10. Rebuilding Noah’s Ark – What Would Noah Think?

Answers in Genesis (AiG), an apologetics and worldview ministry specializing in the authority of the Bible and in Genesis-related issues, plans to construct an all-wood
full-size replica of Noah’s Ark to proclaim to the world that God’s Word is true. AiG operates the world-famous Creation Museum southwest of Cincinnati that opened in May 2007. The Ark will be the main feature of the Ark Encounter theme park.

What would Noah think about rebuilding the Ark?

Noah would support rebuilding the Ark to recall America to Biblical truth and authority. For Noah was himself a preacher of righteousness to a wicked world (2 Peter 2:5).

Noah’s opposition was intense; only 7 people believed him. He would think we have it easy today with so many people supporting rebuilding the Ark.

The enormity of the rebuilding project increases my respect for Noah as a project manager, engineer, and ship builder. For one year during the Flood, Noah managed the Ark and animals with only 8 people. But AiG expects to hire 900 people for the theme park.

Noah likely hired construction help. He may have financed his project with mortgages (which he never had to repay).

You might think that the rebuilt ark will be easier to build than Noah’s Ark because the new one will be stationary and will not have to be seaworthy. However, naval engineers are involved to ensure that the rebuilt ark will float, although it probably never will.

The entire Ark Encounter park will take about 3 years to build all components, including the Ark and Tower of Babel. Nobody knows how long it took Noah to build the Ark. Genesis 6:3 mentions 120 years, but it is unclear what that time period includes.

People usually assume Noah took a long time and that he used primitive construction techniques. But this is just speculation, not certain knowledge. All technology of Noah’s world was destroyed in the Flood. We know nothing of what that world was like except for a few hints in Scripture.

Pre-flood men lived for over 900 years, so they would have accumulated vast amounts of knowledge, skills, and resources during their lives. Cain’s 6th-generation grandson Tubal-cain forged bronze and iron tools (Gen 4:22). We do not know whether the pre-Flood world had electricity and electrical tools. They were much smarter than man today, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they did.

Noah was 600 years old when the Flood came (Gen 7:6) and was likely well over 500 when he started to build the Ark. He had centuries of accumulated resources and wisdom to apply to the task. He certainly had metal technology available and probably construction techniques which are no longer known today.

Noah might actually smile at 21st-century man’s clumsy reproduction of his Ark. Soli Deo Gloria.

Read the prequels in this series of posts on Rebuilding Noah’s Ark:
1. Rebuilding Noah’s Ark – Intro
2. Rebuilding Noah’s Ark – Kentucky Governor – with YouTube videos
3. Rebuilding Noah’s Ark – How Big?
4. Rebuilding Noah’s Ark – Ark Encounter video
5. Rebuilding Noah’s Ark – Ark Encounter Park
6. Rebuilding Noah’s Ark – Location with maps
7. Rebuilding Noah’s Ark – Funding
8. Rebuilding Noah’s Ark – Facing Opposition
9. Rebuilding Noah’s Ark – Ham Debates Lynn with video

Read the sequel:
11. Rebuilding Noah’s Ark – Tour the Dutch Ark (with video)

See these articles and posts for more information on Noah’s Ark and the Flood:
Noah’s Flood—Key to the Past
Noah’s Flood—A Global Event
Noah’s Ark Replicas
Noah’s Ark Found?
Noah’s Ark Model in Holland with pictures
Noah’s Ark
Noah’s Ark Found? with YouTube video and pictures

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©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:4)
Wednesday February 2, 2011 A.D.

Read my January 2011 Bible-Science column
Adam’s Mythical Diary 3.

Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. “Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch. “And this is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. “You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. “And behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. “But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark– you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. “And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. “Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind shall come to you to keep them alive. “And as for you, take for yourself some of all food which is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for them.” (Genesis 6:11-21)