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DOES GOD EXIST?


CHAPTER 3


PROOF # 1 - PROPHECIES BEFORE NOAH’S FLOOD


Which Holy Book is the Word of God 


A natural question that arises in the minds of most human being is: “If God exists, then Has He provided mankind an instructional manual to live by?” Many, particularly in Hinduism, claim that all religions are inspired by God and are just different paths to the same goal, salvation. But salvation according to all religions is different. Therefore, all religions cannot be the path to the same goal. All humans think alike and have similar aspirations. If a God has created all of humanity, then He would not offer different kind of salvation for different people. I have addressed this question in depth in my book “Which Religion is True?” available free at my web site. 

Since the holy books of all religions differ in the salvation they offer to human beings, and also in the instructions on how humans should live, all the holy books cannot be inspired by the true God. The question of multiple gods will be addressed later.

The holy books of all religions are now complete. Nothing is being added to them. All the ideas of all the religions based on the existence of God are based on the understanding and interpretation of the holy books. So it is important for us to obtain our ideas about each religion from its holy book.

Since all our ideas about each religion must come from its holy book, the great question before us is: How do we prove which holy book is inspired by the supreme Creator God and is the true word of God? (I have addressed that question in depth in my book “Which Holy Book is the Word of God?” available free at my web site.)  

What criteria can we use to evaluate each of the holy books whether is the word of God?  

The most important criterion must be a demonstration of the power of Almighty God in the pages of the holy book. This means that in the pages of the holy book God must have told us that He would do numerous great things (not just one, two or three events because a few events can come true by mere coincidence) well in advance and brought them to pass exactly as foretold. Instruction on how to live our lives cannot provide us the irrefutable proof we need. Such instructions differ in each of the holy books, with some commonalities. But if we can prove that the entire holy book of a religion is backed by the power of Almighty God, then we can obey all the instructions in that holy book with confidence as well as accept the promises of salvation it offers. 

The God that demonstrates His power through the pages of His instructional manual, can also be accepted as the true God. If we find that the holy books of other religions are not backed by the power of Almighty God, then those books contain mere philosophies of men, or even worse, they are inspired by false gods, who in reality are Satan and his demons masquerading around as gods.   

Caution about Imperfect Human Beings 

Since we are trying to prove which holy book is inspired by the supreme God, we must be cautious about two great issues that can prejudice us while seeking the truth. Those issues are the conduct of the professing adherents of the religion, and the differing interpretations of the scriptures by different sects of the religion.

We may be tempted to believe that we can know a religion by the fruits it produces, or the conduct of the average adherent to the religion. But the truth is that all claiming adherence to a particular religion are not devout believers and practitioners of the religion. Most of humanity claims to profess a religion, but have never even read their religion’s entire scriptures, leave alone understanding them. The average person’s understanding of his religion comes by hearsay, by whatever little he or she has learnt from family or preachers. They are busy with the cares of this world and have little time to practice their religion devoutly. Thus one will not find the true fruits of the religion by evaluating the conduct of the average adherent. 

The non-Christian world evaluates Christianity from the conduct of the average Christian in America, the British Commonwealth nations, France and the Benelux and Scandinavian countries. But homosexuality, sexual immorality of every kind, drug abuse and other sins run rampant in these nations. The non-Christian world believes that is what the Bible teaches. Hence they reject Christianity as a false religion. But that is a wrong premise for rejecting the religion.

In reality such practices are condemned in the Bible in the harshest possible terms and the death penalty is prescribed for such sins. As an example, the actual command against homosexuality and the penalty for this violation of the law is described in Leviticus 20:13 (NIV):“ 13 " 'If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.”

You can clearly see that the fault is not with the religion but with those who profess to follow it but are not devout adherents.    

Second issue is the different interpretations of the scriptures. Each religion has many different sects and denominations because of different interpretations of the scriptures of the religion. Christianity alone by some counts has 30,000 – 40,000 different denominations, with about 2,000 being major ones. All have different interpretations of the Bible. They believe in and adhere to their own interpretation of the Bible. 

Then all tenets of the religion are usually not derived from the scriptures. Christians of various denominations have added many other things, such as thoughts and philosophies of the founders or great past leaders of the religion, or traditions, to their religious practices from outside the Bible. The biggest denomination of Christianity, the Roman Catholic Church maintains that the Bible is not the sole authority to be relied on for obtaining salvation, but the teachings and traditions of their Church have greater weight.   

So how do we prove which holy book is the word of God? If we can find such a book, then the God Who reveals Himself in that book is also the true Almighty God. 

God’s almighty power is demonstrated by His ability to foretell the future and bring it to pass exactly as foretold. This proof is provided by numerous prophecies in the Bible of great events, the establishment and passing away of great empires in the history of mankind and bringing them to pass in precise detail. Fulfillment of these events is provable from world history. All these prophecies and their fulfillment is described in great deal in this book.   

In fact, this is the very challenge the God of the Bible hurls at the gods of every other religion in Isaiah 41:21-24 (Moffatt Translation): “Now, the Eternal cries, bring your case forward, now, Jacob’s King (God) cries, STATE YOUR PROOFS. Let us hear what happened in the past, that we may ponder it, or show Me what is yet to be, that we may watch how it turns out; yes, let us hear what is coming, that we may be sure you are gods; come, do something or other that we may marvel at the sight!—why, you are things of naught, you can do nothing at all!”  

God of the Bible further declares in Isaiah 46:9-10: “I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand…” 

Has the God of any religion dared to take up this challenge of the God of the Bible? Lets see how the holy books of each of the religions stack up.

