Noah’s Ark is one of the best-known Bible stories. Well, parts of it are. What’s often overlooked is what’s embedded in the sending of the raven and dove. (It’s so beautiful I had to include it as a stand-alone story in my upcoming Simple Truths children’s Bible. You can see parts of that poem in the images below.)
Let’s recap Noah’s story.
Noah’s Stuck.
He and his family have just experienced the biggest weather event of all time. They’ve lived on that ark over a year. And lived to tell the whole story.
But there’s a part we miss. It’s in the science of the raven and dove. And even the olive tree.
The waters recede and the ark comes to a rest on Mount Ararat. But because of how big the ark was and how high its windows, Noah and his family couldn’t see out to know when the receding had finished and the ground was dry. If they unsealed the door too soon, they’d be sunk.
But Noah Knows Birds
Ravens are cunning and wise with wingspans of three feet. They can travel great distances and soar like a hawk. Their large beaks are made for ripping apart flesh—but they prefer the decaying dead stuff. And they love a nest about two thirds of the way up the tallest thing they can find. A mountain cliff will do fine.
When the raven didn’t return, Noah knew there was land. And maybe a recent dead things who found safety on a mountain peak for a time. But Noah didn’t know how much land was exposed or how far away it was.
So, he sent out the dove—a much different breed. Perhaps the raven’s opposite.
Doves are ground birds. They eat seeds from grass and weeds. They flutter short distances and like walking around and sitting on the ground—where they’ll even nest.
And Noah Knows Trees
So, after a prior attempt, the dove returns to Noah with a clue from a live olive tree—which can survive and even thrive under water for months.
Now Noah knows it won’t be long. Because in addition to being hardy under water, olive trees are one of the shortest.
But he doesn’t come out yet. All that muck has to dry up. Nearly two months later, God finally speaks. He’s been silent since they entered the boat more than a year ago.
Could you imagine?
But God knows what he’s doing.
So does Noah.
He doesn’t sit and fret. He’s got work to do.
And so do I.
Hope you enjoyed the poetic sneak peeks!
The Simple Truths Bible is in progress now.
Drop us a note at our contact page if you’d like to stay up-to-date on beta reads, launch teams, and release dates!
