Tag: ark

To Be Like Obed-Edom

Neal Pollard

When studying 2 Samuel 6, we most often reference Uzzah (or even Ahio or David). Yet, there is another man who we rarely talk about in that incident. After the failed and fatal attempt to move the ark of the Lord by ox cart, “David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Hittite” (10). The ark remained at his house for three months (11). Nothing is said of Obed-edom’s character per se. We know he was a Levitical gatekeeper (1 Chron. 15:18) and later appointed a minister of the ark (1 Chron. 16:5), but we are not told why he was appointed to these roles. As much as anything, it was likely a matter of ancestry.

But there is no mistaking what happens in those three months the ark resided in his house. Scripture says that “the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household” (2 Sam. 6:11b). Again, David reflects on the situation, with others affirming to him, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God” (2 Sam. 6:12a). This news made the king glad (12b).

There are some encouraging truths gleaned from this brief notation in Scripture.

  • Blessed is the home where God’s presence is found (Psa. 128:1-4; Prov. 3:33; 14:11).
  • Scripture tells us that where the Lord is, there is not only blessing (2 Sam. 6:11-12), but peace (Num. 6:24-26), light (Psa. 36:9), refuge (Psa. 46:1), joy (Psa. 16:11), strength (Isa. 41:10), and freedom (2 Cor. 3:17).
  • Others are encouraged when they see the impact of God in our homes (cf. 1 Pet. 2:12; Acts 10:1-2).
  • The Lord actively works for good in our lives and even our possessions where He is the heart and center (Matt. 6:33).
  • When others see God doing good in our lives, they are encouraged to do good, too (Psa. 40:1-3).
  • We should be one whom others think to entrust with spiritual things–David chose Obed-Edom’s house (cf. 2 Tim. 2:2).

This account is not at all about Obed-edom as we have no further insight into his character. It is about the power of the presence of God in the home. God blesses and enhances every home where He is made to be at home. We bless everyone and everything in our home when God is firmly and visibly there! In this way, may we all strive to be like Obed-edom.

Latest News: Noah’s Ark

While skeptics might claim that the formation is made up of natural limonite, counter evidence such as the uncanny alignment/shape, subsurface architecture, ancient marine traces, and organic soil signatures prove to be an ensemble unlikely to occur by chance. Yes, I was looking for an excuse to use the word “ensemble.”

Dale Pollard

LATEST NEWS: NOAH’S ARK 

Shrouded in snow and a little suspicion, the Durupınar Formation is a mysterious boat-shaped mound just over 18 miles south of Mount Ararat, is at the center of a groundbreaking (ha!) discovery.

CAPTURING THE PAST 

Soil samples collected after 2021 by a collaborative team from Istanbul Technical University, Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University, and Andrews University put its dramatic past on display. These samples contain clay-like sediments, marine deposits, and mollusk shells, dating between 3,500–5,000 years ago—coinciding with the biblical “Great Flood” era. Some coincidental findings, if you believe in coincidences. 

MULTIPLE DECKS 

At approximately 538 feet long, the formation mirrors the ark dimensions (300 × 50 × 30 cubits). However, the real juicy discoveries lie beneath the surface: re‑analyzed 2019 ground‑penetrating radar (GPR) scans reveal angular structures, central corridors stretching 234 ft, and a tunnel measured at 13 ft—features that align uncannily with the arks multi‑deck design (Gen. 6.16). 

WE FOUND SOME WOOD 

Inside the formation, the vegetation tells its own story—grasses grow with altered color and vigor, tied to elevated organic matter, higher potassium levels, and lower pH readings. These soil anomalies suggest the decay of ancient wood remnants. The author is no scientist, but old wood sounds good. 

The project, led by Andrew Jones and William Crabtree of Noah’s Ark Scans, aims for a carefully controlled excavation—delayed until non‑invasive scans, thorough soil mapping, and site preservation methods are fully in place. When? Who knows! 

SKEPTICS & EVIDENCE 

While skeptics might claim that the formation is made up of natural limonite, counter evidence such as the uncanny alignment/shape, subsurface architecture, ancient marine traces, and organic soil signatures prove to be an ensemble unlikely to occur by chance. Yes, I was looking for an excuse to use the word “ensemble.” 

