BEN F. VICK, JR.
There are several mountains mentioned in the Bible on which momentous events transpired. It is good for us to know the location of these mountains, their elevation, and the events which took place on them. There are eternal truths to be learned from these events.
The Mountains of Ararat
In the days of Noah, the wickedness and violence upon the earth grieved God; so, he determined to destroy the world by a flood. Noah, who had found grace in the sight of the Lord, was commanded to build an ark according to God’s specifications. This Noah did (Gen. 6:22). Noah, his family, and the animals entered the ark, and a week later, the flood came. Moses wrote, “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights” (Gen.7:11-12).
For a year and seventeen days, they were in the ark. Moses reported, “And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark” (Gen.7:21-23). As the waters of the flood assuaged, Noah’s ark rested on the mountains of Ararat. Moses wrote, “And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat” (Gen. 8:3-4).
The location of these mountains is what is known today as Turkey. These mountains consist of two peaks, their summits about seven miles apart. Great Ararat is 16,945 feet above sea level; Little Ararat rises in a smooth, steep cone to 12,782 feet above sea level. Archaeological expeditions have sought to find the ark. There are claims to have found it, but whether they have or ever will makes no difference. The Biblical account is correct. Christ, the apostles, and prophets support the flood account (Matt. 24:37-38; Luke 17:26-27; Heb.11:7; I Peter 3:20-21; II Peter 2:5; 3:5-6).
When God saw the wickedness of man was great and that every imagination, purpose, and desire of his thoughts were continually evil or daily, God regretted that he had made man, and it grieved him. The whole world lies in wickedness, John said. It is still true today. Evil men and imposters are increasing. The nightly news is depressing, with murders and robberies reported every day. God’s attitude about sin has not changed. The Psalmist wrote, “God judgeth the righteous, And God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psa. 7:11).
In a world filled with wickedness and violence, the Bible says, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God” (Gen. 6:8-9). How refreshing! Noah rose above the filth and stench of society and found favor in God’s sight. No matter how wicked the world is, we can rise above it by following God. Moses penned these words to Israel: “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil” (Ex. 23:2). Just because the majority are traveling the broad way that leads to eternal destruction does not mean we have to join them (Matt. 7:13-14). Be careful about the friends you choose. Paul wrote, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Cor. 15:33). New King James says, “Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits.”
Peter tells us that Noah was a preacher of righteousness. I do not know how long he preached, but he had no responses. Some say that he preached for 120 years. I doubt that is correct. One of the sons of Noah was Shem, who was a hundred years old and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood (Gen. 11:10). Shem had a wife when he went into the ark (Gen 7:13). Regardless of how long Noah preached, he had no converts except his own family. If each of us could save our families, that would be an accomplishment. Just look around in the congregation and take note of how many family members were either never converted or once converted, turned back to the weak and beggarly elements of this world.
The example of Noah’s faith stands as high as the mountains of Ararat. The writer of Hebrews said, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Heb.11:7). Up until the fountains of the great deep were broken up and the windows of heaven opened, no one had ever seen rain, and certainly not a local flood (Gen. 2:6). But Noah believed God who warned him of things not yet seen. Do we have that kind of faith?
Peter wrote, “…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. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:20-21.) The waters of the flood saved the eight souls by carrying them from the old world to the new world. Likewise, baptism saves us by taking us from the old world of sin to the new world in Christ. Salvation by being baptized is made possible by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Have you obeyed Christ by being transported from the old world of sin to the new world by being immersed into Christ?
(to be continued)