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the Hebrews reckoned 30 days to the month except when they saw the new moon on the
30th, which then became the 1st day of the new month.
Kennedy, a chronologer of the eighteenth century, makes the length of time during
which Noah was in the ark exactly 365 days. He maintained that Moses measures time
by solar years, and computes time by lunar years. His attitude to the Scriptures
encourages one to give him a hearing, for he says:
"The Hebrew text has never been corrupted in the article of Chronology by Jew or
Pagan, by chance or design. It is not more certain that there is a sun and moon in the
heavens than it is that not a single error of the press, or of Jewish transcriber, has crept
into the present copies of the Hebrew Massoretic Text, to give the least interruption to its
chronological years."
Returning to details, and, particularly, typical foreshadowings, let us look at Gen. 8: 4.
"The ark rested in the 7th month, on the 17th day of the month." What is there
suggestive about these dates? At first, nothing, but when we remember that in the month
Abib, the month of the Passover, Moses instructed the Israelites to reckon that month
"the beginning of months, the first month of the year to you" (Exod. 12: 1, 2), we
discover that the 17th day of the 7th month is a date to be noted. The 7th month became
the 1st month. The Passover was observed on the 14th, and on the 17th the Lord was
raised from the dead, consequently, the specific date of the resting of the ark on the
mountains of Ararat becomes one of intensely typical importance.
The rain was upon the earth 40 days and 40 nights. This is the first occurrence of this
critical number in the Scriptures. It is the number of trial. We immediately think of the
40 days occupied by the spies in spying out the Land, with the consequent 40 years
wandering in the wilderness, (Numb. 13: 26; 14: 34); or of the 40 days of Jonah 3: 4;
or of the 40 days preceding the temptation in the wilderness (Matt. 4: 2).
Again we see how complete, and how satisfactory is the account given of the flood,
and its particular events. May these studies confirm our faith that these Scriptures are
inspired, authoritative and trustworthy.