Noah's Ark

Is Noah and the ark real or just a myth?

Are there reasons to believe that the biblical account of Noah and the Ark, as recorded in Genesis Chapter 6-9, is historically accurate?

My answer is Yes, I believe so. Below are three logical reasons to believe this Bible story is fact.

1. The Perfect Design -- According to the biblical description of the ark, it was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet tall. A 1993 study conducted by researchers at the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISO) investigated the seaworthiness of the design of Noah's Ark as described in the Bible (Genesis 6). Led by Dr. Seon Won Hong, the team tested the Ark's dimensions against various other hull proportions to evaluate stability, comfort, and safety in high seas.

Key findings from this 1993 study include:

• Optimal Proportions: The biblical dimensions (a 6:1 length-to-width ratio) were found to be nearly ideal for balancing stability, cargo capacity, and seaworthiness.
• Stability Against Capsizing: The design was found to be virtually impossible to capsize, with the capacity to handle waves over 30 meters (approximately 100 feet) high.
• Seaworthiness: When compared to alternative models, the biblical Ark performed better or equal to them in turbulent sea conditions.
• Structural Strength: The study concluded the design was robust and, with a 30 cm thick wooden hull, could withstand the pressures of a massive, long-term flood event. 

The ancient authors of the book of Genesis could not have guessed the ideal boat design.

2. The Flood Was a Global Phenomenon -- The story of a great, world-altering flood is remarkably common across global cultures, appearing in over 200 distinct, widespread legends from ancient Mesopotamia to the Americas, China, and India. These narratives often feature a divinely initiated deluge to destroy humanity, with a few righteous individuals surviving on a vessel, similar to the biblical Noah's ark. 

The prevalence of these stories, even in regions far from each other, indicates that the "flood myth" is one of the most widespread and consistent cultural narratives worldwide. 

3. Enough room for animals and people -- In Genesis Chapter 7, God commanded Noah to gather two of every "kind"-- not every breed of animal. He needed just two dogs, not two poodles and two labradors. Scientists estimate that the world contains between 1,000 and 7,000 animal kinds. So, Noah would have collected between 2,000 and 14,000 individual animals. That's a lot of cargo. But the ark was the size of 522 train cars. And while a few animals were quite large, most were rather small. 

Other evidence exists. For example, archaeologists believe they have found the landing place of the Ark on Mount Errarat. 

These are logical reasons to accept the Bible story as fact. Not an incontrovertible fact, but a reasonable, logical option to consider. Like the Creation and the experience of Adam and Eve, Noah's story stands or falls on the veracity of the Bible as an authentic record of God's dealings with earth and His creatures. If I accept the Bible as factual, I must accept the historical accounts it holds. On the other hand, if I have evidence that the Bible stories are plausible, those stories lend credibility to the Bible. If parts of it are true, could I reasonably assume that all of it is true?

Once again, it becomes a matter of choice. I choose to believe in Noah and the Ark. I cannot explain every aspect of the story. I know scientists propose alternative theories for why the story of the flood transcends cultures. Their version of the human timeline contradicts the timeline of the Bible account. And they have explanations for why fossils of ocean creatures are found on mountain peaks. They examine geological evidence and come up with theories that eliminate God.

The bottom line is that scientific conclusions are only theories. No one alive saw the flood, witnessed the Ark, watched species evolve from microorganisms to humans, or saw the ancient ocean floors rise through tectonic pressure into majestic peaks. Science is as much about faith as religion. Science is a modern religion. I choose to believe God's version of the history of the earth as logically plausible as atheistic science and far more hopeful for the outcome of the human race. 

I choose God. I choose to believe.