world understands not how the church is maintained [66]. | |||
| b. | What is the true form of the true Church [66]. | |||
| c. | God's promises not rescinded when rejected; who bear the name of the Church [67-68]. | |||
| 7. | Whether God fully rescinded through the flood the rule over the earth he once gave man [69]. | |||
| * | How God preserved his Church through the deluge [69]. | |||
| 8. | The deluge was apparently against God's promise [70]. | |||
| * | God allows nothing to hinder the punishment of the impenitent [71-73]. | |||
| * | By what means Papists adorn themselves and how it is all in vain [72]. | |||
| * | Why we should not rely on present, temporal things, but upon God's Word [73]. | |||
| * | The marks of a true Church. | |||
| a. | What they are not and what they are [74-76]. | |||
| b. | Papists have characteristics Holy Scriptures give as marks of Antichrist [75]. | |||
| c. | Church born of God's Word and is to be known by that Word [76]. | |||
| d. | Rule to be observed in the marks of the true Church [77]. | |||
| e. | How far one may consider the Papists the true church, and how far not [78-79]. | |||
| f. | The true church is where the Word is, although few belong to it and it has no temporal power [79]. | |||
| g. | Whether the Evangelicals can justly be accused of falling from the old church [80]. | |||
| h. | How and why the Evangelical or Gospel Church is really the true Church [81]. | |||
| * | How Noah retained all and remained lord of the world although the deluge destroyed everything [81]. | |||
II. COMPLETE DESTRUCTION.
Vs. 11-12. In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
35. We see that Moses uses a great many words, which results in tiresome repetition. How often he mentions the animals! how often the entrance into the ark! how often the sons of Noah who entered at the same time! The reason for this must be left to the spiritually minded; they alone know and see that the Holy Spirit does not repeat in vain.
36. Others, however, who are more materially minded may think that Moses, being moved, when he wrote the passage, by the greatness of God's wrath, desired to enforce its truths by repetition; for reiteration of statements is soothing to troubled minds. Thus did David repeat his lament over his son Absalom, 2 Sam 18, 33. So viewed, this narrative shows depth of feeling and extreme agitation of mind. This example of wrath so impresses the narrator that for emphasis he mentions the same thing again and again, and in the same words.