The Biblical Boat’s Resting Place
The Bible states that once the flood had subsided, Noah’s Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Archeologists have been searching for evidence to shed light on what may have happened. Thousands of years later, they’ve hit the jackpot.
They Boarded The Ark Two By Two
The Bible describes how God instructed Noah that his family must board the boat together with enough animals of each and every species. This was so the earth could be filled with all life forms again once the flood receded.
A Vessel Strong Enough To Survive A Flood
God had given Noah very specific dimensions and instructions to build this boat to keep his family and all those animals safe during the flood. The ark was enormous, with dimensions of 450x75x45 feet in size, with three levels inside.
Non-Stop Research
Researches from Noah’s Ark Ministries International in Hong Kong has led many expeditions trying to find more information regarding the ark. Some believe their research is bogus, others believe they may have found the key to its last known location.
Which Theory Is True?
It was reported in 1955 that a 5000-year-old, five-foot wooden beam was found under a glacier on Mount Ararat, but it was false. In earlier centuries, the Syrians believe that the ark actually landed on Mount Judi, “Place of Descent.”
Conflicting Theories
The main theory is that the ark landed on Mount Ararat, however, a young_Earth creationist, Dr. Andrew Sneling believes that that’s not possible. He believes that Mount Ararat only formed after the flood. Why is he so convinced of this?
What Did The Ark Really Look Like?
Many theologians believed to know exactly what the ark looked like. Early theologians Origen and Augustine, were thought to have a more accurate idea than most. In the 15th century, Alfonso Tostada wrote a report revealing details about the ark.
Understanding The Why Is Quite Important
There are many miracles that occurred according to the Bible. Understand why these happened is just as important as knowing where, when, and how they happened. Just like with science, the Bible aims to explain why certain stories occurred.
Trying To Protect And Preserve The Past
In 1829, Dr. Friedrich Parrot climbed Mount Ararat and explains in his book “Journey to Ararat,” how locals felt about their belief that Noah’s Ark’s remains rest atop Ararat. They want to preserve it so don’t allow anyone near it.
Substantial Evidence
Research from Noah’s Ark Ministries International (NAMI) believed to have found evidence that the ark came to rest on Mount Ararat. In 2010 another group from China and Turkey went searching and found wooden artifacts, which could be a breakthrough.
Bird’s Eye View
A helicopter pilot, George Greene, flew over Ararat and claimed he saw the ark from up high. It was allegedly nestled into a rock cliff about 13,000 feet above sea level. However, some people believe it was just basalt.
A Representation Of The Earth
The Hebrews believe the world is formed by three levels, the heavens, the waters, and the earth. The Bible states how God chose to destroy the three-leveled world he created and protected Noah and everything aboard with a three-level ark.
What Kind Of Wood Was The Ark Built From?
The King James Version of the Bible states that it was made form ‘gopher wood,’ however because trees like that don’t exist today, it’s hard to confirm. The NIV version says it was ‘cypress wood,’ so it’s still a mystery.
Was It Really Two By Two?
There are contradicting statements in the Bible, which says that God instructed Noah to take more than two of each animal. A passage says, “seven pairs of clean animals,” “one pair of unclean animals,” and “seven pairs of bird kinds.”
Mount Ararat Is The Tallest Peak In Turkey
The Armenians believe that the ark rests on Mount Ararat in Turkey and think of it as a sacred mountain because of their deep Christian beliefs. They even have the snow-capped mountains and the ark on their coat of arms.
Landing Location Research Continues
For centuries scholars have been trying to identify where the ark rested. A first-century theologians believed the ‘mountains of Ararat’ in the Bible were in Armenia. Hieronymus and Nicolaus of Damascus believed that too, but not all scholars agree.
Marco Polo’s Theory
In his book “The Travels of Marco Polo,” the world-renowned explorer writes about “…the Armenian mountain range, with its peak shaped like a cube on which Noah’s ark is said to have rested…. It’s called the Mountain of Noah’s Ark.”
Inconsistencies In Biblical Theories
Scientists believe that there are inconsistencies with Christian theories regarding the great flood. Scientists say that if there had been a flood there would be evidence of those water levels in the soil. Such evidence is lacking according to science.
Tracing Back to Noah’s DNA
According to the Bible, Noah and his family were the only humans that survived the flood, so they were responsible for repopulating the earth. If that event was true then there would be DNA genealogy tracing back to Noah’s family.
A Similar Noah And The Great Flood Story
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a Mesopotamian poem recorded on 12 tablets. It’s about Gilgamesh’s search for eternal life and the story of the Great Flood. The similarities are astounding, Noah’s story and this one are almost word for word.
