Rev Xi An Poon
創世記 8:15-17
15 神對挪亞說：
16 你和你的妻子、兒子、兒婦都可以出方舟。
17 在你那裏凡有血肉的活物，就是飛鳥、牲畜，和一切爬在地上的昆蟲，都要帶出來，叫牠在地上多多滋生，大大興旺。
【引言】
在人的生命裏，很多人都渴望「重新開始」。
當一段困難過去，我們希望生活可以重新穩定；當一個季節結束，我們希望前面可以有新的方向；當神帶我們經過風浪、眼淚、壓力和不容易的日子，我們都盼望有一天可以走出方舟，重新踏在地上，開始新的生活。
可是，創世記第八章讓我們看見，真正的重新開始，不是人一看見環境好轉，就立刻自己衝出去；也不是困難一減少，就急着重新掌控自己的生活。真正的重新開始，是從等候神開始。
創世記第七章告訴我們，洪水臨到的時候，神把挪亞和他的家人，以及方舟裏一切的活物關在方舟裏。方舟的門不是挪亞自己關上的，是神關上的；洪水不是挪亞可以控制的，是神按着祂的時間讓水漲起來。那時候，挪亞不能自己打開門，也不能決定洪水何時停止。他只能留在神所預備的遮蓋裏，學習相信神、等候神。
到了創世記第八章，經文一開始說：「神記念挪亞和挪亞方舟裏的一切走獸牲畜。」這句話是整章非常重要的轉折。神記念，不是神之前忘記了；神記念，是神到了祂所定的時間，開始介入、開始使水退去、開始帶出新的季節。
但是，神記念挪亞，並不代表挪亞立刻就可以出方舟。水開始退了，山頂出現了，地面後來也漸漸乾了；挪亞也曾經放出烏鴉，又三次放出鴿子。他有觀察，有分辨，也有嘗試；但最後，他不是憑自己的判斷走出方舟，而是等到神親自對他說：「你和你的妻子、兒子、兒婦都可以出方舟。」
這就是創世記第八章給我們看見的屬靈法則：神記念，人就可以放心；神未說話，人就學習等候；神的時間到了，人就憑信心走出；走出之後，不是先忙自己的安排，而是先築壇獻祭，把新的開始獻給神。
今天我們也需要這個屬靈次序。很多時候，我們以為重新開始就是環境改變、門打開、事情順利、計劃重新啟動；但在神眼中，重新開始首先是心回到神面前，時間交在神手裏，腳步聽從神引導，生命重新築壇獻給神。
因此，創世記第八章不是單單記載洪水退去，而是讓我們看見：神怎樣帶一個人、一個家庭，從審判之後進入恩典，從被保存進入新開始，從方舟裏的等候進入神所命定的祝福與秩序。
今天我們要從三方面來看，神如何帶領我們進入真正的重新開始。
一、將心交給神，相信神必記念
創世記 8:1
「神記念挪亞和挪亞方舟裏的一切走獸牲畜。神叫風吹地，水勢漸落。」
創世記第八章不是從挪亞的行動開始，而是從「神記念」開始。
這是很重要的屬靈次序。當挪亞仍然在方舟裏，當四周仍然是水，當他不知道還要等多久，當他不能自己打開方舟門的時候，神已經記念他。
神記念挪亞，不是代表神之前忘記了挪亞；而是代表神在祂所定的時間裏，開始按着祂的信實行動。神叫風吹地，水勢漸落，這一切都不是挪亞自己造成的，而是神親自介入。
這提醒我們，在重新開始以前，人的心最需要先交給神。
很多時候，我們等候的時候，心裏會有很多不安：
神是否還記得我？
我的家庭會不會有出路？
我的問題會不會有轉機？
我還要等多久？
神是否仍然在掌管？
但創世記8:1告訴我們，在人還沒有看見全部出路之前，神已經記念。神記念的時候，環境可能還沒有完全改變；水可能還沒有完全退去；方舟可能還沒有打開；但神已經開始工作。
所以，重新開始的第一步，不是急着安排下一步，而是先把心交給神，相信神必記念。
當我們的心沒有交給神，即使門打開了，我們仍然會帶着焦慮走出去；即使環境變好了，我們仍然會用恐懼作決定；即使有新的開始，我們仍然可能活在舊的壓力裏。
但當我們相信神必記念，我們的心就能在方舟裏安定下來。不是因為環境已經完全安全，而是因為我們知道神沒有忘記我們；不是因為我們已經掌握明天，而是因為神仍然掌管明天。
今天，若我們正處在等候中，神的話提醒我們：把心交給神。祂記念挪亞，也記念方舟裏的一切活物；祂不只看見一個人，也看見整個家庭，看見一切被祂保存的生命。神記念，就表示神仍然有時間、仍然有安排、仍然有出路。
當心先交給神，我們才不會在等候中失去平安；當心先安定在神的記念裏，我們才有力量繼續等候祂的時間。
二、等候神的時間，走出方舟
創世記 8:15-16
「神對挪亞說：你和你的妻子、兒子、兒婦都可以出方舟。」
創世記第八章很值得我們留意的一點，是挪亞不是沒有觀察，也不是沒有行動。
