Noah Pulled The Dove Into The Ark To Himself
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Genesis 8:6 Then it came about at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made;
Genesis 8:7 and he sent out a raven, and it flew here and there until the water was dried up from the earth.
Genesis 8:8 Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land;
Genesis 8:9 but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark; for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself.
There are several different ways in which we are going to look at this text this morning.
First we are going to look at in context and see a man of God sending out a trial balloon asking God is thing over yet?
Secondly we will see Noah also asking God for a sign of good days ahead.
Third we will see it as a word of comfort for the sick and grieving
Fourth we will see it as emblematic of the rapture of the church
Fifth we will see it as symbolic of God's comfort in the time of storm
And finally we will look at it as an example of a prodigal child returning to the father.
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The first way I want to look at it, is the very specific way in which it is intended.
Reading the passage, we could say Noah was sending up a trial balloon to find out if his long night of trouble had ended. A Trial balloon is a figure of speech first used in France and it meant to send up a balloon to gauge the wind to see if it was safe to send someone up in a hot air balloon. By sending out a dove that is in essence what Noah was doing. After he had been in the Ark for 9 months he sent the dove out to see if things had returned to normal and it was safe to go outside. I am sure he was probably a little stir crazy. We have been locked down for just a few days here in Michigan and I don't know about you, but I am stir crazy.
I think a lot of us are asking God, "what's going on?" How long is this going to last? Will it be over by Easter? Is this the beginning of greater trials, all those horrible things that are in the book of Revelation? Because even though in many ways this disease is like other pandemics that have happened before, it has nonetheless impacted our world in ways we have never seen. Which is exactly what Noah faced in his day.
So he sent out the dove and it came back a short time later. Telling Noah the trial wasn't over, it would continue for an unknown season. That was probably a little heart breaking for Noah, as it is for any of us when we are looking for a trial to end but all signs point to it continuing.
Whenever we send up a trial balloon of prayer to God, we sometimes don't get the answer we want. The good news is we know how this story ends. A week later he sent out the dove again and it came back with an olive leaf in its beak. That olive leaf was a sign to Noah things were growing and the earth was almost ready for human settlement again. I am not sure how long this Covid19 trial is going to last but I believe in my heart God has already marked it with an expiration date, and we are seeing encouraging signs in some of the other countries of the world. Hold on my child joy cometh in the morning.
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The second way we can look at the text, is that Noah was asking for a sign that better days were ahead. Psalms 86 is a prayer of King David's and verse 17 begins this way: "Show me a sign for good..." When you are in a trial that God doesn't tell you when the expiration date will be, it still comforting to know that He can and will give us tokens for good days ahead. The olive tree is said by ancient commentators to be able to grow some leaves even while under water. In our culture to extend an olive branch means to offer peace and reconciliation with one you are struggling with. It has it roots in this passage in Genesis. God had judged the world with a flood, Noah seeks a token of good, and God sends 2 strong symbols of comfort. 1 is the extended olive branch the other is that it came in the mouth of the dove. The dove in the bible is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. So God communicated His message of peace and token of good will to Noah through the Holy Spirit. God may not end your trial today, but if you ask He will give you tokens for good.
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A third way we can look at this text we will see it as a word of comfort for the sick and grieving. This is looking at the text in a more allegorical way.
The dove found no place to land and returned to the ark. The KJV says this in a very picturesque way: "but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot,". For me this is a wonderful passage of scripture to give to those who are suffering physically and are near death. It is also a wonderful passage for a funeral service.
Here we have a picture of a dove that found no rest even for the sole of its foot. This pictures a body in pain everywhere. It has flown here and there and nothing has abated it's restlessness. It comes back to the ark and something very interesting happens, we read: Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself. (Genesis 8:9)
There are no accidental words of scripture. Notice first of all the window to the ark was opened but the dove didn't take it upon itself to just fly in. This is an apt description of the time of ones death. You cannot fly into heaven by yourself, God must reach out His hand and bring you in.
Secondly and even more importantly I want you to notice the passage is very clear on this, it doesn't simply say Noah brought the dove into the ark, it say he brought her into the ark TO HIMSELF! In other words picturesquely this passage is teaching that going to heaven isn't simply about going to a place of safety, no tears, no sickness etc it is about being with God. That is the most important thing about heaven. Heaven is God bringing us to HIMSELF! So this text is an apt picture of the ending of suffering for one of His children by God bringing that child home.
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A fourth way we can look at this passage of scripture, and I won't tarry long on this point is that it describes what many call the rapture. The dove weary from being in the world and finding no rest is brought into the ark/heaven by God. God reaches out and grabs her mid-flight with his hand and brings her in. Creation groans, in a moment in a twinkling of an eye ....
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A fifth way, I want to look at this passage as teaching that the presence of God is a place of safety and refuge in world of trouble. The dove found no peace, the dove found no rest as it fluttered about. The stress of not being able to safely land was released as the dove was brought into the bosom of Noah. There is a shelter in the time of storm, there is a hiding place, there is a refuge in a weary land, Though we may be in stormy times God knows how to comfort his doves.
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Finally the last way, and the most important way, I want to view this passage is that of the backslider returning to God.
The dove originally came to the ark by imperceptible promptings of the Holy Spirit. He was drawn. The bible says no man can comes to the Father but by Jesus, we didn't choose Him, He chose us. So the dove was supernaturally drawn to Noah and the Ark by the Holy Spirit, which is a perfect picture of salvation.
Next notice the dove had fled from the wrath to come. (The flood) Another picture of salvation. Then it enjoyed safety in the ark in the presence of a loving caretaker.
Then it went out into the world. While out there it found no rest. A picture of a believer who has strayed from God. There is no peace of the wicked. Something kept tugging at his heart to return home, again a picture of the work of the Holy Spirit.
It finds no peace, it finds no rest, and ultimately it decides I'm going back to the Ark I had it better there than where I am now.
Does that describe you this morning? I find a wonderful parallel with this passage and the story of the prodigal son. In the prodigal son story, when the young man made up his mind to return to his fathers house, his father saw him a long way off and ran to meet him, kissed him, and put beautiful clothes on his ragged covered son. In this Genesis story the dove has returned to the vicinity of the Ark and Noah reaches out to shorten its time of trouble..
We are not told what happened when the dove was brought back into the Ark but I have a picture in my mind of Noah holding it close to his bosom and stroking it to comfort it from it's journey away from Noah and the Ark, and to let it know it was still greatly loved.
As I close: Doves (most likely carrier pigeons) are hardwired to come home.
Come home, come home, ye that are weary come home. Earnestly tenderly Jesus is calling O sinner come home.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8
