Genesis 8:15-16 (ESV)
15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons' wives with you.
God’s Word Provides Direction
In Genesis eight we have the final chapter in the story of the flood. The rain stopped and God made the wind to blow over to dry the earth. This chapter is very specific about the time frame for everything. It is also specific for what Noah did to gather data about the subsiding waters. He used his logic and sent out a raven. The problem with that logic is that the raven left and never came back. Noah discovered a new piece of data: raven’s are smart and can survive by floating on debris and solving problems. The raven had not reason to return to the Ark. So, Noah’s first attempt to gather data to make a decision was somewhat of a failure. He then sent out a dove. The dove is less resourceful. The dove returned. After sending it out again the dove returned with a “fresh” olive leaf. Noah had a new piece of data. He sent the dove out a third time and the dove did not return. This was Noah using logic to ascertain his next move. This is where the above verses come in. Noah was told to go into the Ark by God (in those Biblical days God spoke auditable to those He wanted to talk to ... see the stories of Job, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Elijah, etc.). Noah, in the above verses, is told by God to come off the Ark. Even though Noah used his logic, he allowed his logic to be guided by the Word of God. That is a pattern throughout Scripture. Abraham used logic when he took his son, Isaac, to the mountain when God told him to sacrifice Isaac. He used logic to come to know that if he did kill Isaac, God would have to raise him from the dead since God promised it was through Isaac that the world would be blessed. He did not have to kill Isaac, as at the last minute God provided a sacrifice. But, he did attempt to obey God’s Word, despite the command of God seemed harsh and against the promise. Note:
Hebrews 11:17-19 (ESV)
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
That is just one example of God using His Word to guide us and logic having to submit to that Word. We are to bring all logic and intuition in line with what God has told us about Himself:
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (ESV)
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
There are times that God asks us to do something that defies logic (Moses hitting a rock to get water to gush out, is just one of those times). But God does, like in the case of Noah, use our logic. God gave us logic. But, man’s logic is not God’s logic. God is not logical ... based upon man’s mental framework. this may be the hardest thing we do in our walk with Him. We are to balance the mind He gave us with the all powerful and all knowing mind of His. Send out ravens and doves all we want, but we should still sit on the Ark until we hear God’s Word tell us to leave.
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