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Noah's Deluge Flood for thought
According to the Bible, the flood of Noah wiped out all flesh in which was the 'breath of life'. All animal and human life perished in that Divine judgment. The sole survivors were Noah and his immediate family, eight people in total, along with the creatures on board the Ark. These eight souls then set about re-populating the earth. John Urquhart in The Testimony of Tradition to the Flood (p.117) makes the following point:
"If this awful tragedy ever happened; if the entire human race perished save one family, and perished by the hand of God in punishment for sin; then that judgment must have cast long shadows. Through generation after generation the story must have lived on. It must have been the most awful and solemn recollection of our race. Many things have been forgotten, but that could not be forgotten …"
Dr Richard Andree, a German scholar, in his book Die Flutensangen Ethnologisch, made a search throughout the world among various peoples for flood traditions. In total he collected 88 different accounts.
W. H. Pape has pointed out that the Chinese pictogram for a 'ship' is made up of three elements, which collectively have a very interesting meaning.
The first element means 'boat'
The second element means 'eight'
The third element means 'mouth'
It has also been observed that "When the Chinese talk of people they use an expression which literally means 'man-mouth'. As we count heads they count mouths."
"When once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is eight souls were saved by water." - 1 Peter 3:20
In the Hindu story of the flood, Monu built a boat and rescued himself and seven companions. Monu the boat builder is called 'satya', meaning 'righteous'.
"And Noah was a just (righteous ) man, perfect amongst his generations" Genesis 6:9
Noah's Ark - No lark!
The Bible gives the precise size of the ark, (Genesis 6:14-16) so let us see whether or not the dimensions are those of a viable, sea-going vessel.
Length 300 cubits = 450 feet
Height 30 cubits = 45 feet
Width 50 cubits = 75 feet
The ark was 10 times longer than its height.
The ark was 6 times longer that its width.
The Great Britain, designed by Brunel in 1843, had dimensions of 322 ft(L) x 51 ft(W) x 32.5 ft(H). Almost the same proportions as the Ark. Approximately 10 times longer than its height, and 6 times longer than its width.
Studies in 1997 by naval architect David Collins showed that even in 210 knot winds - three times hurricane force - the ark was stable. He concluded, "Noah's ark was extremely stable, more stable in fact than modern shipping. This is primarily because in modern shipping the extra margin of stability is sacrificed for attaining higher speed and more manoeuverability."
Creation Research Society Quarterly 14:83-7
These findings were confirmed in The Biblical Basis for Modern Science (1984) by Dr. Henry Morris, Professor of Hydrology. On page 294 he writes "The ark's dimensions made it almost impossible to capsize. Even if tilted through any angle less than 90 degrees, the bouyant force tending to right it always acts 'outside' the weight force tending to capsize it, thus causing it to return to its normal floating position." (emphasis added)
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