Islam and the Quran 

The Quran of Islam says that males who have done good deeds as described in the Quran go to paradise. All others will go to hell. But good deeds cannot guarantee you paradise. Allah can still choose if he wants to give you paradise or not, even though you may have done good deeds. So going to paradise also depends on the mercy of Allah on the Muslim.

But we have no proof that such a paradise as promised by Allah exists. Nor do we have proof that the hell described as the fate of those who have not pleased Allah exists.  These are mere promises for the future, not prophecies for the future.

The Quran contains no prophecies that came true in the past. Our criterion to evaluate the truth of the holy book of the religion is not one, two or three prophecies, but numerous prophecies that have already come true in the history of mankind. The Quran is totally silent on the subject.   

There is a future prophecy of the coming of the 12th Imam, the Mahdi [meaning ‘the guided one’] to lead Muslims to victory over the Christian west. Then the antichrist will come and the Mahdi will fight the antichrist. Then Jesus Christ will return to earth to fight along with the Mahdi to defeat and kill the antichrist. Then the entire world will convert to Islam, and Jesus Christ, a Muslim Himself, will rule over the earth and then die.

This prophecy is not in the Quran, but is contained in the Hadiths or sayings attributed to Mohammad by the companions of Mohammad. The authenticity of many of these sayings is doubtful. Still why should we believe this prophecy in Islam? The Hadiths or the Quran do not contain any prophecies about the past that came to pass exactly as foretold? Therefore the coming of the 12th Imam is merely a statement about the future without incontrovertible proof that it has been given by Almighty God and backed by His power. There is no reason to believe in this prophecy. Hence the Quran and the Hadiths have miserably failed the test that they are backed by the power of the Almighty Creator God. The Allah of Islam is a liar, an imposter and counterfeiter. There is also no reason to believe in the promises of reward in paradise and punishment in hell in the Quran on blind faith. God of the Bible instead wants us to prove all things before actually believing in them. I Thessalonians 5:21 says, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”

Muslims point to the divine inspiration of the Quran stating that Mohammed was illiterate and could not have made up what he stated to his followers which was eventually preserved in the Quran. Mohammed claimed that the revelations he received were from the archangel Gabriel.

Contrast that with what the Bible describes with whom the archangel Gabriel communicated. He communicated with Daniel the prophet, an intellectual giant of His day, belonging to royalty. Gabriel also communicated with Mary the mother of Jesus who was also of the royal lineage of David.

Most of the men who wrote the Bible were intellectual giants of their times. Abraham communicated with servants of the Pharaoh of Egypt and taught them science, astronomy and mathematics. That knowledge was passed on to his sons Isaac and Jacob. Joseph was an intellectual giant of his day. One of the canals in the irrigation system he created in Egypt still exists today and carries the name Yusuf Bahr. Writer of the book of Job (Genesis 46:13) was a nephew and contemporary of Joseph and was the builder of the Great Pyramid of Gizeh which still stands today.

Isaiah the prophet was royalty. Samuel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Ezra were priests and the most literate people of their day who wrote or edited major portions. David and wisest man who ever lived after Jesus Christ, king Solomon were royalty. All the other prophets were men of means to have been able to afford a copy of the scriptures. They were well connected in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah and knowledge and well aware of what went on in the neighboring kingdoms to have prophesied about them. The real God simply does not work with illiterate people. It was a demon masquerading around as the archangel Gabriel who communicated with Mohammed, and not the real archangel Gabriel. That is another reason why the Quran is not inspired by God. It’s worse than that. It is Satan-inspired.

Hinduism and the Gita, Ramayana and Mahabharata

Now let’s look at Hinduism. Krishna of the Hindus claims to be the creator or sustainer of the universe. How are we to believe whether his claim is true, or he is simply another liar, imposter, a charlatan and counterfeiter trying to deceive humanity?

The Bhagavad Gita is a discourse between Krishna and Arjun just before a great battle.  One can claim that its words have divine backing because Arjun and his side won that battle with the backing of Krishna who claimed to be the creator and sustainer of the universe. The Ramayana is similarly a story of the victory of Rama over Ravana. First, neither of the two battles are identifiable in written secular history as having taken place. Also, such a story can be written by any winning side in a battle, providing its victory as proof of divine backing. One event coming true does not constitute irrefutable proof of divine inspiration of the historical account. For incontrovertible proof of backing of the Almighty God, there must be numerous predictions, stated in great detail, provable from history that they came to pass precisely as prophesied. The holy books of Hinduism are utterly lacking in prophecy. Hence they do not provide proof of divine inspiration.

The three scriptures of the Hindus, the Gita, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana tell us that humans are born again and again as humans, or if they have done particularly evil deeds then as animals until they attain salvation.   

These are mere statements we are required to believe on blind faith alone. There is no proof that any human being is born again and again as a human, or that the immortal soul of a dead human being is born into the body of an animal or another creature?  These statements about the future of mankind after death are simply unprovable.   

The Hindu scriptures contain fantastic mythological tales of myriads of gods, fighting each other, showing off their powers by empowering human beings with special unbelievably fantastic powers to curse and vengefully use against other human beings to get even with them. Humans are also able to curse gods and the curses come true. The gods cower in fear and obey when cursed by them. How ridiculous. You can read about such curses in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Then there are tales of birds and monkey armies protecting human beings. How much more foolish and unreal can it get than that? Yet the Hindus confer the status of ‘holy’ on the fantastic tales told in the Mahabharata and Ramayana of the exact same nature as the Greek, Roman and Egyptian myths, only more fantastic than them. 

