Noah's Ark Has Been Discovered
and the Site is Now a National Park
Much information about the discovery, research, and photos
can be found at this link.
Noah's Ark National Park
The Facts presented below about Noah's Ark and the Flood
can be found on
www.ldolphin.org/cisflood.html
The Ark Today
The Measurements are Exactly the Same as in the Bible
View from the Stern toward the Bow
Symmetry of the Ark from the Stern
looking at the collapsed upper levels and the rib structure.
Outline of what the original Ark profile should be and what we see today
Size of the Ark compared to an modern day Aircraft Carrier
An Artists sketch of how the Anchor Stones would work as the Ark contacted land
The Anchor Stones in an Artist's Painting
Anchor Stones found at the Village of 8
Anchor Stones found at the Village of 8
I. Introduction
A. Biblical Passages:
Gen. 6-8; Matt. 24:37,38; Luke17:26,27; I Pet. 3:20; II Pet. 2:5.
B. The story of Noah and
his family being spared from a world- wide deluge (a judgment by God) is one of
the most important in the Old Testament. Much is learned about the nature of
God from this story. For example:
(1) It shows He is a holy God and cannot
tolerate sin.
(2) It shows He is a just God and that sin will not go
unpunished.
(3) It shows He is a God of mercy in that He spares some.
(4) It
shows God's power in that the Flood unleashed great power.
II. The Design of the
Ark
A. The Designer was God Himself.
We do not need to assume Noah knew anything about ship-building. The
instructions for design are given in Gen. 6:14 ff.
B. Construction
Materials
The Bible says the Ark
was to be built of "gopher wood". "Gopher" is the actual
Hebrew word. In early English translations the meaning of the word was unknown
so it was left untranslated. The NIV translates it "cypress wood",
however, this is only a guess. It was undoubtedly translated this way due to
the fact that cypress wood is highly resistant to rot. What this material was
is still a mystery. It could have been a pre-flood wood with which we are not
familiar.
It is almost certain
that Noah did not construct a standard wooden ship of the kind we are familiar.
According to nautical engineers the longest wooden vessel ever built was 360
feet in length and was not seaworthy. Because of the wave action of the sea
only wooden ships shorter than this will be seaworthy. Therefore, we must
conclude that Noah used some other method of construction to overcome this
problem.
C. The Design.
1. The Biblical word for
Ark is "tebah". It is used 28 times in the OT and is only used of
Noah's Ark and for the container in which Moses was hidden among the bulrushes.
Because of a similar Egyptian word meaning "box", and the ultimate
purpose of the Ark, we believe the Ark was not like a streamlined vessel
designed to easily glide through the water. More likely it was shaped like a
rectangular barge which floated rather low in the water. From the story in the
Bible, it also would appear that Noah had no control over the vessel. He, and
it contents were at the total mercy of God.
2. The Ark had three
stories with only one door. The phrase in Gen. 6:16, "Make a roof for it
and finish the Ark to within 18 inches of the top." is problematic in that
the words used are obscure. Most commentators believe it means leave an 18 inch
space at the top that is open all around the vessel. This then would be for
ventilation, and when water entered it would drain out somewhere below, similar
to the vents in cars.
3. The Ark was to be
coated inside and out with pitch.
Again the Hebrew word
for "pitch" is obscure. It was more likely some resinous material
used not only to waterproof the vessel but also to prevent decay. If Noah was
480 years old when God told him to build an Ark and 600 when the Flood came, it
is reasonable to assume that the construction of the Ark took place during this
120 year period (See Gen. 6:3 along with I Pet. 3:20). The need for this
preservative was essential. It is also possible that things did not decay as
rapidly in the pre-flood atmosphere.
4. The phrase in the NIV
(6:14) "make rooms" is also problematic in that the word is obscure.
The Hebrew is "qnm". Since Hebrew did not have any vowels when it was
written, scholars speculate that the word could be either "qinnim" or
"qanim". The former would mean either "rooms" or
"nest", and the later, "reeds". Most English translations
translate as in the former. However, some of the better and more recent
commentaries, believe it should be translated "reeds" since the
context is building materials. If in reality it is "reeds", then
somehow reeds were part of the construction material. Large boats are still
made from reeds and are very seaworthy. The Egyptians still use reeds for caulking
their wooden ships.
III. The Size of the Ark
(When considering its
size it obviously was not the backyard effort of a primitive river-dweller!)
A. It is given in cubits
as being 300 cubits long by 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high. A cubit in the
OT was generally about 17.5 inches. However, an Egyptian royal cubit measured
about 20.5 inches. Since Moses was educated in Egypt we must allow for the
possibility that the longer measurement was meant here. The Ark, therefore,
could have measured from 437 feet to 512 feet in length! It was not until the
late 19th century that a ship anywhere near this size was built.
B. It's Ratio
The Ark had a ratio
(length x width x height) of 30 x 5 x 3. According to ship-builders, this ratio
represents an advanced knowledge of ship-building since it is the optimum
design for stability in rough seas. The Ark, as designed by God, was virtually
impossible to capsize! It would have to have been tilted over 90 degrees in
order to capsize.