他放出烏鴉，又放出鴿子。第一次鴿子找不到落腳之地，就回到方舟；第二次鴿子叼着新擰下來的橄欖葉回來；第三次鴿子不再回來。這些都顯示地上的情況正在改變，水正在退去，生命正在恢復。
可是，即使如此，挪亞仍然沒有自己決定出方舟。一直到第15節，神親自對他說話，他才走出來。
這是一個很深的功課。環境有轉變，不一定等於神的時間已經到了；門好像有機會，不一定等於人可以立刻照自己的意思行動；我們可以觀察，可以分辨，可以預備，但最後仍然需要等候神的時間。
第七章裏，神把挪亞關進方舟；第八章裏，神叫挪亞出方舟。進去是神的時間，出來也是神的時間。被保護有神的時間，重新開始也有神的時間。
很多時候，人最容易在兩個地方失去等候。
第一，是在困難中太快灰心，以為神不記念。
第二，是在環境稍微好轉時太快行動，以為自己可以決定。
但挪亞教我們一個很重要的功課：真正的信心，不只是聽神的話進方舟；真正的信心，也是在方舟裏等候，直到神說可以出來。
當神說：「你和你的妻子、兒子、兒婦都可以出方舟」，這不只是離開方舟的命令，更是進入新季節的允許。這代表神的時間到了，神的遮蓋沒有停留在方舟裏，而是繼續帶領他們走進新的地面、新的生活、新的使命。
因此，等候神的時間，不是永遠停留不動；等候神的時間，是在神未說話以前不急躁，在神說話以後不退縮。
有時候，神要我們等；有時候，神要我們走。等候神的人，不是不行動的人；等候神的人，是按神時間行動的人。
今天，若神還沒有清楚帶領，我們就不要因焦急而強行開門；若神已經清楚吩咐，我們也不要因害怕而留在方舟裏。真正的重新開始，是在神的時間裏走出方舟。
當我們的心相信神必記念，腳步也等候神的時間，我們就能在新季節來到時，憑信心走出去。但走出去之後，還有一個更重要的次序，就是先回到神面前。
三、先築壇再前行，把新的開始獻給神
創世記 8:20-22
「挪亞為耶和華築了一座壇，拿各類潔淨的牲畜、飛鳥獻在壇上為燔祭。耶和華聞那馨香之氣，就心裏說：我不再因人的緣故咒詛地，因為人從小時心裏懷着惡念；也不再按着我才行的滅各種的活物了。地還存留的時候，稼穡、寒暑、冬夏、晝夜就永不停息了。」
挪亞出方舟之後，第一件被經文記載的事，不是建房子，不是安排生活，不是察看土地，不是計劃將來，而是為耶和華築壇獻祭。
這個次序非常重要。
經歷洪水之後，挪亞當然有很多事情需要處理。世界已經不同了，土地需要重新開始，生活需要重新建立，家庭需要重新適應，前面的路也需要重新安排。但挪亞沒有讓「重建生活」排在「敬拜神」之前。他先築壇，先獻祭，先把蒙保存之後的新開始獻給神。
這就是新開始最重要的屬靈次序。
如果人走出方舟之後，立刻只忙自己的安排，新的開始可能只是舊生命的延續；但如果人走出方舟之後，先築壇敬拜，新的開始就被放在神的主權底下。
今天我們不再像挪亞那樣獻牲畜為燔祭，因為新約聖經清楚告訴我們，耶穌基督已經一次獻上自己，成為完全的祭。以弗所書5:2說，基督為我們捨了自己，當作馨香的供物和祭物獻與神。挪亞所獻的祭，讓我們看見人蒙保存之後應當敬拜；基督所獻的祭，讓我們看見人真正能站在神面前，是因為祂完全的救贖。
所以今天我們的「築壇獻祭」，不是燒祭物，而是把自己重新獻給神。正如羅馬書12:1說，將身體獻上，當作活祭，是聖潔的，是神所喜悅的。
現代人的築壇，就是在新的開始裏，先回到神面前說：
主啊，我的生命屬於祢。
我的家庭交給祢。
我的時間分別給祢。
我的工作為祢而活。
我的計劃讓祢掌管。
我的前路由祢帶領。
當挪亞築壇獻祭之後，經文說耶和華聞那馨香之氣，並且在心裏宣告不再按着洪水那樣滅各種活物。第21節不是說人已經完全變好，所以神不再審判；相反，神清楚說：「人從小時心裏懷着惡念。」神知道人的罪根仍然存在，但祂仍然以憐憫托住世界，讓人有繼續存活、重新開始、回轉歸向祂的機會。
這也與新約的真理相連。神不再用洪水全面毀滅世界，不代表審判不存在；彼得後書提醒我們，神現在的忍耐不是耽延，乃是不願有一人沉淪，乃願人人都悔改。今天我們能夠重新開始，是因為神以憐憫給人時間，更因為基督已經為我們成就救恩。
因此，先築壇再前行，不只是宗教儀式，而是生命次序的歸正。
真正的重新開始，不是先問我可以做甚麼，而是先問我是否把新的開始交給神；不是先急着重建外面的生活，而是先讓裏面的敬拜恢復；不是先抓住自己的計劃，而是先讓神成為新季節的中心。
當人先築壇，神就把新的開始放在祂的祝福與秩序裏。創世記8:22說：「地還存留的時候，稼穡、寒暑、冬夏、晝夜就永不停息了。」這代表神以祂的信實托住世界，也讓人可以在祂所定的秩序中繼續生活、耕種、建立、繁衍。