Just as an example, here is one fantastic fib from The Ramayana – Retold by C. Rajagopalachari, Edited by Jay Mazo:

Section 36: The Good Bird Jatayu – Talks about the abduction of Sita by Ravana [My comments in square brackets].

The Rakshasa [Ravana] {“Rakshasa, Sanskrit (male) Rākṣasa, or (female) Rākṣasī, in Hindu mythology, a type of demon or goblin. Rakshasas have the power to change their shape at will and appear as animals, as monsters, or in the case of the female demons, as beautiful women…The term rakshasa, generally applies to those demons who haunt cemeteries, eat the flesh of men, and drink the milk of cows dry as if by magic.” https://www.britannica.com/topic/rakshasa} held her [Sita the wife of Rama] firmly down and drove on in the aerial car. [Here we have a flying chariot-like vehicle. What a fib. If they had flying vehicles before the Flood, the knowledge would have been passed down to us through Noah or his daughter-in-Law Naamah. If they had flying vehicles, some would have probably escaped Noah’s Flood] Sita addressed the trees and plants down below and begged them to tell Rama of her fate. [Here a human is communicating with trees to convey a message to other humans or gods]. It happened that old Jatayu, half-asleep upon a tree, saw the chariot flying past. Startled by a woman's cry of distress he was wide awake in a moment and recognized Sita by her voice. She also saw him and appealed to him for rescue. Jatayu's blood was fired by the sight of her piteous plight and he threw himself in the way of the aerial car crying: "Hold, hold! What is all this?" "The King of Lanka is carrying me away by force," wailed Sita, "but what can you do to prevent it, my poor old friend? O fly to Rama and Lakshmana and tell them my helpless plight!" 

But Jatayu's fighting blood, the blood of generations of lordly ancestors who ruled the air and knew not fear, was on fire. He cared not for Ravana and his might. He only saw a princess in distress. He thought of his friend Dasaratha and his promise to Rama and he was resolved that this outrage should not occur while he lived to prevent it. Jatayu now addressed Ravana directly: "Oh king, I am Jatayu, king of the eagles, [So here we have an old eagle coming to Sita’s rescue. This bird can also talk, as most animals in the Hindu holy books can talk to humans] a king like you. Listen to me, brother king! Forbear from this wicked act. How can you call yourself a king and do this shameful wrong? Is it not the rule of kings to protect the honor of women? And Sita is a princess. I warn you, you shall surely perish unless you leave her and go. Her very look will reduce you to ashes. You are carrying a venomous cobra in your bosom. The noose of Yama [the god of death] is round your neck and dragging you to perdition. I am old and unarmed and you are young, fully armed and seated in a chariot. Yet I cannot look on, while you carry off Sita.

“Why do you do this cowardly act behind Rama's back? If you have any grievance against him, meet him face to face. [This is also a righteous bird and can teach demons and humans righteousness]. O, you would fly away from me, would you? You shall not escape while I am alive! I care not for your chariot or your ten heads, or your glittering arms! [Ravana has ten heads and twenty arms]. Your heads shall roll on the ground that you have polluted with your presence. Get down from your car, and fight if you are not a coward as well as a thief!" Ravana flared up in a rage. He attacked Jatayu. It was like a clash between a mighty wind and a massive rain-cloud. The battle raged in the sky above the forest. Jatayu fought like a winged mountain. Ravana aimed deadly darts at him. But the eagle intercepted them all and with his talons tore Ravana's flesh. The enraged Rakshasa despatched sharp, serpent-like missiles against the bird. The bird-hero was desperately wounded, but fought on undauntedly while Sita watched the unequal combat with beating heart and tearful eyes. The sight of her made Jatayu all the fiercer in his attacks on Ravana. But his years were telling on him and he felt he must gather all his strength for a supreme attempt to conquer. Regardless of the wounds, he attacked Ravana fiercely and with his wings broke off and threw down his jewelled crown and deprived him of his bow. He attacked the chariot and killed the demon-faced mules and the charioteer and smashed the vehicle into a thousand pieces. Ravana fell on the ground, still clutching Sita. The elements rejoiced to see Ravana fall. The gallant old bird swooped down on Ravana's back and tore great chunks of flesh off it and tried to wrench off the arms which held Sita. But Ravana had twenty arms, [It’s a pity that Hindus cannot recognize these as mythical figures and not anything real. The Greeks, Romans and Egyptians recognized their myths as falsehoods nearly 2,000 years ago and turned to Christianity in the case of Greeks] and no sooner was one pulled off than another took its place and Sita was held in writhing helplessness. At last Ravana let go Sita and unsheathing his sword cut off the bird's wings and talons. The old bird was now helpless and fell on the ground unable to move.

Later Rama and Lakshmana were desperately searching for Sita. “They had not proceeded far when they came on Jatayu, bloody and mutilated, unrecognizable, lying on the ground…After a few moments Jatayu spoke again in a low voice: "Be not afraid, Rama. You will surely find Sita. No harm will come to her. Regaining the treasure you have lost, you will greatly rejoice." With these words, he spat out blood and gave up life.” 

Both the Ramayana and Mahabharata are full of many such fantastic fibs.

One can still see Hindu fakirs wasting their lives on the banks of the Ganges river around the city of Benares in torturous meditation, austerities such as sitting in front of fires in the summer, with the hope of gaining yogic powers and boons from one of the gods as described in the Ramayana and Mahabharata, so that they can curse whoever offends them, or even at whim. They survive by begging. Outside of the fantastic tales in the Hindu scriptures, there is not even one single story in provable genuine history of any human ever having gained such yogic powers. If the Almighty God was backing up the Hindu scriptures, we should be able to see many of these almost naked begging fakirs with yogic powers today. Don’t waste your time trying to find such proof. If there was such proof, most of India would have flocked to that fakir in veneration.