C. Its Volume.
With the shorter cubit
the Ark would have an internal volume of 1,518,750 cubic feet, or the
equivalent of 569 standard railroad boxcars. If the average sized animal was
the size of a sheep it means the Ark could hold over 125,000 sheep. (Assuming
the shape of the Ark to be rectangular there would have been over 100,000 sq.
ft of floor space!)
IV. It's Construction
Though the Bible does
not say, it seems reasonable that Noah employed a large group of workman to
build the Ark. If Noah started building the Ark soon after God spoke to him,
then the process of building the Ark may have taken close to 120 years.
V. It's Final Resting
Place
The Bible says in Gen.
8:4 that the Ark came to rest on the mountains (plural) of Ararat. At the time
Moses wrote Genesis Ararat was a mountainous region located in what is today
Eastern Turkey. The Bible only gives a general location for the final resting
place of Noah's Ark. Contrary to what many Christians believe, the Bible does
not say the Ark landed on the Mt. Ararat of today. There is, however,
compelling evidence from ancient history that the Ark landed on a mountain
about 200 miles south of Mt. Ararat. Josephus seems to be referring to this
mountain, and he claims it still existed in his day. An Arabic historian says
the last remains of the Ark were hauled away about 1000 A.D.
VI. The Cargo
1. The Human Passengers.
II Pet. 2:5 says 8 souls were saved. We assume this means Noah, his wife, his
three sons, and their wives.
2. The Animal
Passengers. In Gen. 6:19ff. Noah is instructed to bring mated pairs of every
kind of bird, every kind of animal, and every kind of creature that moves along
the ground. In Gen. 7:2ff. He is more specifically instructed to bring seven
mated pairs (14) of clean animals and seven pairs of all birds.
a. The Number of
animals. Only air-breathing animals needed to be included on the Ark.
Authorities on taxonomy estimate that there are less than 18,000 species of
mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians living in the world today. We might
double this to allow for extinct species. This would gives us 36,000 species
times 2, or 72,000 animals. Adding for the clean animals, we might say there
were as many as 75,000 animals. Earlier we said there was room enough in the
Ark for 125,000 sheep, but most animals are smaller than a common house cat.
There appears to be plenty of space for the preservation of the animal life.
However, some creationists believe there may have been far fewer animals if
Noah only took on board pairs of "kinds" as the word is used in
Genesis 1. God created these "kinds" with potential for rich genetic
diversity. For instance, at the time of Christ there existed only two types of
dogs. All the diversity we see in the modern breeds of dogs came from these
two!
b. The Care of the
animals. Noah was instructed to include food for the animals (Gen. 6:21). How
Noah and his small family could have cared for this large menagerie is unknown,
not to mention the sanitation problem! What we must remember is that this
event, i.e., the Flood, had supernatural elements. For instance, the animals
came to the Ark against their natural instincts (Gen. 6:20). It is therefore
reasonable to assume, as some creationists do, that the animals' metabolism may
have been slowed down during their confinement, even to the point where some of
the animals may have gone into a state of hibernation.
VII. The Typology or
Spiritual meaning of the Ark
A. The Ark of Noah is a
rich picture of the salvation provided by Christ who today is our Ark of
safety.
B. Some of the points of
comparison are:
1. God took the
initiative in sparing Noah and his family. "But God demonstrates His own
love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us." Rom.
5:8.
2. There was a divine
and human side to the Ark as Christ is both human and divine.
3. There was only one
door to enter into the Ark as there is only one way to God and that is through
Christ Jesus. "I am the gate for the sheep..." Jn. 10:7. See also
Acts 4:12.
4. There was great
security for the passengers of the Ark. Likewise, if we are in Christ we are
secure. See Rom.8:31ff.
FACTS ABOUT THE FLOOD
I. Introduction: The
first 12 chapters of Genesis are attacked more than any other passage in the
Bible. It is very important for believers to be assured that this is no less
the Word of God and is important for our instruction. We must not be tempted to
prostitute ourselves to a higher authority than Scripture.
II. The Extent of the
Flood
If the science of
geology did not exist, and we only had Genesis chapters 6-8., what would we
conclude from a normal reading of Scripture about the extent of the Flood?
There is little doubt that a universal Flood is meant. Regardless, some
evangelical scholars still postulate that the Flood was a local event.
A . The Local Flood
Theory
1. The local Flood
theory received a boost when the famous archaeologist, Sir Leonard Wooley
thought he found proof of the Biblical Flood when he found an eight foot thick
layer of water-deposited strata under the city of Ur covering a still more
ancient civilization. Despite proof to the contrary, many still believe this
discovery. (This flood layer, it was later discovered, did not even cover the
entire city!)
2. Objections:
a. There would be no
need for an Ark (definitely not an Ark the size of the one described in Genesis
7).
b. The Biblical language
is universal.
c. This view seeks
accommodation with the conclusions of modern geology.
B. The Flood was
Universal
1. The main objections
are its supernaturalism and the fact that it contradicts the conclusions of
modern uniformitarian geology.
2. Support:
(a) The language of the
Bible is universal. "all the high mountains under the entire
heavens", "Every living thing", "all mankind",
"Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark."