What Comes Next? 

• Continued GPR and radar surveys,

• Core drilling for deeper context,

• Last but not least, a permitted excavation under strict guidelines.

Haunted Ruins

Dale Pollard

Perhaps Nimrod’s extraordinary ability to hunt was partly responsible for the reason why so many were inclined to stick close to him and construct a tower amidst the ruined site of early Babylonia (or Shinar, Genesis 11:2). He’s a hunter after all and apparently an excellent one (Genesis 10:8-12). There’s a phenomena that’s been observed in nature where carnivorous animals like lions and crocodiles develop a “taste” for human flesh. They’ll begin to actively hunt people for a number of reasons but it’s been known and documented in several predatory species. Since animals acted as they do presently after the flood (Genesis 9:2), then it’s logical to assume that all of that death caused by the deluge attracted numerous carnivores to settlement areas early on.

Theoretically, aquatic animals and eventually the land dwelling predators would have had ample opportunity to develop that “taste” for humans. If that were the case, it makes even more sense why earth’s population had a difficult time spreading out over the earth as earth would have been more of a challenge to subdue and dominate than it was before (Genesis 1.28). Mankind may have dominion over the animals, but Job knew there were at least a few exceptions to this (Job 41:1-4). Ferocious man-eaters would have made first settlements more vulnerable but sticking together under the leader of a great hunter makes perfect sense— at least on the surface. 

After the birth of Babel the Bible sheds light on its death and lasting memory. Eventually, wild creatures would inhabit the ruins of Babylon and other cities after God’s judgment (Isaiah 13:21, Isaiah 34:13-14). 

The specific animals mentioned in these passages and similar ones remain unknown, but are often translated as “ostrich” and “jackal.” Interestingly enough, the Hebrew word used for “jackal” is also used to refer to dragons in the same book of Isaiah. (Isaiah 27:1). 

The following verses are even more haunting:

“Babylon shall become a heap of ruins,
the haunt of jackals,
a horror and a hissing,
without inhabitant…
The sea has come up on Babylon;
she is covered with its tumultuous waves.
Her cities have become a horror, a land of drought and a desert, a land in which no one dwells, and through which no son of man passes.
And I will punish Bel in Babylon,
and take out of his mouth what he has swallowed.
The nations shall no longer flow to him;
the wall of Babylon has fallen” (Jeremiah 51:37, 42-47). 

It seems that the second destruction of Babylon was foreshadowed by the first destruction during the deluge. Tragically, the name of the once great city would  nearly becomes synonymous with “the end,” especially in Revelation. 

“And he called out with a mighty voice,“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast” (Revelation 18.2). 

Babylon’s downfall serves as a true tale of caution for us today as God allows the rise and fall of every nation— even setting their boundaries (Acts 17:26). No matter how great a nation becomes it will never become greater than the One who allowed its very existence in the first place. 

Noah’s Ark And Nisroch

Dale Pollard

The Bible doesn’t say that Noah’s ark landed on Mount Ararat in Turkey, it states that the ark came to rest on the “mountains1 of Ararat” (Gen. 8.4). Ararat is a region which is nearly in the middle of Armenia, between the Araxes and the lakes Van and Urumiah (2 Ki. 19:37; Isa. 37:38) and it’s  called by the Armenians Araratis even today.2 Some sources say that the ark is somewhere in the surrounding region, like The Book of Jubilees, which makes the claim that the landing location is on Mount Lubar.3 The very best guesses can be narrowed down by investigating the reliability of the original sources since there are many other mountains that are said to be the resting place of one of the most fascinating mysteries; lost to time or buried by nature. 