Thus based on our criterion, the holy books of Hinduism have failed to prove that they are backed by the power of Almighty God.

Sikhism and the Guru Granth 

The holy book of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth also contains no prophecies of many great events that came to pass precisely as foretold to provide us incontrovertible proof that its words are backed by Almighty God. So its words are mere philosophies of men, and not inspired by the true Creator God. We are asked to simply believe on blind faith that the salvation promised in it is the truth. The Guru Granth of the Sikhs thus has also failed our test that its words are backed by the power of the Almighty Creator God. 

German Gnostic Myths

Just like the holy books of Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism, the German gnostic myths contain no prophecies. In their case though, their myths are not the philosophies of men, but are directly inspired by Satan the devil. The Germans don’t deny that.

We have thus seen that three religions of the world: Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism have failed our test that their holy books are backed by the power of Almighty God. 

Next, we will examine the holy book of Judaism, the Old Testament of the Bible, and the holy book of Christianity, the entire Bible according to the criterion we have established to determine whether its words have the backing of the power of Almighty God or not. 

Prophecies Before Noah’s Flood

The Bible contains numerous prophecies of the past and for the future. Let’s now examine these prophecies to test whether they came true in the past to prove that the Bible has been backed by the power of Almighty God.

In this chapter we will examine prophecies till Noah’s Flood. 

Curse on the Earth

The very first prophecy God pronounced was a curse on the ground which is still being fulfilled today.

After Adam and Eve had disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden and eaten of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God pronounced a sentence on them in Genesis 3:17-19 (NKJV): “17 Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

In the Garden, Adam and Eve had their food provided for them. They just had to tend the Garden. But after they disobeyed God’s instructions, they were expelled from the Garden and had to produce their own food by toil and hard work. It has not been easy for humanity to feed itself since then. Many have starved to death in the history of mankind, and many don’t eat to the full every day even today, despite our so-called matchless advances in technology. We are always trying to play catch-up in feeding all of humanity. It will continue to be our condition until our Creator Jesus Christ returns to earth, rules over all of humanity and lifts this curse.

Humanity has suffered from the ravages of this punishment throughout its history. God does not have to intervene to make lives difficult for us. Beginning with Adam and Eve humanity chose to go its own way rather than obtain all its instructions from God. It is our own ways, and our wrong agricultural practices that bring this curse on us. But God prophesied this would happen, and it has continued to be fulfilled throughout man’s history.

Prophecy about Cain

One of the earliest prophecies about the future of a man in the Bible was about Cain, the first son of Adam and Eve who murdered his righteous brother Abel. After the murder God pronounced a curse on Cain, meaning predicted his future course of life, which is stated in Genesis 4:8-12(NKJV): 

“8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" 10 And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”  

The story of how this prophecy was fulfilled precisely will be told when a brief account of the ancient history of man is provided.

The Flood

But Cain’s story does not end there. People before the Flood had very large families. Many children were born to Cain, and the non-white races originated in Cain’s line due to his disobedience to God. Cain’s descendants continued in his way of robbery, violence, plunder and imposing tribute on others by force. One of his descendants named Lamech became a very powerful man in the world and also ruled by imposing tribute on others. It was inevitable that Lamech and Cain would eventually clash as both would try to extend their rule and extract tribute from the same peoples. This clash eventually led to war between them in which Lamech killed his ancestor Cain. This is also indicated in Lamech’s statement to his two wives in Genesis 4:23 (NKJV): “23 Then Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, even a young man for hurting me.” According to Jewish tradition, the great man Lamech killed for wounding him was his ancestor Cain. 

After Cain’s violent death, his descendants continued in his way. Genesis 4:17-24 provides Cain’s genealogy to the 7th generation which lived in the period just before Noah’s Flood, the last of which died in the Flood.

After Enoch the son of Cain, the names of the next 3 descendants of Cain are listed simply because they were part of the genealogy of Lamech. They did nothing significant to which God wanted to draw our attention. But when the Bible comes to Lamech, seven verses are devoted to seven key individuals in his family: Lamech himself, his two wives Adah who was racially white, and Zillah [name means dark] who was African black, his sons Jabal, Jubal, Tubalcain and his daughter Naamah. These were seven world famous individuals in the generation just before the Flood. They forced the people to worship them as gods.  

Paganized version of their story has come to us in the myths of various nations such as the Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Indian myths. These individuals deified themselves as gods and demanded to be worshipped by the people. Lamech was worshipped as Zeus, Adah as Hara, Zillah as Demeter, Jabal as Hercules, Jubal as Apollo, Tubalcain as Vulcan and Naamah as the goddess Athena.  

They lived the way of Cain, forcing others to pay tribute to them or face violence. Also notice that Lamech had two wives that the Bible recognizes: Adah and Zillah. He apparently was the first bigamist in the history of mankind. But the myths tell us that he had many wives, mistresses and took other women as he chose.  

An overview of ancient history will be provided later which describes what events and conditions in the world led to God drowning the entire ancient world in a Flood, saving only Noah and seven other persons in his family.

Briefly, the Bible describes the condition in the world before the Flood in Genesis 6:1-2 (NKJV): “1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2 That the sons of God [the Hebrew word used here is Elohim, the correct translation of which is always plural, gods, and the word can be used to describe the true God, meaning God the Father and Jesus Christ collectively, or pagan gods] saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.”  

