Religion Research

Research on Noah’s Ark and the Great Flood

One of the most well-known stories of the Hebrew Bible is the story of Noah’s Ark and the great flood. Thousands of people are told this story daily, but many of them have trouble believing that the flood actually occurred. For those who believe in God, the story of the flood serves as proof that God means what he says. Non-believers argue that a flood of such magnitude could never have happened. There are many life lessons to be learned from the account of Noah and the flood as written in the Hebrew Bible. This paper will give evidence to support the belief that the flood occurred from a Biblical and archeological standpoint, and will also explain what the story is trying to teach.

The story of Noah and the flood is found in chapters 6-9 of the Book of Genesis. References to the flood are also found in other books of the Hebrew Bible as well as the New Testament. Even Jesus refers to this story as a true and historical event in Luke 17:26 & 27. First of all, the flood was a universal event. God said he would destroy all flesh in Genesis 6:13. For this to happen, water would have to cover the whole earth. The earth was destroyed because of all the violence, injustice and bloodshed, while Noah’s righteousness kept him safe (Hayes 52-53). Second, the enormous size of the Ark (Gen. 6:15) proves that the water was so deep that a normal size boat would not be able to survive. Third, the height of the waters (Gen. 7:20) lets us know just how large the flood actually was. All the high mountains under the heavens were covered.

God caused the flood to cover the earth, but how did he do it? The scriptures tell us this involved the breaking up of the fountains of the deep and rainfall (Gen. 7:11-12). Most Bible believers conclude that God brought about the flood by providential means. He brought 40 days of rainfall and the waters out the ocean to cover the land. The overflowing of the waters buried the land and animals in...