There’s a bizarre and interesting link that’s allegedly connected to one of the most famous Assyrian kings mentioned in the Bible. The loud and proud Sennacherib successfully campaigned against seven cities on Nipur, today known as Mt. Judi, on a rampage before his attack on Jerusalem. To commemorate the victories he raised nine stone panels near the top of the mountain and one located at its base. The inscriptions on the stone panels reveal the ego of Sennacherib as he describes himself as “the great king, the mighty king, king of the universe, king of Assyria, and the exalted prince!” He goes on to describe himself as an ibex, spurring on the charge up the mountain, through gullies and mountain torrents and reaching the highest summits. The impression one gets from his inscriptions is that he ventured all over the mountain to destroy those seven cities. The inscription happens to be eerily similar to what God said about him through the prophet, Isaiah (Isa. 37.23-25). Friedrich Bender visited Mt. Judi in 1954 and obtained wood samples from an object that some believe to be Noah’s Ark below the summit.4 This location also happens to be near some of the inscriptions that were left by Sennacherib’s masons. 

The Bible’s account of the Assyrian King’s death is brief but says, 

“And that night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.

Then Sennacherib, king of Assyria went to his home and lived at Nineveh. 

And as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, struck him down with the sword and escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place” (2 Kings 19.35-37). 

The Babylonian Talmud commentator expounds on this by stating,5

“Sennacherib went and found a beam from Noah’s ark, from which he fashioned a god. He said: This beam is the great god who delivered Noah from the flood. He said: If that man, referring to himself, goes and succeeds, he will sacrifice his two sons before you. His sons heard his commitment and killed him…this interpretation is based upon the etymological similarity between neser, the Hebrew term for beam, and Nisroch, the god that Sennacherib fashioned from a beam.”

The leading theory and argument against this claim that Nisroch is an idol carved from a beam stolen from the ark is worth noting as it might be due to a simple scribal error. The short version of the argument states that some of the Hebrew letters that make up both Nimrod and Nisroch look similar to one another, so a mistake could have been made. Outside of a possible mention in the Bible, an Assyrian god that goes by Nisroch doesn’t show up in any Assyrian texts. However, if the word Nimrod were the true intentions of the biblical scribes, that doesn’t make the passage any less interesting. 

————————————————————————————————-

1Ararat a region and not a mountain. Schroeder, Thes. Ling. Arm. p. 55. 

2Araratis, “the curse reversed: precipitation of curse”

3CF. Jubilees VIII.21 

4Bender’s samples are far from conclusive and even challenged by other creationist. 

5Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Sanhedrin, folio 96a. Sennacherib inscribed his own image and an account of his ascent on the side of Mount Cudi (Judi). 

Sennacherib’s death is the first time that the Bible mentions “Ararat” again since the account of Noah. 

A Biblical Flood In Our Time:

Hurricane Helene’s Lessons

Brent Pollard

In a remarkable display of divine providence, a changing storm pattern guided Helene far to the east, sparing my cherished home in the north Georgia mountains from its fury. Though this may bring scant solace to those affected by the storms in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, I reflect on the profound insights that the sorrowful occurrences of late September 2024 have unveiled. Sometimes, extreme weather events’ catastrophic character justifies using terms like “biblical.” Indeed, WUNC’s Due South featured an article on the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, capturing the devastation with the phrase “biblical destruction.”

Peter tells us that the great flood swept away the world existing before Noah’s days (2 Peter 3.6). Similarly, WSPA shared a segment from their newscast on YouTube, aptly titled “Hurricane Helene Geographically Changed Western NC River, Fire Chief Said.” In the report, the journalist referenced a first responder from Swannanoa, who shared that the landscape surrounding the Swannanoa River had transformed significantly over the three days of relentless rain and flooding. This change necessitated remapping the area to facilitate the rescue of individuals and the execution of other essential duties!

One might ponder how three days of rain could bring about such a remarkable transformation. Yet, Helene’s four outcomes turned the familiar into the terra incognito.

  • Channel shifts: Rivers and streams changed course, forming new channels or eroding existing ones.
  • Sediment deposition: Floodwaters transported significant sediment downstream, affecting riverbeds and water quality.
  • Landslides: Heavy rainfall created instability, resulting in landslides that blocked waterways and altered water flow. 
  • Erosion: Increased water flow has accelerated erosion, particularly in areas with vulnerable soils, altering the shape and depth of river valleys.