(b) The tradition is
universal. A catastrophic flood seems to be found in the collective memory of
all ancient peoples. Some 270 of these stories have been cataloged. What is
interesting is the fact that the closer you get to Asia Minor, the closer the
details are to the Biblical account!
(c) The size of the Ark.
It is an ocean-going type of vessel befitting a global catastrophe.
(d) It explains the
geosphere in terms of Biblical revelation. The huge extinction of animal and
plant life told by the fossils speak of catastrophe.
(e) The Duration of the
flood. They remained in the Ark for a whole year!
(f) It ignores the testimony
of the apostle Peter. II Pet. 3:3-7. Peter is speaking in global terms.
(g) It ignores the
stated purpose of the Flood-to destroy all of the human race.
(h) The Covenant God
made with Noah after the Flood would be meaningless if the Flood had just been
a local event.
III. The Cause of the
Flood (Genesis 6:1-4)
The Bible speaks of the
Flood as being a judgment from God due to wickedness on the earth. IF THE FLOOD
WAS INDEED GLOBAL THEN THE SIN MUST HAVE BEEN OF THE MOST HEINOUS NATURE!
A. The Spiritual or
Supernatural Reasons for the Flood
Genesis 6: 1-4 is one of
the most puzzling passages in the entire Bible. The major questions of
interpretation are: Who are the "daughters of men", the "sons of
god", the "nephilim", and the "heroes of old"?
Four views:
1. Mixed marriage view
a. Explanation: The
"sons of god" were the righteous line of Seth; the "daughters of
men", the unrighteous line of Cain. The sin which gave rise to the
judgment was the sin of intermarriage between the godly and ungodly.
Objections:
(1) This view hardly
explains the severity of the Flood?
(2) "Sons of
god" in all other occurrences means "angels. Job1:6, 2:1, 38:7; Ps.
29:1, 89:6; Dan. 3:25.
(3) "men"
means the same things in verse 2 as it does in verse 1.
(4) The Bible does not
say that angels are sexless. Angels in heaven do not marry: the same as people.
Matt. 22:30, Mk. 12:25, Lk. 20.35-36. Angels are spoken of as being male
(Michael and Gabriel) and as female (Zech. 5:9)!
(5) It does not explain
the offspring produced.
(6) It runs roughshod
over the passages in I Pet. 3:19,20; IIPet. 2:4,5; Jude 6.
(7) None of the sons of
god were on the Ark.
(8) The contrast is
between the "sons of god" and the "daughters of men" not
between the sons of Seth and the daughters of Cain.
(9) If the "sons of
god" were godly, why did they do what is ungodly?
2. Immorality-polygamy
view
(a) Explanation: A
powerful, elite took for themselves multiple wives. There are parallels of this
in ancient near-eastern literature.
Objections:
(1) It gives too much
emphasis to creation myths and not enough to Scripture.
(2) Again, does this
explain the severity of the judgment?
3. Demon-possession View
(a) Explanation: This
unholy union resulted in demon-possessed men.
Objection:Use of the
term "sons of god in other OT passages does not refer to demon- possessed
men.
4. The Corrupt Race
(Seed) View
(a) Explanation: Angels
(spirit beings) left their proper spheres (the spirit world), took on bodies of
men and cohabited with the daughters of men. This unholy union threatened to
destroy the Seed through which the Deliverer would come. Apparently the
"nephilim" were some sort of hybrid. As a result, the earth was filled with
violence.
(1) it explains the
severity of the flood.
(2) It agrees nicely
with the theme of Genesis which demonstrates the sovereignty of God in
preserving purifying "the seed" as Satan tries to corrupt and destroy
it. The marriage of fallen angels to daughters of men somehow corrupted the
seed of man, perhaps causing some kind of genetic mutation. Noah and his family
were chosen perhaps because their blood-line remained untouched.
(3) It does justice to
the text.
(4) It explains a
difficult passage in I Pet. 3. and Col 2:15, I Tim.
3:16, and explains why women should cover their head! ICor. 11:10.
(5) It is an ancient
universal tradition that the gods once visited this earth in the form of men,
i.e. the titans of mythology.
"More and more we
are finding that mythology in general though greatly contorted very often has
some historic base. And the interesting thing is that one myth which occurs
over and over again in many parts of the world is that somewhere a long time
ago supernatural beings had sexual intercourse with natural women and produced
a special breed of people." Francis A. Schaeffer
(6) It has strong
support from extra-biblical literature-- the pseudopigraphic book of Enoch and
the book of Jubilees. The New Testament writers were familiar with these books.
Jude quotes from Enoch and Peter alludes to it.
(7) It was the universal
interpretation of the early church fathers until the 5th century.
Objections:
The major objection to
this view is angelic spirit-beings co-habiting with humans. It is a hard
interpretation, and is hard to explain philosophically, i.e. the mind-body
problem.
B. Natural Causes of the
Flood
Some explanations
offered:
1. A rapid shifting of
the Poles.
2. The collapse of the
vapor canopy surrounding the earth.
3. Volcanism and
earthquakes.
4. The shifting of the
earth's crust.
5. An extra-terrestrial
body passing close by the earth.