The sons of gods referred to here are Lamech and his descendants who had deified themselves as gods, but were all non-white. They took as many of the fair women of the line of Seth as they chose. These were forced interracial marriages and relationships. The result of these interracial relationships was violence in the extreme. The whole earth became saturated with violence and bloodshed. This condition is described further in Genesis 6 and what God decided to do about it.

“5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the Lord said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." 11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.”

The Bible says that because of the evil ways of Cain’s descendants, all of humanity had become corrupt and every intent of the thoughts of each and every human being was only evil continually. As a result, the earth had become saturated with violence. All had become corrupt except Noah and a small part of his family. Verses 8-10 state: “8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”  

Because Noah walked with God, God decided to destroy all of humanity in a Flood and save only Noah alive with his 3 sons and their 4 wives. So, God instructed Noah to build an ark to save his family and animals of each kind. These instructions continue in Genesis 6:13-22: 

“13 And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 "Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15 And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits [a cubit is about 18 inches long], its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. 

“17 And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark--you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. 21 And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them." 22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.”

God told Noah what he was about to do about a hundred years before the Flood actually came to first warn the world to repent. Many saw the huge ark he was building on dry land and certainly laughed him to scorn, and no one repented of their evil deeds. God also gave him instructions on how to save his family, then carried out what He said He would do. These details are provided in Genesis 7: 

“7 So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean animals, of animals that are unclean, of birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth, 9 two by two they went into the ark to Noah, male and female, as God had commanded Noah.10 And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. 12 And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.

“13 On the very same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark— 14 they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. 15 And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. 16 So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in.

“17 Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed fifteen cubits [or above 22 ½ feet] upward, and the mountains were covered. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man… 23   Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.”

God of the Bible prophesied about the global Flood in Noah’s day and brought it to pass. Only an Almighty God could gather such quantity of water to cover the highest mountain tops to a depth of 22 ½ feet. That provides convincing evidence that the God of the Bible is indeed the Almighty God.

PROOF OF NOAH’S FLOOD

God rejecting historians, archaeologists, evolutionists and others label the Biblical account of the Flood a myth. Yet if such an unprecedented event did occur, we should find stories or traditions of such an unforgettable catastrophe. Here than are the proofs of Noah’s Flood.

Proof #1 - Universal Flood Traditions

When we examine the historical testimony, we find that all peoples, including primitive people, relate the occurrence of a Flood. Here are some examples from the Summary of Flood traditions in many countries in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) which provide unanimous testimony to the Bible story.  

The Babylonians and Assyrians have preserved accounts of the Flood on clay tablets that match the Biblical account most closely and are exact in many details. These, therefore, are the most important of the traditions. The first account has come down to us only through the 4th century Greek historian Berosus. An earlier and far more important tradition was found inscribed on clay tablets in Babylon, which were discovered by George Smith in 1870 and filled as many as 180 lines. This account is known as the Epic of Gilgamesh. Both traditions give vivid accounts of the building of the ark, the dimensions of the ark, coming of the Flood, preservation of Noah and his family and the ark finally coming to rest in Armenia.  

All Flood stories, however, have pagan embellishments to one degree or another and differ from the Bible account. An Egyptian legend of the great Flood is mentioned in Plato's Timaeus, from which only a few shepherds escaped.  

The Greek tradition pictures their “Noah” building an ark to escape the waters. Later he is described as sending out a dove twice to check that the waters had abated, before setting foot on land again.

The traditional founder of Chinese civilization is represented as having escaped from a Flood because man had rebelled against heaven and despised the supreme power of the universe. Those preserved with him were his wife, three sons and three daughters.

ISBE states about traditions of the American Indians: “Among the American Indians traditions of the Deluge were found by travelers to be widely disseminated. Mr. Catlin says, "Among the 120 different tribes which I visited in North, South, and Central America, not a tribe exists that has not related to me distinct or vague traditions of such a calamity, in which one, or three, or eight persons were saved above the waters upon the top of a high mountain" (quoted by Wm. Restelle in Biblical Sac. (January, 1907), 157).”  

The Peruvian version of the legend is that one man and one woman were saved in a box which floated on the flood waters for hundreds of miles. The Mexican account states that one man, his wife and children were saved in a ‘ship which sailed safely over the tumultuous waters which overwhelmed the earth.’ The Polynesians from the South Pacific maintain that a Flood overwhelmed all but eight people.

“The Indian [Flood] tradition,” according to William Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible: Comprising its Antiquities, “appears in various forms. Of these, the one which most remarkably agrees with the Biblical account is that contained in the Mahabharata. We are there told that Brahma, having taken the form of a fish, appeared to the pious Manu (Satya, i.e. the righteous, as Noah is also called) on the banks of the river Wirini… Brahma now announces to Manu the approach of the Deluge, and bids him build a ship, and put in it all kinds of seeds together with the seven Rishis, or holy beings. The Flood begins and covers the whole earth. Brahma himself appears in the form of a horned fish, and the vessel being made fast to him he draws it for many years and finally lands on the loftiest summit of Mount Himarat (i.e. the Himalaya). Then by the command of God, the ship is made fast…By the favor of Brahma, Manu, after the Flood creates the new race of mankind, which is hence termed Manudsha [Manusha] i.e. born of Manu. The Puranic or popular version is of much later date, and is, according to its own admission, ‘colored and disguised by allegorical imagery.’”

Since after the Flood all nations were one family (that of Noah) before they separated, we should expect all of them to have ancient traditions of such a spectacular event as the Flood. And that is exactly what we find.

Think about it. If the Flood had not occurred, would all human families have preserved an account of that event? It is too preposterous to believe that people even in remote tribes, many living in primitive conditions, would have retained knowledge of the event if it had not occurred. All people certainly would not have been deceived into believing the story if it were not true. No people can dream up such an event.

