How important would the discovery of Noah's Ark be?

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TL;DR:

While the discovery of Noah's Ark would validate the biblical account and support the faith of believers, it would likely not be important to non-believers. Our faith should not rest upon historical discoveries.

from the old testament

  • Genesis 6-9 describes Noah building the ark and the great flood that covered the earth, with Noah, his family, and animals saved from destruction.
  • Genesis 8:4 states that the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. This is the key verse that identifies where the ark landed, but it does not provide a precise location. The term "mountains of Ararat" refers to a broader region, often associated with the modern-day mountainous area around eastern Turkey and Armenia.
  • Genesis 8:5-12 gives details of Noah sending out a raven and a dove to check for dry land. The dove returned with an olive leaf, signaling that the earth was beginning to dry up, and Noah and his family eventually disembarked from the ark.

from the new testament

  • "What can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans 1:19-20). We don’t need evidence of the ark to prove Christianity. It would be really interesting and bolster our faith in God’s Word, but God reveals Himself in many ways that call us to respond.
  • Satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4).
  • Believers live by faith, not sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

implications for today

As an archaeological discovery, the excavation of Noah's Ark would be very important. The existence of the remains of a giant boat, which could be carbon-dated to 2500 BC, the time indicated by the Bible for the great flood, and which showed evidence that it had once carried different species of animals, would be a fascinating historical find.

It would be important to Bible-believing Christians, as it would confirm and support the biblical account. For skeptics and people who are unsure whether to trust the Bible, it could also be important in the sense that it might remove doubt. But for those who are unwilling to believe in the Bible, the discovery of Noah's Ark would probably not be very important.

This strange dichotomy is not so strange when we consider the words of Paul, who pointed out that people know that God exists. Nature makes it plain to them that there is a divine Creator, through the things that have been made. But they reject the obvious, not because they don't see it, but because they desperately want to believe that He does not exist (Romans 1:19–20). His existence would necessitate the acceptance of the truth—that we are all fallen and need a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8–10).

understand

  • The discovery of Noah's Ark would strengthen Christians' faith by validating the biblical account.
  • The discovery of Noah’s Ark would be interesting but not necessary for faith as God reveals Himself in many ways.
  • Non-believers would likely dismiss the significance of the discovery of Noah’s ark.

reflect

  • How would the discovery of Noah's Ark affect your personal faith in God's Word?
  • How do you understand the relationship between faith and physical evidence in your walk with God?
  • How can you strengthen your trust in God’s existence even without physical evidence?

engage

  • What might be the impact on someone’s faith if they discovered Noah's Ark today?
  • What role does faith and evidence play in our understanding of God’s Word?
  • What impact does it have on our faith since we haven’t discovered Noah’s Ark? On what do we base our faith?