Noah's Ark

While waters from the Flood - about which Noah had warned - were rising, they deposited enormously wide rock layers containing billions of fossils. While receding, they deeply scoured the earth’s surface, forming deep and wide valleys. But Noah, his family, and the animals were all safe. But what were they doing in the meantime, and how long before it would be safe to leave the Ark?

Genesis gives us the timing

The Bible has a lot of information about God (theology), and right and wrong (morality). But it is also a history book. We can’t separate the theology and morality from the history. Sometimes the Bible provides very precise information about the time important things happened. 

“In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened.”

The Flood account continues with more information about the number of days the Floodwaters rose, then receded. 

The Ark lands

The Ark was the only safe place for humans and land animals. All the land was covered by water. But after about half a year of the Flood, the passengers could tell that the worst was over. The water had gone down enough for the Ark’s bottom to rest on the mountains of Ararat. These mountains are in what is now eastern Turkey, close to the border with Armenia.

Remember, the Ark was very large. Therefore, its bottom landed on the solid surface, even though this surface was probably under about 10 meters (30 feet) of water. This means that about a third of the Ark was above the water, while the mountain tops were still submerged. It would be 74 more days for the water to go down enough for Noah to see the mountain tops.

Noah sends out birds

Even after the mountain tops were visible, the receding Flood had much further to go down, as Noah realized. He waited 40 days, then opened a roof window of the Ark. Noah sent out a raven through this window. It kept flying back and forth but didn’t return.

Ravens are scavengers. Therefore, this raven could find plenty of dead animals in the Floodwaters to feed upon. Because it didn’t return, Noah realized it could find enough places to rest upon.

However, ravens are not too fussy about where they rest. Noah sent a dove to see if the waters had receded enough. Doves like clean and dry places to rest upon and to make nests. Also, they don’t like carrion; they mainly eat seeds and fruits. They are powerful fliers too; about a third of their weight is flight muscles. So, the dove could fly for miles looking for a good spot and its favorite food. But it found neither food nor a resting place, so it returned to the Ark.

A week later, Noah sent out the dove again. This time it returned with a “freshly plucked olive leaf” in its beak. This means olive trees were growing again, so there was dry ground. They can grow not just from seeds but also from branches. However, they can sprout from ground that’s too soggy for a dove to rest in. So, it returned to the Ark.

After yet another week, Noah sent out the dove again. This time, it didn’t return. Thus, Noah realized that there must be both enough plant food for the dove and dry places on which to rest. But it was still a period of time before Noah could leave.

Noah and his family leave the Ark

Finally, Genesis 8:13 tells us the precise day that “the face of the ground was dry”: Noah’s 601st year, 1st month, 1st day. This was almost a month after the dove had left. However, “dry” just means no water was covering the ground. The ground was still soggy. Genesis 8:14 tells us it was only on the 2nd month, 27th day that “the earth had dried out.” The words “dried out” mean no longer soggy, and hard enough to walk upon.

Only then, at long last, did God tell Noah to leave the Ark with his family and to bring out all the birds and animals.

Bible passage

The Apostle Paul uses the knowledge that olive trees can grow from branches, just like after the Flood. In this case, the branches are grafted, or joined together, with an olive tree. Paul uses this as a great symbol of how both Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) can be ‘grafted in’ through faith in Jesus Christ. That way, both can enjoy the blessings of the Saviour.