Proof #2 - Mention of the Ark

Despite denials from God rejecting historians, archaeologists and scholars that the Flood ever occurred, the ark has held great fascination for mankind.    

Ancient writers have indicated that people in ancient times knew of the ark’s location.  Ancient Jewish historian Josephus recorded that a great number of ancient historians commented on the subject. He writes in Antiquities of the Jews I, III, 6: “Now all the writers of barbarian histories make mention of this flood, and of this ark; among whom is Berosus the Chaldean. For when he is describing the circumstances of the flood, he goes on thus: "It is said there is still some part of this ship in Armenia, at the mountain of the Cordyaeans; and that some people carry off pieces of the bitumen, which they take away, and use chiefly as amulets for the averting of mischiefs." Hieronymus the Egyptian also, who wrote the Phoenician Antiquities, and Mnaseas, and a great many more, make mention of the same. Nay, Nicolaus of Damascus, in his ninety-sixth book, hath a particular relation about them; where he speaks thus: "There is a great mountain in Armenia, over Minyas, called Baris, upon which it is reported that many who fled at the time of the Deluge were saved; and that one who was carried in an ark came on shore upon the top of it; and that the remains of the timber were a great while preserved.” 

Then much later in Antiquities, Josephus writes about events within his own lifetime. In book 20, chapter 2.2, he tells of a king who, when he was about to die, bestowed on his son a country in Armenia, of which he further states: “There are also in it the remains of the ark, wherein it is related that Noah escaped the Deluge, and where they are still shown to such as are desirous to see them.” Here is a plain statement that the ark still existed in first century A.D.

Reports of the ark have persisted through the years. An expert on the Flood, the historian, Dr. Aaron Smith of Greensboro, has patiently collected all the flood stories he could find. His collection comprises 80,000 works in 72 languages about the Deluge. About 70,000 of these mention the wreckage of Noah’s ark. If the Flood did not occur, why would so many nations’ ancient traditions mention the ark?

Proof #3: The Geologic Evidence for the Flood

Look at the Bible description of the Flood in Genesis 7:11: “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.”  

The Bible Knowledge Commentary explains the meaning of the terminology “the fountains of the great deep were broken up": "…There were corresponding gigantic upheavals and shifting of the earth's crust which caused the oceans' floors to rise and break up their reservoirs of subterranean waters."

This comment indicates that due to volcanic eruptions, gigantic quantities of underground water were released, and some new geologic strata were formed on the earth. The geologic evidence of enormous volcanic activity during the Flood is provided by huge areas in many parts of the earth being covered by immense lava flows. The Columbia Plateau in the northwestern United States is a tremendous lava outpouring, covering an area of about 200,000 square miles to a depth of several thousand feet.  Other parts of the United States that were covered by lava outflows include Idaho, Oregon, and California.

In fact, much of the world is covered in plateaus of hardened magma. Two million square miles of Canada is covered by lava flows, which is known as the Canadian Shield. Around the world some of the most famous outpourings are in Iceland, India, Siberia, parts of South America, the rift valley in Africa, and the Sierra Nevada. In India the Deccan Plateau is an example. It is estimated to be more than 10,000 feet thick. 

These plateaus indicate that the entire earth at one time experienced vast volcanic activity and geologic changes to its surface. 

Most of the islands of the world were formed as a result of Noah’s Flood. Many islands such as the Hawaiian, Easter, Tonga and the famous Galapagos Islands are ocean peaks that are remnants of volcanoes. The island nations of New Zealand and Japan are formed by volcanic mountain chains.  

Sedimentary rocks (which are formed by settling down of mineral matter, mud and silt in water) and sea shells are found on the tops of most of the world’s mountains, including Mount Everest (Odell N.E.; The Highest Fossils in the World; Geology Magazine’ 104:173-74, 1967; and Thompson I. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Fossils. Alfred A. Knopf, NY., 1997.)  Many people hiking into the mountains have reported finding fossilized seashells, fish and other aquatic creatures. This proves that these strata in the world’s highest mountains were under water at one time in the past, just as the Bible says. One would not expect to find fossils of seashells, fish and sea-life on the highest mountains unless they were under water at one time.   

Thus, geologic evidence indicates that the earth went through a catastrophic event involving water and a tremendous amount of volcanic activity. The evidence agrees with the description of Noah’s Flood in the Bible.

Proof #4: Fossil Evidence for Noah’s Flood

Finding remains of massive numbers of mammals and other creatures together in many areas worldwide would provide proof that they were buried suddenly in a global catastrophe. Here are some examples of fossil graveyards:

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia provides such evidence of the Noachian Flood: "Among these evidences one of the most convincing is to be found in the cave of San Ciro at the base of the mountains surrounding the plain of Palermo in Sicily. In this cave there was found an immense mass of the bones of hippopotami of all ages down to the fetus, mingled with a few of the deer, ox and elephant.

"Evidently the animals furnishing these bones had taken refuge in this cave to escape the rising water which had driven them in from the surrounding plains and cooped them up in the amphitheater of mountains during a gradual depression of the land.

"Similar collections of bones are found in various ossiferous fissures, in England and Western Europe, notably in the Rock of Gibraltar and at Santenay, a few miles South of Chalons in central France, where there is an accumulation of bones in fissures 1,000 ft. above the sea, similar in many respects to that in the cave described at San Ciro, though the bones of hippopotami did not appear in these places; but the bones of wolves, bears, horses and oxen, none of which had been gnawed by carnivora, were indiscriminately commingled as though swept in by all-pervading currents of water" (1915, "Deluge of Noah"). Since the carnivores had not made attempts to eat the herbivores, this shows that a great catastrophe had brought all these diverse animals together.

