More On Noah...

Sunday's sermon is on Noah. Here's some more information on Noah you might be interested in:

Bible scholars have many different views on the same subject and it is sometimes difficult to gather a consensus. We've used a compilation of sources, cited at the end of Teaching the Bible, so you are given different sides of the research. Enjoy using these resources and others on discovering new views about Noah and the ark.

• It took 120 years to build the ark. 
• Noah preached righteousness to the people, while he built the ark.
• The people had 120 years to turn it around.
• Noah and family and animals sat in the ark seven days before the first drop of rain. Even more time for people to rethink their life styles.
• God sealed the ark. He didn't let human will or human timetables affect the departure.
• God gave directions for a floating ship, not a sailing ship. Noah received no instructions for a rudder. 
• The ark was one and a half football fields long.
• It was three stories tall within the hull.
• They were on the ark one year, one month and twenty-seven days. 
• There are two accounts of the number of animals. Gen. 6:19 tells Noah to take male and female of every kind of animal. Gen. 7:2-3 tells him to take seven pairs (male and female) of clean animals and only one pair of unclean animals.
• The clean animals were presumably for food and sacrifice.
• There are many flood stories, all have a boat, animals, and a hero. The Gilgamesh Epic is the Babylonian version of a flood story that mostly resembles Noah's excursion. The gods were annoyed by the noises of man so they decided to destroy the earth. Atrakhasis was warned in a dream to build a boat, take his family, and animals. He was to announce to the rest of the world that he was being punished, but they would benefit from this action. The gods caused it to rain and flooded the earth. Atrakhasis sent out birds to determine whether or not to get off the boat. He offered a sacrifice to the gods and they promised never to destroy earth with a flood again. The Genesis flood story is so similar that many suggest they are one and the same.
• Noah's ark was 450 feet long; the Mayflower was 90 feet long; the Cutty Sark is 212 feet long; and an aircraft carrier that can carry 5000 people and hold 90 planes is 1000 ft. long.
• One account said the ark was large enough to hold 330 railroad cars. Another source says 520 railroad box cars.
• "Only 150 box cars would be needed to comfortably carry two of each air-breathing creature in the world today!" That's just one floor of the ark. 
• Noah was 480 years old when he began building the ark.
• Noah didn't have any children during the first twenty years of building the ark.
• According to the Hebrew calendar the ark voyage started about the middle to the end of our November. 
• Noah didn't race off the boat. He waited for God's signal. Not like passengers on the plane when you get to the gate.