The Ark Discoveries

The Bible and Hebrew texts tell us: The Bible tells us in Genesis 8:4 that the ark rested “upon the mountains of Ararat.” Hebrew text tells us the ark came to rest on the mountains of “rrt.” There are no vowels in original Hebrew text, so “rrt” translated to Urartu and later to Ararat. Research tells us the area extended from southeastern Turkey across the present border into Iran and north to include most of present day Armenia to the southwest corner of Georgia then southwest to about the present city of Malatya and back southeast and south of Lake Van and southeast Turkey. It covered much of the eastern 1/3 of the present day Turkey. Mount Ararat is within that general area. Additional research that includes the time when Genesis is understood to have been written by Moses (1400-1450 BC) indicates that the Urartu Kingdom may have included the area into what is now Northern Iraq and to Historic Assyria. Additional research using Wikipedia tell us Assyrian sources from early 1300 BC have the Urartu Kingdom in the vast mountainous regions southwest of the Black Sea and Southwest of the Caspian Sea. Mount Ararat is within that general area. If the “mountains of Ararat,” or Urartu has included such a large area or areas over the centuries, then since there has been no verifiable discovery that has been proven to be a large structure of a great age, It can be understood why some researchers are of the opinion that Mount Ararat may not have been in the area of Urartu at the time of the writing of the book of Genesis, or the ark did not land on Mount Ararat, but on another mountain within the vast area. Some other mountains suggested by those who have varied opinions are mentioned in chapter 17. There is also the belief by some that Mount Ararat is a post-flood mountain. This rationale is pursued despite the many reports (more than 40) of an ark sighting on Mount Ararat. A question here given regarding the landing place of the ark may be: Was Mount Ararat in the Urartu Kingdom at the time Genesis was written? (You have read this book; you know my position on the position of Mount Ararat when the ark landed and when Genesis was written). It certainly was in the Urartu Kingdom in the 9th century BC which later succeeded to the Armenians in the 6th century BC, but was Mount Ararat included in the “mountains of Ararat” (Gen. 8:4) when the book of Genesis was written? Moses is understood to have written the book of Genesis. Henrietta C. Mears (chapter 9, foot note 13) says the book of Genesis closes about 300 years before Moses was born. Moses could have only received the information to write the book by a direct revelation from God, or by historical records. If historical records were involved, where did the records come from? She writes: “No doubt it was written long before by Abraham, Noah, or Enoch, who knows?” Dr. Henry Morris agrees (also chapter 9, footnote 14) and ads that oral traditions handed down over the centuries may have been involved here too. God shared the records with Moses in whatever manner he chose to do so. The Word of God is truth. As far as Mt. Ararat being a post-flood mountain as some seem to believe, Dr. John Morris, Dr. Tim LaHaye and other scientists tell us the mountain was pre-flood and grew to its greatest height with all the geological activity that took place during the flood (Chapter 9). Turkish geologist Dr. Bayraktutan has located what are believed to be “basement rocks” that give proof that Mount Ararat was pre-flood (“Who We Are” section). A question may be: What area did the Urartu Kingdom occupy long before Moses arrived on the scene? Wherever the area was I am of the belief that Mount Ararat was included in that area that would be known as the “mountains of Ararat” at the time the ark landed on it. I have personally talked with at least 6 people who have seen, or have personal knowledge of the ark on Ararat. They are the Reverend Vince Will who saw it from an aircraft in WWII, Ed Davis who...