Question:
Genesis 8:1 – Did God temporarily forget Noah?
The fact that the text says that “God remembered Noah” seems to imply that He temporarily forgot him. Yet the Bible declares that God knows all things (Ps. 139:2-4; Jer. 17:10; Heb. 4:13) and that He never forgets His saints (Isa. 49:15) How then could He temporarily forget Noah?
Response
In His omniscience, God was always aware of Noah being in the ark. However, after Noah was left in the ark for over a year as if he were forgotten, God gave a token of His remembrance and brought Noah and his family out of it. But God had never forgotten Noah since it was He that warned Noah in the very beginning in order to save him and the human race (Gen. 6:8-13). We often use a similar expression when we “remember” someone on their birthday, even though we had never forgotten they existed.
Even in English, “remember” does not necessarily refer to bringing something to mind that had been forgotten. It can also apply to something that has been kept in mind, like a birthday card that states, “remembering you on your special day.” The Hebrew word zakar can have similar connotations.
The Bible frequently speaks of God remembering His people. God remembered Abraham (Genesis 19:29), Rachel (Genesis 30:22), and Hannah (1 Samuel 1:19). Before freeing the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt, the Lord “remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob” (Exodus 2:24). Also, many Old Testament figures prayed that God would remember them, such as Samson (Judges 16:28), David (Psalm 25:7), and Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:3).
Great comfort can be drawn from these truths. The Lord focused His attention on Noah during the Flood. Similarly, Jesus Christ promised His followers that He would always be with them (Matthew 28:20). He will never leave or forsake His people (Hebrews 13:5).
References
Geisler N and Howe T. (1992). A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties. Victor Books.
Did God Forget about Noah? https://answersingenesis.org/who-is-god/did-god-forget-about-noah/. Accessed on 18th May 2022.
Apostle Benedict Eghan is a Minister of the Gospel with The Church of Pentecost and is currently the Resident Minister of Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Tesano. He also doubles as the Personal Assistant to the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Kwabena Nyamekye. Read More…