Races on Ark During Flood of Genesis 7
Bible Evidence to Dispute Races Aboard Noah's Ark
Noah's ark and the flood described in Genesis 7 has been interpreted by some from the phrase "two and two of all flesh" to mean that not just animals, but all races were saved from destruction aboard the ark. While the concept provides a convenient explanation for the wonderful racial diversity of God's children in modern times, I have a different opinion, and believe Noah and his immediate family were the only humans on board.
Let's review evidence in the Scriptures of who exactly was on the ark and how all races survived the flood.
The Living Beings Taken Aboard Noah's Ark
The size and construction of Noah's ark is well documented, as well as the occupants who escaped the flood. The following verses describe the living beings taken aboard Noah's ark before the LORD shut him in:
They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. Genesis 7:14 (KJV)
And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. Genesis 7:15 (KJV)
And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in. Genesis 7:16 (KJV)
That word "flesh" could be translated from Hebrew to mean persons, or euphemistically to mean the flesh parts of the human body including flesh, fat, skin, and body. It could also mean just "flesh", so faced with this dilemma, either interpretation would seem valid until you search further in Genesis and other references to Noah in the Bible. The next clue is in Genesis chapter 8.
The Survivors of the Flood on Noah's Ark
While opinion or interpretation of those entering the ark may differ, the emergence once the flood receded is less ambiguous. These verses describe the living beings that left Noah's ark when the dry land reappeared:
Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. Genesis 8:17 (KJV)
And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: Genesis 8:18 (KJV)
Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. Genesis 8:19 (KJV)
Reviewing the three verses above from Genesis 8, my opinion of the phrase "of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle" could as easily mean "of all flesh (both of fowl, and of cattle)" to the exclusion of persons other than Noah's family. This thought is strengthened in verse 18 because only Noah, his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives are explicitly mentioned. Verse 19 continues describing the exit from the ark of what are clearly animals.
More Evidence Including a New Testament Verse
At one point I tended to agree with the possibility that the definition of "all flesh" meant that all races were aboard Noah's ark. At the same time, I am critical of some teachers of God's Word who choose verses as standalone evidence of their conclusions to make a point or condemn others based on one verse out of context.
For that reason I encourge Bible study students to consider evidence they find throughout the Bible for a given concept. Let's review the New Testament verse that leads me to believe conclusively that Noah and family, and not all the races, were on board the ark. This New Testament verse refers to the ark and Noah is named.
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 1 Peter 3:20 (KJV)
The phrase "eight souls were saved by water" leaves no doubt that only eight persons were on the ark including Noah, his wife, their 3 sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and the sons' 3 wives.
The word "saved" in Greek in that verse is diasozo (pronounced dee-as-ODZE-o) which means to save thoroughly, preserve, or rescue, and the word "by" in "by water" does not mean that water saved them, it means rescued because of the water or from the water.
Key to Explaining the Survival of the Races
How then, did the diverse races we know today survive? Their cultures predate the flood by 10,000 years or more in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Australia. The answer is in how the word "world" is translated and then more clearly defined from the original languages of the manuscripts that make up the Bible. In many instances when the world is translated as one word, it would be more accurately defined as "the known world".
To understand this known world, consider the Nephilim who were the real cause for God's decision to destroy mankind. These beings were described in a previous lesson covering Genesis 6, and that lesson helps explain why the entire globe did not suffer total human destruction.
The Nephilim were the fallen angels translated in Genesis 6 as "giants" who left their heavenly habitation and chose wives in the known world of what we now call The Holy Land. The article further mentions that this irruption of fallen angels was part of Satan's plan to destroy the seedline leading to the Messiah who is Jesus Christ. Satan continues his evil with attempts to thwart his destiny and inevitable sentence for mutiny against God.
The lesson on Noah in Genesis 6 further explains he was described as perfect, yet not in the moral sense. His pedigree descending from Adam was unblemished and pure, and not part of the inbreeding of the Nephilim. For this God chose to spare Noah and his family, and instructed him to build the ark. That area was engulfed in the flood to destroy the half human offspring of those corrupt and evil fallen angels. The known world was flooded. The entire world was not.
Conclusions About the Survivors of Noah's Ark
Archaeologists continue to find evidence of human civilizations who predated the flood and have continued to flourish into modern times. These are God's children. These are the races. It's not difficult to imagine that just the known world was flooded when you consider a later teaching of "the law". One definition of righteousness in the New Testament refers to those who know the law, as in the 10 commandments, and disobey them. They are guilty of sin. It further describes those who do not know the law but live morally as if within the law, and they are considered righteous.
Those distant lands with ancient civilizations far from the place where Noah's ark was launched were not subject to the same punishment as the evil offspring of the fallen angels. A previous lesson shows evidence that we are not all descended from Adam and Eve. This study provides evidence that we are not all descended from Noah, either. We are, however, all created by God and we are His children. As Christians, we need to continue in God's Word to study the wealth of wisdom and understanding the Bible contains, and then draw our conclusions as the Holy Spirit guides us.
Article Source: www.ultimateriddles.com/genesis-bible-lesson-06.html.
About the Author: Jim Degerstrom is an author who works in a faith based business offering custom website design and graphic art services, and documents Bible studies at his Ultimate Riddles Spiritual Journey website and blogs about spiritual growth on his Ultimate Riddles Spiritual Study blog from Kissimmee, Florida USA.
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