From September 25 to 27, Yancey County, North Carolina, got hit with a remarkable 31.3 inches of rain in just a few days. This recorded amount is the highest in the region, surpassing all others with noteworthy distinction. But what if you were to multiply that number by forty days? What wonders might forty days bring if three days can transform a place beyond recognition? Noah constructed the Ark as a refuge amidst the deluge that engulfed the earth, resulting from relentless forty-day rain and the shattering of the planet’s vast aquifers (Genesis 7.11–12).

Anyone who survived Hurricane Helene’s destructive energy will find it more difficult to dismiss the idea of an angry God using water to cleanse the world’s surface of a creation that had become too pesky with its sin. Indeed, it is not difficult to believe that God could use a flood to inundate the world, but that in so admits that there is One to whom we must all account (cf. Romans 14.12). This admission is what the skeptic and scoffer seek to avoid.

The profound effects of Hurricane Helene stand as a poignant reminder of nature’s untamed strength and our enduring fragility in the face of forces that lie beyond our grasp. Though our technological advancements allow us to monitor, assess, and occasionally foresee these devastating occurrences, nature’s power reminds us of her power to transform our world in just a matter of days. The changing landscape of western North Carolina resonates with timeless stories of divine influence woven through the fabric of nature, inviting both the faithful and the doubtful to ponder deeper truths about our connection to the world around us and, perhaps, to its Maker. As communities rise anew and adjust to their transformed landscapes, the teachings of Helene—echoing the timeless story of Noah’s flood—persist in their relevance, urging us to honor the power of nature and recognize our limitations as we journey through the challenges of our ever-changing world.

Typology: There’s More To The Story

Dale Pollard

We know that the water can be metaphorically muddied rather quickly when there are countless faulty interpretations of books like Revelation, Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and other prophetic or apocalyptic literature. Typology is another misunderstood, and often misapplied, method of Bible study. I’m convinced that if we can spend some time studying the different “types” found in scripture, we can see God’s message for mankind more clearly and have a more profound grasp of His Word. This also happens to be a great way to grow our knowledge of scripture more quickly! 

 So first, let’s try to clarify exactly what typology is. Summed up in one sentence it’s, “referring to Old Testament things which are prefigured or symbolized by events and characters of the New Testament.”  

This may sound a little confusing, but let’s look at a few examples. 

 John 3:14: just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so son of man must be lifted up. (Ref. Numb. 21:9) The Christ “type” is the bronze serpent; we know because of a specific New Testament reference. 

 1 Peter 3:20: “…God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built, only a few people, 8 in all were saved through water,” this illustrating how in the same way baptismal water saves those who submit to Christ today. 

 Typology is not some mystic Bible code where we are free to translate events and characters in scripture as we please because God tells us exactly what He intended to say. 1 Corinthians 14:33 says that God is NOT the “author of confusion.” He has a message for us all— and it’s a message of hope.

The Location Of Salvation

Thursday’s Column: Captain’s Blog

Carl Pollard

Most people can think of a specific location that brings them joy. It could be a vacation destination, a certain getaway spot, or a favorite city or park. It’s a location that is filled with memories and good times. We find ourselves dreaming about those places when we are loaded down with life. What we wouldn’t give to be relaxing on that beach, away from all the work and responsibilities. What is it about these places that causes us to long to be there? It’s the thought of being somewhere that’s free of care and worry. 
In scripture, salvation is often described as being found in a very specific location. The Bible records numerous examples of when God saved His people in a specific location. The Passover in Exodus 12 is an example of this. If the people wanted to keep their firstborn children, they were to spread blood on the doorposts of their homes. By doing this, the death angel would pass over the houses with blood on them. There are several other examples of salvation being in a specific location such as Noah’s ark in Genesis 6-9 and Rahab’s home in Joshua 2.
If salvation was found on the ark and in Rahab’s home, where is it now? Scripture teaches us that the church Christ died to establish is the place of safety today. 

—The plan: a new covenant (Mark 14:24)
–The purpose: save the souls that are added to the body (Rom. 8:1-3) 
–The promise: eternal life (1 Jn. 5:11) 

The Old Testament examples mentioned all contained specific instructions: Build the ark out of gopher wood, pick a certain amount of animals, and tie a scarlet rope to the window. These specific locations brought salvation but only through obedience to God and His plan. 
What specific instructions do we have today? The contents of the New Testament explain in perfect detail how we can be added to God’s location of salvation. The ark saved Noah and His family from destruction, the scarlet rope tied to the window of Rahab’s home saved her and her family, and baptism (Acts 2:38; 1 Pt. 3:21) will save anyone and everyone that wishes to be added to the church. 