所以，新的開始不是從忙碌開始，而是從敬拜開始；不是從掌控開始，而是從獻上開始；不是從人的計劃開始，而是從神的主權開始。
【總結】
創世記第八章讓我們看見，神帶領人重新開始，有一個很清楚的屬靈次序。
第一，將心交給神，相信神必記念。即使仍在方舟裏，即使水還沒有完全退去，神沒有忘記祂所保存的人。
第二，等候神的時間，走出方舟。環境好轉不等於可以急着行動，真正穩妥的腳步，是等候神說話，然後憑信心走出去。
第三，先築壇再前行，把新的開始獻給神。走出方舟之後，最重要的不是先為自己安排一切，而是先回到神面前，讓新的開始從敬拜和獻上開始。
因此，今天的主題不是單單「重新開始」，而是「重新開始，從等候神開始」。因為沒有等候神的重新開始，很容易只是人的重新安排；但從等候神而來的重新開始，會帶着神的記念、神的時間、神的引導和神的祝福。
【追求】
今天，讓聖靈光照我們的心。
是否我們仍在方舟裏，卻因為看不見出路而焦急、不安，甚至懷疑神是否記念？
是否我們看見環境稍微有改變，就想立刻自己打開門，用自己的方法走出去？
是否我們渴望重新開始，卻仍然想把主權握在自己手裏，而不是先築壇，把生命、家庭、時間和前路獻給神？
是否我們忙着重建外面的生活，卻忽略了裏面敬拜的次序？
今天，神不是要責備我們，而是要把我們帶回祂的光中。祂記念我們，也教我們等候；祂保存我們，也引導我們出來；祂賜下新的開始，也呼喚我們先回到祂面前。
真正蒙福的重新開始，不是人自己衝出去，而是在神的記念裏安定，在神的時間裏前行，在神的面前築壇。
【禱告回應】
親愛的天父，我們感謝祢。
祢是記念人的神。當挪亞仍在方舟裏，祢沒有忘記他；當洪水仍在地上，祢已經開始預備新的開始。今天我們也相信，祢沒有忘記我們，祢看見我們的等候，也知道我們心裏的焦急與不安。
主啊，求祢幫助我們把心交給祢。當我們還未看見全部出路的時候，讓我們相信祢仍然記念；當環境開始轉變的時候，讓我們不憑血氣急着自己開門，而是等候祢的時間。
主啊，當祢說可以走出方舟的時候，求祢賜我們信心，不再因害怕停留在過去，也不因焦急走在祢前面。求祢教導我們按着祢的時間，走進祢所預備的新季節。
主啊，也求祢恢復我們生命中的祭壇。讓我們在每一個新的開始裏，不是先忙自己的安排，而是先回到祢面前，把生命、家庭、工作、時間和前路重新獻給祢。
願我們的重新開始，不只是環境的改變，而是生命次序的歸正；不只是人的努力，而是祢的記念、祢的引導和祢的祝福臨到我們。
奉主耶穌基督的名禱告，阿們。
創世記 8
1 神記念挪亞和挪亞方舟裡的一切走獸牲畜。神叫風吹地，水勢漸落。 2 淵源和天上的窗戶都閉塞了，天上的大雨也止住了。 3 水從地上漸退，過了一百五十天，水就漸消。 4 七月十七日，方舟停在亞拉臘山上。 5 水又漸消，到十月初一日，山頂都現出來了。
6 過了四十天，挪亞開了方舟的窗戶， 7 放出一隻烏鴉去。那烏鴉飛來飛去，直到地上的水都乾了。 8 他又放出一隻鴿子去，要看看水從地上退了沒有。 9 但遍地上都是水，鴿子找不著落腳之地，就回到方舟挪亞那裡，挪亞伸手把鴿子接進方舟來。 10 他又等了七天，再把鴿子從方舟放出去。 11 到了晚上，鴿子回到他那裡，嘴裡叼著一個新擰下來的橄欖葉子，挪亞就知道地上的水退了。 12 他又等了七天，放出鴿子去，鴿子就不再回來了。
13 到挪亞六百零一歲，正月初一日，地上的水都乾了。挪亞撤去方舟的蓋觀看，便見地面上乾了。 14 到了二月二十七日，地就都乾了。
15 神對挪亞說： 16 「你和你的妻子、兒子、兒婦都可以出方舟。 17 在你那裡凡有血肉的活物，就是飛鳥、牲畜和一切爬在地上的昆蟲，都要帶出來，叫牠在地上多多滋生，大大興旺。」 18 於是挪亞和他的妻子、兒子、兒婦都出來了。 19 一切走獸、昆蟲、飛鳥和地上所有的動物，各從其類，也都出了方舟。
20 挪亞為耶和華築了一座壇，拿各類潔淨的牲畜、飛鳥獻在壇上為燔祭。 21 耶和華聞那馨香之氣，就心裡說：「我不再因人的緣故咒詛地（人從小時心裡懷著惡念），也不再按著我才行的滅各種的活物了。 22 地還存留的時候，稼穡、寒暑、冬夏、晝夜就永不停息了。」
Dear family, peace to you.
