Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-02
for Sunday Scbool&
STAR LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 2,
"NOAH EAvKD IN THE ARK"-aen., viii:i'a
BY Rev. J. E. Gilbert, DID,,
SECRETARY AMERICAN SOCIETY RELIGIOUS EQUATION

CONTEXT.-We include In our lesson
the whole of the eighth chapter, six verses
more than the committee gave, in order to
set forth the subject more fully. In the
last lesson we studied about Cain and Abel,
showing how the latter was slain by the
former. AS the centuries passed the pos
terity Of Cain filled the earth with violence
and blood until the mercy and patience OF
God were exhausted Gen., vi:5). And yet
the world was not wholly given to wicked
ness. Seth, born after Abels death, be-
came the father Of righteous people, call
ed the sons of God Gen., Wig, whose sue
cessive generations preserved the primitive
faith and covenant The Almighty at last
resolved upon extreme measures-to destroy
the wicked and repeople the earth by one
man and his sons who found favor with
him. Noah built an ark by divine direction,
gathered into it his household, with one
pair of every living thing. The rest Of
the world persisted. The subsistence Of the
waters and Noah's return to land form our
lesson today.
ASsUAGED oversees 1-s).-Whether
the flood was general or local. point
about which there has been much conjec-
ture, is immaterial-it certainly covered the
inhabited portion Of the globe, which might
then have been a small area of western
Asia. The ark that fioated upon the deep
saved out of the general ruin. God does
not forget His covenant Oeut., vif:9), and
He will fulfill his promise made to this
patriach in whom centers the hope OF the
future (Gen., vi:181. Natural means were
employed to reduce the wide sweep OF
waters to their accustomed bonds-a wind
was made to pass over them. 1t is well
known that by changes in temperature at
mospheric currents are produced, and under
their influence moisture is taken up which
had been precipitated eek, xiv:2D. The
rain ceased. The CLOUDS carried their con-
tents away to distant parts. Simultaneous
ly the earth fountains that had poured
forth their contents were stepped! The
waters were aSSuaged.
RESTED oversees 4-5.-For six months
and ten days Noah had been in the ark.
For forty days the rain descended, gradual
ly bearing the great vessel from its moor
ings. For $50 days 1t had been on the
water expanse. no other object visible to
human eyes. Sufficient time had elapsed
for one Of our modern steamships to make
twenty trips across the Atlant.:. All this
time eight souls were at the mercy Of the
elements, in craft that would not now be
regarded seaworthy. managed by men who
have been some misgivings in the mind Of
the man of faith. Weary with his conflne-
ment he may have wondered what his fate
would be. But every such trial must nave
thrown him back upon the promises which
had induced him to make the voyage from
the old world to the new. At length the
ark rested on peak OF Ararat, one OF the
mountains of Armenia.
OPENED oversees 6-O.-The situation
was still one of extreme peril. Fear may
we'll have filled the stoutest heart. There is
no evidence. however, that any supe natural
measure was employed to relieve the sus-
pense Of the imprisoned family. They need
ed to learn lessons in the school of faith, In
which the time element was important
passed. How shall Noah inform himself
of conditions in the outside world? He had
no glass by which the eye could reach the
distant places to discover land. He might
had been prepared in the roof by Divine
direction Gen., vi:16), probably to admit
air and light, and possibly to make obs.rva-
tons Of the heavens, furnishing an upward
was opened, and dove, the most gentle Of
all the birds duke, iii:2Y, was thrust into
the outer air, to go forth and bring word
again. But the beautiful messenger found
no place to rest and soon returned.
PLUCKED Oversees 10-12).-Noah was
still left to his own judgment and resources
to determine the time and the mode of his
action. He appears to have reasoned that
a world must be made ready for the lower
animals before it is suited to be the abode
of man. So God Himself had decided at
the creation Gen.. 1920. A whole week
was therefore passed in the ark after the
forth on her errand of exploration. The
unselfish little creature, as If moved with
sympathy for her protector, returned to
him in the evening bearing an olive leaf
which she had plucked. This mute ex-
preston was the best that could be given,
showing that vegetation, had begun to ap-
pear. and that therefore the world was
being prepared for animals and men Gen.,
i:29-3O). One week later. or fourteen days
after Ararat had been touched the dove
was again sent out, but she returned not,
having found conditions for her support
DRIED Oversees 13-14).-The flight of
the dove was enough to convince Noah that
the work Of restoring the world for its in
habftants had begun. Her passage from
place to place at intervals. resting on the
branches Of shrubs, was an emblem of the
peace which God intended to spread over
the valleys and hillsides when they ap-
peared Gen., ix:1D. So the Holy Spirit
brooded over the ancient chaos Gen., i:2).
1t takes a long time for submerged ground
to be fit for the foot of man. And there
fore Noah waited long until the elements
had perfected the conditions. Days length
ened into weeks and weeks into months. 1t
was not until Gods chosen servant had
reached the six hundred and first year of
his life that the earth was dried. And
then he waited another month, probably