In the eighth chapter of Genesis, it says that God remembered Noah and his family and the rain stopped. A wind blew and the waters subsided. In the seventeenth day of the seventh month, the ark settled in the mountains of Ararat. That is modernly Turkey’s northeastern border with Iran* and Armenia. 

After waiting 40 more days, Noah opened the window and let out a raven and it flew until the waters dried up. He sent out a dove and it came back without a dry place to land. He went back in, then tried it again a week later. This time the dove returned with a fresh olive leaf. He waited another seven days and the dove did not return. Noah looked out and saw the land was dry, but then waited 27 more days. God told him to go out from the ark with his family and all the animals and repopulate the Earth. 

Noah built an alter of wood and took some of each of the clean animals and offered them to God as a burnt offering. The Lord was pleased and said he would never again dishonor the ground or strike down every living creature despite the evil in men’s hearts from youth. 

“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22

We see Noah’s trepidation about leaving the ark by sending birds. Even when they passed all his tests, he waits until God says to go. The boat that saved Noah, will not sustain him going forward.

Noah then sacrifices what few extra animals he has to show gratitude, reverence and respect to God. Despite man’s evil bent, God promises not to destroy kill everything or end the rhythm of seasons and days. 

**While I am writing this, our country has just joined a yet another conflict exactly in this region of the world. As humans we cannot agree about oil, politics, or commerce. While God has promised to not end us all, I cannot help but be concerned about my fellow man.