Genesis 7 shows us that when the flood came, God Himself shut Noah, his family, and all the living creatures inside the ark. The door of the ark was not closed by Noah; it was closed by God. The beginning and the ending of the flood were also not in Noah’s control, but in God’s hand.
When we come to Genesis 8, the chapter begins with these words: “God remembered Noah and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark.” This is a very important turning point. God remembering Noah does not mean that God had forgotten him before. It means that, in God’s appointed time, He began to act. He caused the waters to go down and prepared a new beginning.
However, when the water started to go down, it did not mean Noah could immediately leave the ark. When the ground began to dry, it did not mean Noah could decide the next step by himself. Noah sent out a raven and also sent out a dove three times. He observed, discerned, and waited. But in the end, he only came out of the ark when God spoke to him and said, “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you.”
This shows us an important spiritual order: a true new beginning does not start by rushing out when the environment looks better. A true new beginning starts with waiting on God.
- Give your heart to God, trusting that He remembers
Genesis 8:1
“Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided.”
The first step into a new beginning is not arranging the next step. It is first giving our heart to God.
When Noah was still inside the ark, the waters were still around him. He could not open the door by himself, and he did not know how much longer he had to wait. But God remembered him.
We also go through seasons of waiting. We wait for change in our family. We wait for direction in our work. We wait for relationships to be restored. We wait for strength to return to our hearts. In waiting, it is easy to become anxious. It is also easy to wonder whether God still remembers us.
