Noah Opened the Window
A Devotional Series from Genesis
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
6/28 Reading Portions: Deuteronomy 33-34; Psalm 119:145-176; Isaiah 60; Matthew 8
Genesis 8:6-7
At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth.
GOSPEL
In this verse, as well as the next few subsequent verses, we will see wonderful pictures of Christ’s gospel. At this point, forty days have elapsed since the last verse, which would make it six days shy of four months from the day the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat, making it about the mid-July or the mid-August timeframe (see devotional on Gen 8:4). In opening the window, the Hebrew word חַלּוֹן (chal-LŌN), this verse and the following verses, are presenting the prophet as a type of Christ. Of the Messiah we read elsewhere,
My Beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, there He stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, looking through the lattice. Song of Solomon 2:9
While this was true of the pre-incarnate Christ as the Old Testament faithful looked to the promise of the Messiah to come, it is also true of our crucified, risen, and ascended Lord Jesus. He looks upon us, His redeemed, through the window of heaven, and from our earthly and limited perspective, we don’t see Him fully, as if we were looking through the lattice. One day, however, we will no longer look in part, but will know fully, even as we are fully known (1 Cor 13:12).
Now, from His heavenly ark, our risen and ascended Savior tests His beloved redeemed, as is depicted in our portion today by Noah sending out a raven from the window. The raven, Hebrew עֹרֵב (ō-RĀV), is an unclean animal (Lev 11:15), and has been used of God in many ways. And using an unclean animal reminds us how our sovereign God will work all things together for good to them who love God, for those who are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28-29).
Ravens supplied Elijah with food (1 Ki 17:4-6). Ravens also depict God’s judgment (Prov 30:17; Isa 34:11). But the raven here in our verse, may prophetically express Christ’s testing upon His redeemed. Remember, that in the Book of Job, Satan, the epitome of uncleanness, appeared before YHVH God, telling Him that he had been “going to and fro on the earth” (Job 1:7; 2:2). Although different Hebrew terms are used, in Job 1 and 2 from the term used here in Genesis 8, it still fits the prophetic picture we will see in the next few verses. Yet our Lord tests us, not for Him to see our faith, but uses testing so we can see our hearts toward Him. YHVH God tested Abraham to present a prophetic picture of Christ and His gospel (Gen 22). He tested the children of Israel in their wilderness wanderings (Deut 8:2; 13:3; Heb 3:8). God tested Israel in the Promised Land by allowing the idolatrous inhabitants to continue to live there (Judg 3:1-4). Jesus tests us so that we “may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:2), since the testing of our “faith produces steadfastness” (Jas 1:3). Jesus opens that window of testing after having saved us because He loves us. Hallelujah! What a Savior!