One of the most mysterious moments in biblical history surround the creation and story of Noah’s ark. The final resting place of the ark had never been found and so it was hard to confirm or deny the tale and what the Bible says happened. Finding the boat would be the beginning of the true story of Noah’s ark and the ability for scientists and archeologists to research and investigate the true happenings based on physical evidence.
Finding Noah’s Ark
According to the Bible, Noah’s ark was the only living vessel on earth as the floor from the heavens came. Following the lengthy floor, it was told that the ark came ashore on the ‘mountains of Ararat.’ Until now, no one knew where the location of Noah’s ark was and where it ended up docking itself. Today, thousands upon thousands of years after the event, scientists and archeologists have found new evidence that has provided them with answers to pressing questions, questions that can change the way we view the Bible and the story of Noah’s ark.
Twosomes
So how did this all come about? As it is written in the Bible, God told Noah to being his family aboard the ark, but he also tasked him with making sure that life would continue on after the floor; not just humans but animals too.
Therefore, Noah brought two of every animal onto the ark, one male and one female so that life may go on after the flood. Once the water was to subside and land visible again, the animals would be able to roam free again on land.
Surviving the Flood
So how did Noah survive the flood that was meant to take out all mankind? He was tasked, again, with building an ark that would be large enough to house the animals, as well as be able to survive the storm that God planned on unleashing upon the earth.
The ark was massive in scale and was said to be 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits tall. In today, measurement, that would be 450 x 75 x 45 feet. The ark also had three decks inside of the structure.
More Research
A group by the name of Noah’s Ark Ministries International has made it its mission to find Noah’s ark and bring the world the truth of what happened to it. The group has lead several expeditions in order to try and find more information about the ark. Some experts do not like the mission this group has, while others agree that it has merit.
A Noah’s ark hunter from California believes he had found a major clue as to the last location the ark was at. This information could change the path to an answer.
Real of Fictional?
So far, there have been many moments where possible findings have been made, but so far they have all proven to be fake. The search for Noah’s ark is as much a Holy Grail as ever. Back in 1955, A French man whose mission was to find the ark said that he discovered a five-foot beam beneath a glacier on Mount Ararat.
A Spanish research organization confirmed that the beam in question was over 5,000 years old. However, soon after, the French man admitted that he brought the wooden beam from another close location.
Syrian Say Different
Most biblical historians agree as to the general location of where the ark is. However, Syrian tradition says differently as they follow the story told by Josephus. In earlier centuries, the Syrians were told that the ark did not land in Ararat, but rather in Mount Judi.
They called Mount Judi the ‘Place of Descent.’ Josephus stated that the ark’s remains were discovered at the ‘place of descent’ by nearby Armenians which was 60 miles southeast of Ararat. There is something to this discrepancy.
Differing Opinions
While popular opinion rests that Noah’s ark landed in what is known today as Mount Ararat, there are those who disagree with the notion. Dr. Andrew Snelling of the University of Sydney has said that he has an issue with the concept that the ark landed on Mount Ararat.
He says it is not possible for that to happen as Mount Ararat did not form until years after the biblical flood. So why does Snelling feel so confident in the fact that there is a difference here?
What Did the Ark Really Look Like?
Early theologists, such as Origen and Augustine, were said to have a much better idea as to what the ark actually looked like. There are also scholars whose work is to make a realistic representation of what the ark looked like.
Alfonso Tostada was one of these. He wrote a detailed description of the ark in the 15th century. One century later, Johannes Buteo worked to get the real dimensions of the ark. Many of the future scholars agree with Buteo’s representation.
The Story of Ziusudra
There is one tale out of the many about the flood that stands out. The oldest version of the stories is the one that kept coming up the most truthful – a Mesopotamian story with King Ziusudra.
The story states how Zuisudra constructed a boat in order to save the lives of many people and protect them from the wrath of the gods who have made the decision to destroy the world. As you can see, this story is very similar to that of Noah and his ark.
The Real Question: Why?
It is just as important to figure out the why of the flood and the story of Noah, than the how it all happened. Science wants to know the facts where the Bible wants to teach the true meaning behind the same facts.
We ask ‘how the universe came to be’, when the question should be ‘why did the universe come to be.’ What could be the purpose of all of this. This was the exact way the religious scholars took with their approach to the story of Noah and his ark.