Christ’s Focus On Getting Rid Of Sin

Wednesday’s Column: Third’s Words

 

 

 

Gary Pollard

This week we will do a brief study of I Peter 3.17-22. 

In verse 17, the emphasis in the original text is “doing good.” If it is God’s desire (this is emphasized) that we suffer, it is better (stronger, more prominent, more advantageous) that we suffer for doing good works than evil works. How much more powerful a message do we send when we come under fire for doing something that benefits others? If we suffer for doing something bad, we’re just another criminal. But to suffer in the act of doing something good – in context – is a far more powerful evangelistic tool. 

In the following verses, Peter gives a powerful example of Christ’s focus on getting rid of sin. He put everything into saving mankind – including giving His own life – so that we could all have the opportunity to come to God. Even before the destruction of the world through the flood He made sure everything had the opportunity to hear about their spiritual state. Whether this was done through Noah and his sons or whether He had a more direct hand in this is immaterial. The point of the text is that the message got out to those who are “now in prison.” His goal was to bring others to God, even when it caused Him suffering. 

Only those who did listen and obey – eight people – were rescued from evil by the waters of the flood. Notice that the Spirit does not record Noah’s ark as being what saved them! They were saved in the important sense by the destruction of evil. Our focus is not earthly. 

Just as water saved Noah and his family from evil, water saves us from spiritual death. Being immersed in water is how we make a formal appeal to God for a clear conscience! Some translations render this, “A promise to God from a good conscience,” as if baptism is some kind of outward sign of an inward faith. This is not reflected in Greek; it is a conscience cleared by an appeal to God, because of the resurrection of Jesus. He has all power, so He can clear our record when we submit to Him. 

Having all of this as a background, we have some motivation to keep our actions pure, suffer for doing good things, and understand that God’s power is what saves us. Peter gives many other phenomenal motivators for living a pure life, which we will look at in detail in the coming weeks. 

His Name Meant “Comfort”


Neal Pollard

Whose name meant “comfort”?  Noah’s! Lamech says as much.  When Noah was born, Lamech proclaimed, “This one shall give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the Lord has cursed” (Gen. 5:29). The NIV and KJV, among others, puts the word “comfort” for “rest,” Lamech was optimistic that Noah, would help alleviate the labor pains of farming in cursed ground.

Have you stopped to think about the meaning of Noah’s name and the mission of Noah’s life? What was his task? He was to build the ark, but he also preached (cf. 2 Pet. 2:5). Now, as to how many people Noah preached to, the Bible is silent. One might assume that he preached as far and as widely as a man engaged in such an enormous building project could. Or, one might say that he preached by the example of his righteous life (cf. Gen. 6:9).  The best understanding of 1 Peter 3:18-21 may be that Christ preached to the disobedient ones through Noah’s efforts prior to the flood.

If Noah did preach to the disobedient, and/or admonished and exhorted onlookers and scornful neighbors to get on board the ark, he still was seeking to provide comfort. The thing to understand about giving comfort is that it does not always mean speaking soothing words, placating people, or telling them what they want to hear. That is, at times, a very appropriate and needed response–especially when people are suffering or trying to stay faithful. Yet, comfort can also be the fruit that only comes after a warning or rebuke. When a person is on a self-destructive course, they are destined for something inconceivably awful! What can a compassionate Christian do but try with tremendous effort to steer them back on course? That may be the only way that wayward sinner comes to the place where eternal comfort is once more a possibility.

Remember Jude’s teaching. He said, “And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh” (Jude 22-23). Sometimes, comfort is in the product and not in the raw material or the manufacturing. Always being loving, let us risk offending now so that eternal comfort can be had later! The Christian’s name, nature, and business centers around that real, spiritual comfort, both for the Christian and those whose lives he or she touches (cf. 1 Tim. 4:16).