And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that [was] with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged;
Ver. 1. And God remembered Noah.] He might begin to think that God had forgotten him, having not heard from God for five months together, and not yet seeing how he could possibly escape. He had been a whole year in the ark; a and now was ready to groan out that doleful Usquequo Domine :Hast thou forgotten to be merciful? &c. But forgetfulness befalls not the Almighty. The butler may forget Joseph; and Joseph, his father's house: Ahasuerus may forget Mordecai; and the delivered city the poor man that by his wisdom preserved it. Ecc 9:15 The Sichemites may forget Gideon; but "God is not unfaithful to forget your work and labour of love," saith the apostle. Heb 6:10 And there is "a book of remembrance written before him," saith the prophet, "for them that fear the Lord". Mal 3:16 A metaphor from kings that commonly keep a calendar or chronicle of such as have done them good service: as Ahasuerus, Est 6:1 and Tamerlane, b who had a catalogue of their names and good deserts, which he daily perused, oftentimes saying that day to be lost wherein he had not given them something. God also is said to have such a book of remembrance. Not that he hath so, or needeth to have; for all things, both past and future, are present with him: he hath the idea of them within himself, and every thought is before his eyes, so that he cannot be forgetful. But he is said to remember his people (so he is pleased to speak to our capacity) when he showeth his care of us, and makes good his promise to us. We also are said to be his "remembrancers" Isa 62:6 when we plead his promise, and press him to performance. Not that we persuade him thereby to do us good, but we persuade our own hearts to more faith, love, obedience, &c., whereby we become more capable of that good.
God made a wind.] So he worketh usually by means, though he needeth them not. But many times his works are, as Luther speaketh, in contrariis mediis. As here he assuageth the waters by a wind, which naturally "lifteth up the waves thereof," and enrageth them. Psa 107:25 Jon 1:4 God worketh by contraries, saith Nazianzen, c that he may be the more admired.
Though our ark be driven in a tempestuous sea, saith one, yet it shall neither sink nor split, whiles we sail in the thoughts of Almighty God.
a Fuit in arca per annum integrum et decem dies. - Piscator.
b Turk. Hist., p. 227.
c Dια την εναντιων εναντια οικονομειται ινα και μαλλον θαυμαζηται