Genesis 8:14

In the second month. To Noah the ground appeared sufficiently dry. But God had closed the door of the ark, and Noah awaited God’s instruction as to when he was to leave it. Altogether he waited 57 days longer before the waters were completely dried up and God could give the desired permission.

If we assume a 30-day month throughout (see on ch. 7:24), a ship’s log for the ark during the Flood would read as follows:

Month Day Year

Noah enters the ark. 7:4, 2 10 600

Beginning of the Flood. 7:11, 2 17 600

Rain and prevailing waters (first 40 days of Flood). 7:4, 12, 17 to 3 27 600

“Waters prevailed” (110 additional days). 7:17 to 7 17 600

The ark rests on the mountains of Ararat. 8:4, 7 17 600

The mountains seen. 8:5, 10 1 600

The raven released (40 days later). 8:6, 11 11 600

The dove released (first time). 8:8, 11 18 600

The dove released (second time). 8:10, 11 25 600

The dove released (third time). 8:12, 12 2 600

Covering of the ark removed; waters dried. 8:13, 1 1 601

Noah leaves the ark. 8:14-16, 2 27 601

A period of exactly five months elapsed from the beginning of the Flood to the time the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat (ch. 7:11; 8:4). This is also given as 150 days (ch. 7:24), thus indicating that the 5 months contained 30 days each. It is uncertain, however, whether the year of Noah’s time was lunar or solar, and whether it began in the spring or in the autumn.

The ark is proof of the goodness of God and the obedient faith of Noah. The ark was a refuge in time of peril, a home for the homeless, and a temple where the godly family of Noah worshiped. It bore them safely from the old world to the new, from an environment of vice and sin to an earth purified from sin. The ark was God’s appointed place of salvation, and outside of it there was no safety. And as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be when this present age is brought to an abrupt close at the coming of the Son of man (see Matt. 24:37). Those who wish to be saved must avail themselves of the provision God has made for their salvation.