But God’s Word reminds us: before we see the full way out, God already remembers. He remembered Noah, and He also remembered every living thing in the ark. He saw not only one person, but the whole family and all the lives He had preserved.
So today, let us first give our heart to God and trust that He has not forgotten us.
- Wait for God’s timing, then walk out of the ark
Genesis 8:15-16
“Then God spoke to Noah, saying, ‘Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you.’”
Noah was not without observation. He sent out a raven and a dove. He knew that the situation on the earth was changing and that the waters were going down.
But he did not walk out of the ark only by his own judgment. He waited until God spoke.
This reminds us: a change in the environment does not always mean that God’s timing has fully come. An open opportunity does not always mean we should immediately move according to our own will.
True waiting does not mean never moving. True waiting means not rushing before God speaks, and not holding back when God has spoken.
Sometimes God asks us to wait. Sometimes God asks us to move. A person who waits on God is not a person who never acts, but a person who acts according to God’s timing.
- Build the altar before moving on, offering the new beginning to God
Genesis 8:20
“Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.”
After Noah came out of the ark, the first thing recorded in Scripture was not that he built a house, arranged his life, or planned his future. The first thing recorded was that he built an altar to the LORD and offered sacrifices.
This order is very important.
If a new beginning is only about rearranging life by ourselves, we may easily fall back into old patterns. But if a new beginning first brings us back before God, then it comes under His lordship, covering, and blessing.
Today, we no longer offer animals as sacrifices like Noah did, because Jesus Christ has offered Himself once for all as the perfect sacrifice. Today, building an altar means offering ourselves to God again.
We offer our lives to God.
We offer our families to God.
We offer our time to God.
We offer our work to God.
We offer our future to God.
Genesis 8:21-22 shows us that after Noah built the altar, God declared that He would not again destroy every living thing in the same way as the flood, and He upheld the order of the earth by His faithfulness. This was not because humanity had become sinless. It was because God, in His mercy, gave humanity the opportunity to begin again.
So a truly blessed new beginning does not start with rushing into our own plans. It starts by returning to God, allowing the new beginning to begin with worship and surrender.
Summary
Genesis 8 shows us a clear spiritual order in how God leads people into a new beginning:
First, give your heart to God, trusting that He remembers.
Second, wait for God’s timing, then walk out of the ark.
Third, build the altar before moving on, offering the new beginning to God.
A new beginning is not only a change of environment. A new beginning is the restoration of life’s order.
A new beginning without waiting on God may only become human rearrangement. But a new beginning that comes from waiting on God carries God’s remembrance, God’s timing, God’s guidance, and God’s blessing.
Life Reflection
Today, let the Holy Spirit shine His light upon our hearts:
Am I still in the ark, becoming anxious because I cannot yet see the way out?
Have I seen a small change in the environment and become eager to walk out in my own way?
Do I desire a new beginning, but still want to hold control in my own hands?
Am I busy rebuilding my outward life, while neglecting the altar of worship inside my heart?
Today, God is not trying to condemn us. He is leading us back into His light. He remembers us and teaches us to wait. He preserves us and leads us out. He gives us a new beginning and calls us first to return to Him.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the God who remembers.
When Noah was still inside the ark, You did not forget him. When the waters were still upon the earth, You were already preparing a new beginning. Today, we also believe that You have not forgotten us. You see our waiting, and You know the anxiety and restlessness in our hearts.
Lord, help us to give our hearts to You and trust that You remember us. Teach us to wait for Your timing, not walking ahead of You, and not remaining in the past because of fear.
Restore the altar in our lives. In every new beginning, help us first return to You and offer our lives, families, work, time, and future to You again.
May our new beginning be more than a change of circumstances. May it be the restoration of the order of our lives. May it not be only our own effort, but Your remembrance, Your guidance, and Your blessing coming upon us.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Genesis 8
1 Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. 2 The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. 3 And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased. 4 Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. 5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.
6 So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. 7 Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. 8 He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. 10 And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. 11 Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. 12 So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore.
13 And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry. 14 And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried.
15 Then God spoke to Noah, saying, 16 “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19 Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark.
20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
22 “While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Winter and summer,
And day and night
Shall not cease.”
Zion Bread of Life Christian Church 
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