Genesis 8

Genesis 8:1

God’s remembering persons or things denotes his manifesting his notice of them, either in a way of mercy for their deliverance or benefit, according to his promise, as here, and ch. xix. 20. and xxx

Genesis 8:22

Exod. xxxii. 13. Neb. xiii. 14. 22. Job xiv. 13. Psal. cxxxii. 1. cvi. 4. and cxxxvi. 23; or, in a way of wrath for their punishment: Psal. cxxxvii. 7. Amos viii. 7. Rev. xvi. 19. and xviii. 5. Ver. 20. It was common for the patriarchs to erect altars and offer sacrifices of thanksgiving for mercies received, and for the expiation of their own guilt; as in the case of Abraham; ch. xii. 7, 8. and xiii. 18; Isaac, xxvi. 25; and Jacob, xxxv. 7; and Moses, Exod. xvii. 15. These were typical of Christ, our New Testament altar, as the sacrifices were of his oblation of himself; Heb. xii. 10—15. Ver. 21. The Lord accepted it as a thing pleasant and delightful, proceeding from faith and gratitude; I Sam. xxvi. 19. Lev. xxvi. 31. Amos v. 21.—God would hereafter improve the sinfulness of mankind as an occasion of manifesting his patience and mercy; Psal. ciii. 11—14. and xxv. 21. Exod. xxxiv. 9. Is. xliii. 24, 25. xliv. 22. xlvii. 8, 9. lvii. 17, 18. and i. 18. Jer. iii. 1, 4, 5, 14, 22. Thus, Psal. cvi. 6. “Though we have sinned with our fathers—have committed iniquity—have done wickedly—nevertheless he saved, for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.” Ezek. xvi. 60—63.—“Nevertheless, notwithstanding innumerable and grievous provocations, I will remember my covenant with thee—I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done.” And xx. 4—44. “I have wrought with you for my name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings.” Compare xxxvi. 16—32. Rom. v. 20, 21. “Where sin abounded grace did much more abound:—that as sin had reigned unto death, grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Ver. 22. How remarkably exact over all the world hath been the fulfilment of this prediction for more than 4000 years past

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. VIII.—How graciously God remembers, and in mercy visits his favourites in due time! therefore, though the vision tarry, let me wait for it. How easily, and often gradually, the Lord accomplishes his merciful designs! As he never wants instruments of affliction and ruin, neither of gracious deliverances. Whatever means I may use of information or of affecting my conscience and heart, let me in all my ways acknowledge God, and wait for his direction out of straits as well as in them! If I receive deliverance, let my heart be lifted up in his way, and my thanksgiving will for him in Zion! Let my hopes of future favours wholly depend upon sovereign mercy, not on my own or others reformation: for, alas! blessed chastised, we are flagrant rebels still! But, in this patriarch’s ark, do I discern Jesus Christ! He is the absolutely necessary mean of our escaping to justly deserved and destructive floods of God’s everlasting wrath. Every thing in his mediatorial person and office was devised and appointed of God, was gradually reared up in promises before he was actually incarnate, and gradually he finished his all-covering atonement. How wide is the gate of acceptance to him revealed in the gospel! and what abundant room is there in his sand power, his love, his blood, his intercession, his covenant and promise, for a dangered sinners of mankind! His stories are his ancient undertaking, humiliation, and his endless glory. No light is in him but what is of a world and heavenly nature. By exposing himself to the deluging rains, the billions of his Father’s wrath: to depths wherein was no standing, till at he rested in his grave, and at his Father’s right hand; he bears up and chosen. How many despise him and his atonement! But, by the God, what multitudes, both of Jews and Gentiles, are saved by him, heirs of new promises, inhabitants of a new-covenant state and an eternal of blessedness!—And is not the same a figure of the gospel-church, in reared by Jesus’ labours of love, the nations of them that are saved do this world, till the winter be past, and the floods be over and gone! And period, when, after tossings unnumbered, the Lord shall call us forth fields, our house eternal in the heavens, where rains, where storms, where where winters, where curses, never enter! 1 11 CHAP. V. Ver. 5. Europe, Lesser Asia, and the islands of the Mediterranean are a few of the Gentiles. The Jews called countries situated on the sea-shore, or parted from their own by sea, Isles, Jer. xiv. 4. Heb. xxv. 22. To these Isles of the Gentiles the gospel-promises are peculiarly directed, and our own inhabitants they have been peculiarly fulfilled; Psal. lxxii. 10. and xvi. 1. Is. xxiv. 15. xlii. 4, 10, 12. xlix. 1. h. 5. lx. 9. and lxvi. 10. Zeph. ii. 11. &c. Ver. 8. 9. Perhaps Nimrod first made himself popular by hunting down the wild boasts which began to infest the country, and then openly, and without fear of God, he usurped the government over his neighbours, and became so cruel an oppressor and persecutor, Jer. xvi. 16. Lam. iv. 18. Ezck. xiii. 18. that his name became a proverb of reproach. Compare 2 Chron. xxviii. 22. Ver. 21. The children of Eber are the Hebrews, who being followers of him in his faith and holiness, and the peculiar people of God from whom the Messiah sprung, were the principal descendants of Shem, and those on whom his blessing was chiefly conferred; Num. xxiv. 24—What nations these descendants of Noah formed, and what countries they inhabited, may be seen in ch. ix. 26—27