Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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(1.) He took away the cause. He sealed up the springs of those waters, the fountains of the great deep, and the windows of heaven. Note,
[1.] As God has a key to open, so he has a key to shut up again, and to stay the progress of judgments by stopping the causes of them: and the same hand that brings the desolation must bring the deliverance; to that hand therefore our eye must ever be. He that wounds is alone able to heal. See Job 12:14.
[2.] When afflictions have done the work for which they are sent, whether killing work or curing work, they shall be removed. God's word shall not return void, Isa 55:10, 11.
(2.) Then the effect ceased; not all at once, but by degrees: The waters abated (Ge 8:1), returned from off the earth continually, Heb. they were going and returning (Ge 8:3), which denotes a gradual departure. The heat of the sun exhaled much, and perhaps the subterraneous caverns soaked in more.
Note, As the earth was not drowned in a day, so it was not dried in a day. In the creation, it was but one day's work to clear the earth from the waters that covered it, and to make it dry land; nay, it was but half a day's work, Ge 1:9, 10. But, the work of creation being finished, this work of providence was effected by the concurring influence of second causes, yet thus enforced by the almighty power of God. God usually works deliverance for his people gradually, that the day of small things may not be despised, nor the day of great things despaired of, Zec 4:10. See Pr 4:18.
3 And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after
the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.
4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of
the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
Here we have the effects and evidences of the ebbing of the waters.