Bible Question: Why did God want Noah to put in the ark 10 more of each “clean animal” than the “unclean”? Is their any “significance” in that number, or the 14 of each clean animal as opposed to the 4 of each unclean? |
Bible Answer: TommyS, if you are studying about the flood, forget ANY and ALL preconceived notions that have been erroneously been peddled for years. Like what? Like, how could it have taken Noah 120 years to build the ark? God instructed Noah to build an ark for him, his wife, his three sons and their wives. Shem was the oldest son, and AFTER the flood, at the age of 100, Shem had a son. Ask any person on the street, “How many of each animal was on the ark?” And they will parrot, “Two. A male and its female.” BUZZ! WRONG! Noah's taking 14 clean, and 4 of each unclean animal did have some significance – How did Noah know anything about which was which, is significant. What was clean or unclean animals to Noah? Some claim that perhaps the clean animals were for food for Noah and his family. BUZZ! Noah and his family, and all the animals ONLY ate produce until AFTER they exited from the ark. Even after the exodus from the ark, God never gave Noah "ANY exemptions” for food (ie, clean or unclean). Gen. 9:3 “EVERY thing that moves, that is alive, IS TO BE FOOD for you. Pigs, lobster etc. And do your math, TommyS. By raining for 40 days and 40 nights, it covered the highest mountain in the world (above sea-level anyway) by 15 cubits of addition water. Really? Because water finds its OWN level, that means 15 cubits AROUND THE GLOBE. That means that there had to be 29,050 FEET of water ABOVE sea level. To get enough rain to cover that area, world wide, how hard did it have to rain? The highest average rainfall in the world today is less than 500 inches, but that takes in an entire year. For the water to cover all the earth with ONLY 40 days and nights, it HAD TO RAIN OVER 725 FEET EVERY DAY. That figures out to be SIX INCHES PER MINUTE! Anyway, there are numerous, other significant facts to be found in those few chapters of Genesis – but, it’s doubtful that you will ever find them in any Sunday School lessons. Keep studying with both eyes open, and you will continue finding answers to verses too many others "never question." :) Good job! Taleb |