A Replica of The Ark
A life-sized replica has been built by a Dutch carpenter, and he plans to sail it to Israel, known as the Holy Land. He has even carved life-size replicas of the animals that would have been aboard the ark.
The Ark Encounter Theme Park
In 2016 an Evangelical Christian Group constructed another replica of the vessel. They turned it into a theme park in Grant County, Kentucky and it attracts many visitors from all around the country. It’s a massive 510 feet in length!
A Joint Effort
The Geoscience Research Institute held a symposium in Turkey to discuss theories about Mount Ararat. Over 100 researchers and scientists attended and shared their knowledge. One of the attendees even claimed to have the answer to where the ark rested.
Where Does The Ice Age Fit In?
Centuries later, scientists are still trying to figure out where on the timeline did the great flood occur, in relation to the Ice Age. This was a period when ice sheets formed in the Northern Hemisphere, which then retreated.
A Story That Doesn’t Quite Make Sense
George Hagopian claimed that he had seen the ark when he was a boy in the early 1900s. He said he and his uncle had climbed on the roof but this doesn’t quite add up as dates don’t match up either.
The Bible May Not Be The Only Source Of Information
Many believe that the story of the Great Flood originated from Mesopotamia, which is now known as Iran and Iraq. There are nine versions of the flood that wiped out the world that only start in the Old Babylonian period.
A Biblical Event In History
Regardless of skeptics, the story of Noah is significant in the Bible. It explains how God is tired of the wickedness of people and instructs Noah to construct the ark to save himself and his family from the flood.
A Biblical Resting Place For The Ark
Most people will tell you they believe the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat, because of its reference in the Bible. That’s why researchers believe it’s now resting on a place with the same name, which is Mount Ararat.
A Story That Is Believed To Be Sacred
The story of Noah and the flood is not only sacred for people with Christians beliefs, but for those with Jewish, Islamic, and Baha’i beliefs as well. You can find many similarities in the different stories but small differences too.
The Information Brought About Some Confusion
At the symposium, scientists shared much information regarding the ark and an ancient history lecturer questioned the theory in relation to the pyramids. If there was such a flood, how did these Egyptians structures that are centuries old remain intact?
A Very Well Thought Out Opinion
Dr. Snelling believes the biblical “mountains of Ararat” were formed before the Great flood receded so the ark could land there. Because a flood reshapes the earth’s geology it could be a clue of where to look for the ark.
Volcanic Ash Could Serve As Evidence
Biblical geologist, Dr. Snelling believes that Mount Ararat is not the resting place of the ark because the ash layers and lava on Mount Ararat date to a post-Ice Age time. This volcano only grew after the flood had receded.
Another Possible Lead To The Resting Place Of The Ark
Professor Raul Esperante from California works with the Geoscience Research Institute believes he found evidence of the ark on Mount Ararat. He visits sites around the mountain to find evidence of catastrophic events that may have occurred in the past.
Evidence Found By NAMI Researchers
In 2010, NAMI archeologists claimed to have found the remains of the ark high up Mount Ararat. They found a wooden structured that was partitioned as the Bible describes. Carbon dating states that the wood is approximately 4800 years old.
Some Pretty Strong Evidence To Go By
NAMI researcher Eung Wing-Cheung is 99.9 percent sure that what they found on Mount Ararat was Noah’s Ark. Professor Raul Esperante also believes that those findings are indeed accurate, but still, not all archeologists are convinced of the fact.
Trying To Prove NAMI’s Findings as True
Esperante is adamant and has made it his life’s purpose to prove NAMI’s findings. He is continuing his research and plans on publishing his findings as soon as possible. He plans on writing journals, publications, and books on the matter.
One Step Closer To The Truth
Esperante is urging international scientific communities to invest in his research to help with his research. He wants to publish his findings to share his discovery with the world. This would be as big as the discovery of the Rosetta Stone.
Evidence Of Where The Ark Was Originally Built?
A documentary describes how the ark may have been built in the Babylon Province in Iraq. there’s a set of ruins with many bricks scattered. This also could be the place where the Tower of Babel was built and destroyed.
Possible Satellite Images Of Where The Ark Rests
A Space Imaging Company, Digital globe traveled to Turkey to take photos of what they believed to be Noah’s Ark resting on the mountain of Ararat. The research took some pretty amazing images and have shared it with the world.
Fascinating Images
Once the images were released, Professor Taylor became convinced that this was reliable evidence of biblical proportions. He is optimistic that if he continues to push the intelligence communities they will make more images declassified and more can be revealed.