Another example is an outcropping at Agate Springs in northwestern Nebraska: "What remains of the hill covers about ten acres. This bone bed was accidentally discovered in 1876. It contains the bones of rhinoceroses, camels, giant wild boars, and other animals, buried together in a confused mass as only water would deposit them.

"It is estimated that the bones of about nine thousand complete animals are buried on this one hill…Hence, it is likely that many times that number of animals were brought together at this hill and buried there by the action of water…This is a fact that is most important. Animals of every kind died in great numbers and were buried almost instantly" (Alfred Rehwinkel, The Flood, 1951, p. 183). The fact to be emphasized is that this massive deposit of many kinds of animals was obviously made by a huge amount of water.  

One of the greatest fossil graveyards is Alaska. Professor Frank C. Hibben writes: "In many places the Alaskan muck blanket is packed with animal bones and debris in trainload lots." 

"Within this mass, frozen solid, lie the twisted parts of animals and trees intermingled with lenses of ice and layers of peat and mosses. It looks as though in the middle of some cataclysmic catastrophe…the whole Alaskan world of living animals and plants was suddenly frozen in mid-motion in a grim charade" (Frank C. Hibben, The Lost Americans, New York; Apollo Editions, 1961. pp. 90, 91).

The animals include millions of wooly mammoths, mastodons, bison, horses, wolves, bears and lions, all hopelessly entangled! Another author counted 1,766 jaws and 4,838 meta-podials from ONE species of bison in a small area near Fairbanks, Alaska, alone.

Hibben continues: “Seemingly, no animal was spared. "The young lie with the old, foal with dam and calf with cow. Whole herds of animals were apparently killed together, overcome by some common power" (ibid, p. 170).

He further states: "Throughout the Alaskan mucks, there is evidence of atmospheric disturbances of unparalleled violence. Mammoth and bison alike were torn and twisted as though by a cosmic hand in godly rage" (Frank C. Hibben, The Lost Americans, New York: Apollo Editions, 1961, p.177).

The Alaskan massacre of mammals is just one case in point. Much of North America’s wild animals would have made modern Africa’s big game preserves look like a children’s petting zoo in comparison. The largest known members of the elephant family, the Imperial mammoths thundered across vast areas of western North America; the mastodon made northeast New England its home, and further north, the wooly mammoth roamed the wide countryside. Besides the giants of the elephant family, the woolly rhinoceros, giant ground sloths, giant armadillos, bear-sized beavers, saber-toothed tigers, camels, antelopes, giant jaguars ALL made North America home. Then, suddenly, all these creatures perished. The fossil record provides abundant evidence of this mammal destruction. 

But mammal massacre is not only a North American phenomenon. To differing degrees, all continents on earth bear testimony to this sudden catastrophic destruction. Across the vast stretches of Siberia, the same type of mammalicide is evident as in Alaska.  Africa’s immense population of wild animals is a mere shadow of its former self. Fossils in South America bear similar testimony to extinction of strange large animals. Europe and Asia were struck by a similar catastrophe destroying vast herds of mammals.

World-known British zoologist Ivan T Sanderson discussed the Siberian remains in a popular magazine article some years ago: "The greatest riddle…is when, why and how did all these assorted creatures, and in such absolutely countless numbers, get killed, mashed up and frozen into this horrific indecency?" (Ivan T. Sanderson, "Riddle of the Frozen Giants," Saturday Evening Post, January 16, 1960, p. 82.) 

The worldwide destruction of mammal life is clearly evident in the Shivalik Hills in the foothills of the gigantic Himalayas. In the nineteenth century, remains of living and extinct animals were found in great abundance.  

Geologist D. N. Wadia describes the finds in D. N. Wadia, Geology of India, 2nd edition, London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 1939, p. 268: "The sudden and widespread reduction, by extinction, of the Siwalik mammals is a most startling event for the geologist as well as the biologist. 

"The great carnivores, the varied races of elephants belonging to no less than 25 to 30 species...the numerous tribes of large and highly specialized ungulates [hoofed animals] are to be seen no more in an immediately succeeding age" (ibid., p. 279).  

European evidence of the worldwide massacre is provided by a great fossil graveyard is Geiseltal, Germany, where more than 6,000 types of fossil vertebrae, including insects, mollusks, and plants are found. Millions of creatures are buried.

The earth today has only a small number of the immense types of mammals that roamed the earth providing evidence that many animal species became extinct in a global catastrophe. And most remarkable of all, ONLY LAND MAMMALS became extinct in any appreciable numbers. Sea and plant species are basically the same today as in pre-catastrophic times.

Anthropologist P.S. Martin writes: "Survival of the small, includes survival of the pelagic [water-living creatures]…the Pleistocene-Recent boundary cannot be recognized by marine guide fossils…At no time in the Pleistocene was there massive marine extinction...Nor were the largest mammals of the world, the cetaceans [water-living mammals such as porpoises], affected by late-Pleistocene extinction.

"Finally, late-Pleistocene extinction is not evident in the plant kingdom (P. S. Martin, "Prehistoric Overkill," in Pleistocene Extinctions, edited by P. S. Martin and H. E. Wright, Jr., New Haven: Yale University, 1967, pp. 78, 79). 

