The rain stops and the underground water stops overflowing, but it takes time for the water to drop to a level at which people and animals can live. Apparently Noah can’t see the condition of the surrounding land from the window, so he uses birds to determine when it is safe to leave the boat. God repeats his instructions from chapter one telling people and animals to be fruitful and multiply. Noah builds an altar to worship God and thanks God for saving him and his family. Despite the fact that God has wiped out all the evil people, he still says that the heart of man is intent on evil. However, God now promises not to destroy the earth again.
The earth has been given a clean start, but God knows humanity still tends toward evil. It’s true for us too. God gives us a clean start when we trust Jesus. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” Still, we are drawn toward evil and need God’s help in the form of God’s Holy Spirit living within us.