A question for Christians about Noah...?

Question

I had understood that Noah was on the Ark for 40 days. I found out last night that this is NOT true. I read Genesis, and added up the days. Noah was on the Ark for about a year. The following link will refer you to Genesis, chapter 7. Continue reading into Chapter 8.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=7&version=31

Now, honestly tell me.

Did you know this? How does this change your view of the events surrounding Noah's story?

I stress again...HONESTY! I would like to know how common this information is. I certainly didn't know, nor was it portrayed in this manner to me. However, the words are right there for anyone to see. Any comments you have on the logistics of keeping all of the animals fed for a full year would be appreciated too.

Thanks.

Answer 1

The whole story is completely impossible .

Answer 2

So you're on board with the whole "2 (or 7) of every kind of animal on a wooden boat," and talking with God thing?

If you accept some of the story, you should accept all of it.

Yes, I knew Noah was on the boat for longer than the duration of the storm.

There were several occasions where a dove was sent out to divine whether there was dry land. After the dove returned with a branch, the next time the dove didn't come back. This meant that there was land, for the dove found a place to nest. I remember these aspects of the story from when I learned it, and think of it whenever I see the symbol of a dove with an olive branch in it's mouth.

EDIT:

*from an email reply to your baseless attack. chatty elements removed*

I think the matter of "How could Noah feed the animals?" skirts the issue of whether a global flood that wiped out all but the life on the boat is even acceptable. It isn't, so I think you are getting lost in the details. I'm not about to explain "how," because I don't believe it could be.

Answer 3

The bible says it rained 40 days and 40 nights, not that he was only on the ark for 40 days. It took close to a year for the land to appear.

I've never heard anyone say that Noah was only on the Ark for 40 days.

The animals all ate straw or vegetation before the flood. Noah had to have enough food stored up to feed them all for that time period. He was directed by God on how to build the ark and what to put in it.

Answer 4

You're understanding was faulty at first. Noah is said to have endured 40 days and nights of rain upon the Ark. Afterwards, he sent birds aloft to see what they would come back with (he knew if they came back exhausted they had not yet found dry land). After the 40 days and nights of RAIN, the earth had to dry out, according to the story. Whether or not the story is literally true, and my guess is no, it's not...the point that G-d shall not be ignored, that man has an obligation to be faithful and supportive, not hedonistic and selfish, well, that kind of sinks in.


Oh, and I rejoice in G-d's promise to Noah to never again flood the entire earth (though he didn't say he would stop us if we foolishly continued to burn fossil fuels and melt the icecaps!).


Take care.

Answer 5

Yes, the time on the ark itself lasted longer than the actual rain and flooding. Many people get that confused but it takes time for land to reamerge after any kind of flooding so it makes sense they would have been in the ark longer than the actual rains. There is much debate on many aspects of the flood and I am not so sure that everything I thought I knew as taught to me by others is accurate but as I do my own studies and read the Bible for myself and study what scientists (both creation scientists and non-creation scientists) research my faith gets stronger and I see a much deeper meaning in such stories like the flood and a harmony in scientific findings and Biblical accounts.

Answer 6

The Bible says it rained forty days and forty nights....not that Noah was on the ark for that ammount of time. So this doesnt change my view about Noah at all.

God is the One who engineered both the ark and the flood. Im sure he had no problem instructing Noah as to how much food to take aboard as well. He also had his wife and family on board.

Answer 7

Yes I know that Noah was on the Ark until the waters subsided and that took a lot more than 40 days and nights.

Answer 8

Dude I did the maths too, A year on the ark ( almost ) plus food and water. you forget water. How much fresh drinking water was needed? 40 days and nights was not enough to sate said animals and family for almost a year.
7 days to load animals food and water?
Me thinks someone is telling fibs.

Answer 9

Yes, there are many things about Noah's flood that are misrepresented in standard Christian teachings.

And how do you suppose that olive branch managed to survive a year submerged in salt water? So Noah would have had to feed the animals for a lot longer than a year, because after a year in salt water, there would be no plants left alive on the earth. Even most fish and aquatic life would be dead because the water would not have been the proper salinity or temperature for them to survive either.

Face it, it's a myth. http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-noahs-ark.html#r8Densmore

http://www.answersincreation.org/floodlist.htm

You might also read the Hindu flood story. It predates the Bible. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsya

Answer 10

It says it rained for 40 days and nights, not that he was on the ark 40 days and nights.

Answer 11

Look, either you believe in miracles, or you don't. Why do atheists pick on the Noah's Ark story, instead of picking on equally unbelievable stores about Jesus walking on water, or returning from the dead?