But why is this so? Why were ONLY land-living, air-breathing, mammal species exterminated? Why did plants seem to survive the catastrophe and grow back into the same species? The answer should be evident. All land-living, air-breathing animals and birds life died in the Flood. Only those in Noah’s ark survived. All sea-life survived the Flood. And plant life, though devastated by the Flood was able to grow back quickly after the Flood. Thus, the fossil record provides solid evidence for Noah’s Flood, and agrees completely with its detailed description in the Bible.

Proof #5: Was Noah’s Ark Big Enough

Many scoffers argue that Noah’s ark was not big enough to carry the huge number of animals and their food supplies for more than a year. Therefore, they dismiss the Genesis Flood account as a myth. But let’s look at the figures.

Noah did not have to take two of every living creature on board the ark. The specific requirement for the creatures to be taken on board is stated in Genesis 6:19-20 (NKJV): “And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind…"

From these instructions it is clear that there were three requirements for the type of animals that were to go into the ark. They were to be 1) air breathing, 2) living on land, and 3) the Biblical kind, that can interbreed. He did not need to carry any sea creatures in the ark.

For estimating the numbers of animals that Noah had to carry in the ark, the Biblical kind should be understood. It is not the same as species. The Biblical kind is a much broader concept than the species. Many species can be included in a single Biblical kind. The word ‘kind’ is probably closer the modern term ‘genus,’ and in some case the larger unit, the ‘family.’ 

For example, The Canidae (canine) family includes about 14 genera of dog like animals. These include the dog, coyote, wolf, dingo, jackal, the African wild dog etc. Noah was not required to take the hundreds of species of canines constituting this group. He had to take only the few “kind” that represented all these species. After the Flood, these kinds would reproduce all the species that make up the Canidae family.

Thus, the ark was not required to carry every species of animals, possibly numbering in the millions. Noah had to take along only every Biblical kind numbering in the few thousands. 

Many critics argue that it would have been impossible for a eight person crew to care for tens of thousands of animals. The truth is that labor savings methods could have been incorporated into the design, with God possibly instructing Noah. Therefore, the animals would have required very little care once in the ark. For example, Noah could have designed self-feeding, self-watering and self-cleaning systems. The cages of smaller animals could have slanted floors for moving animal wastes into a gutter where it could dry and become inert and odorless, or be composted by bacteria. The stalls for larger animals could have been designed with slatted floors allowing wastes to collect and become dry. With these devices, the waste would not require human handling.

Food could have been loaded into a chute or container on the side of the cages and the animals could self-feed. Extra food could have been loaded in bins nearby. Such techniques are used today in the livestock industry to reduce labor costs. Water could also have been piped into self-filling bows or troughs. Rainwater cistern system could have been used to collect water.

With properly designed systems, most of the animals would have required very little if any care once loaded onto the ark. Studies from the livestock industry have shown that a few people can care for tens of thousands of animals. The ingenuity of ancient people should not be underestimated. The pyramids of Egypt and the seven wonders of the ancient world have not been duplicated since.

The next question is: Was the ark large enough to accommodate all the animals? It is a misconception that the ark was a small vessel. The ark was at the minimum 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. The capacity of the ark was the equivalent of 569 modern railroad stock cars. That would make a train more than 5 ½ miles long. It was probably the largest sea-going vessel ever built until the late 1800's when metal ships were first constructed (John Whitcomb and Henry Morris, The Genesis Flood, 1998 edition, p.10).

The estimates of the average size of animals vary from a small animal like a rabbit to about the size of an average sheep. Being conservative with the calculations, take the average size of the animals on the ark to be that of a sheep.  

John Woodmorappe (Noah's Ark: A Feasibility Study, 1996, p.7) estimates that the number of animals that Noah needed to take with him in the ark would have been between 2,000 and 16,000.

Whitcomb and Morris on the other hand in their book, The Genesis Flood, estimate that approximately 35,000 animals were placed on board the ark (this would account for the sevens – not seven pairs – of clean animals that were carried aboard the ark). Now be more conservative and allow for 5,000 more animals (for a total of 40,000) that may have become extinct after the Flood or may have been improperly excluded from the Biblical ‘kind.’ Here then are the space requirement calculations for carrying the animals aboard the ark.

The average space occupied by an average sheep is about 11.125 ft3. Here we have taken the average size of the animals to be the larger sheep rather than rabbit.

The Volume of the ark = 450x75x45 cu.ft = 1,518,750 cu.ft.

The percentages of space occupied in the ark if there are 2,000 animals is only 1.5%; if 16,000 animals were to be carried aboard the ark it is 11.7% and if 40,000 animals were to be carried aboard the ark, the most conservative estimate of the number of animals and their size, the percentage of space occupied by the animals would only be 29.3%, or just a little more than 1/4th. The rest of the space would be available for other uses in the ark, such as for interior fixtures, living space for Noah’s family, their baggage or other things. All the animals could actually fit in only one deck and a portion of the second deck of the ark. 

Thus, when we look at the evidence honestly, we can only conclude that Noah’s Flood was a fact. The Almighty God did really drown that world because of its wickedness, corruption and violence. But above all, Jesus Christ Himself affirmed in Luke 17:26-27 that Noah’s Flood was a fact. He stated: “…as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.”

Prophecy About Destruction of the Earth

Another prophecy about the Flood is still being fulfilled today.

When God informed Noah of His intention to destroy all flesh on land, the Bible states in Genesis 6:12-13 (NIV): “12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.” 

Did you catch that? God said He was also going to destroy the earth along with mankind. This was a further curse on the earth in addition to the curse in Adam’s time.  Both these curses are still in effect today. That’s why we experience natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, floods, draughts etc. We will explain later how this curse is connected to the natural disasters we experience today. Both these curses will, however, be lifted when God sets up His kingdom on earth.




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