Genesis 8

Genesis 8:1–14

1. Genesis 8:1 (KJV) – “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.”
   • God “remembering” Noah points to Christ’s intercession, where God remembers His covenant people in mercy. The wind that drives back the waters foreshadows the Spirit’s work in new creation after judgment.
   • Cross-references: Exodus 2:24; Luke 23:42–43; Titus 3:5–6.
2. Genesis 8:4 (KJV) – “And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.”
   • The ark “resting” after judgment is a type of Christ’s finished work: after bearing wrath, there is rest and salvation.
   • Cross-references: Matthew 11:28–29; Hebrews 4:9–10.
3. Genesis 8:6–9 (KJV) – “And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.”
   • (possible) The raven, unclean and restless, contrasts with the dove, a symbol of peace and the Spirit. The dove returning with no rest echoes humanity’s lack of rest apart from Christ.
   • Cross-references: Genesis 1:2; Matthew 3:16; John 14:27.
4. Genesis 8:10–11 (KJV) – “And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.”
   • The dove bringing an olive leaf symbolizes peace and new creation after judgment — fulfilled in Christ, who reconciles us to God.
   • Cross-references: Romans 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17–19.
5. Genesis 8:12 (KJV) – “And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.”
   • (possible) The dove finding rest and not returning foreshadows the permanence of new life in Christ — peace has truly come.
   • Cross-references: John 14:16–18; Hebrews 13:20.
6. Genesis 8:13–14 (KJV) – “And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.”
   • The earth made dry again signals a new creation after judgment — Christ brings about this renewal for His people, a world cleansed from sin.
   • Cross-references: Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1–5.

Genesis 8:15–22

1. Genesis 8:15–17 (KJV) – “And God spake unto Noah, saying, Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee. Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.”
   • God’s command to leave the ark and multiply shows a new creation mandate. In Christ, the true second Adam, the command to be fruitful and multiply is fulfilled spiritually in the spread of the gospel and the increase of His kingdom.
   • Cross-references: Matthew 28:19–20; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45; Colossians 1:6.
2. Genesis 8:18–19 (KJV) – “And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.”
   • (possible) All creation going forth after judgment foreshadows the liberty of creation in Christ, freed from corruption and death.
   • Cross-references: Romans 8:21; Revelation 21:5.
3. Genesis 8:20 (KJV) – “And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.”
   • The altar and sacrifices point directly to Christ’s atoning death, the fragrant offering that turns away wrath. Noah’s use of clean animals emphasizes the need for a spotless substitute.
   • Cross-references: Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 10:10–12; 1 Peter 1:19.
4. Genesis 8:21 (KJV) – “And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.”

• God’s acceptance of the sacrifice as a “sweet savour” foreshadows His acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice, which secures mercy despite human sinfulness.
• Cross-references: Isaiah 53:10–11; Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 9:26.

1. Genesis 8:22 (KJV) – “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

• The continuation of seasons points to God’s faithfulness, fulfilled ultimately in Christ, who upholds creation and guarantees covenant blessings.
• Cross-references: Colossians 1:16–17; Hebrews 1:3; Revelation 22:5.

Genesis 8 Christ-Pointers (KJV)

1. Genesis 8:1 KJV: 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; Explanation: God, likely Christ, God the Word, remembers Noah, reflecting His faithfulness to His covenant. The wind over the waters prefigures the Holy Spirit, sent by Christ, bringing renewal, as the ark (Christ) preserves life. Cross-references: John 6:46, Hebrews 8:6, John 3:8, 1 Peter 3:20-21, Psalm 36:6.
2. Genesis 8:15-17 KJV: And God spake unto Noah, saying, Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee. Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. Explanation: God, as Christ, God the Word, commands Noah to exit the ark, symbolizing Christ’s call to believers to enter new life after salvation. The command to multiply foreshadows Christ’s commission to spread the Gospel. Cross-references: John 6:46, John 10:10, Matthew 28:19-20, Colossians 1:10, Genesis 1:28.
3. Genesis 8:20-21 KJV: And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. Explanation: The LORD, likely Christ, God the Word, accepts Noah’s burnt offerings, prefiguring Christ’s perfect sacrifice, which is a sweet savor to God. His promise not to curse the ground again points to Christ’s redemption of creation. Cross-references: John 6:46, Ephesians 5:2, Hebrews 9:14, Romans 8:21, Genesis 3:17.
4. Genesis 8:22 KJV: While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Explanation: (possible) The LORD, as Christ, God the Word, establishes the continuity of seasons, reflecting His sustaining power over creation, which He upholds until the new creation. Cross-references: Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 1:3, Revelation 21:1, Psalm 104:19, Acts 17:28.