The Ark Before Noah

The recent translation of a Babylonian tablet launches a groundbreaking investigation into one of the most famous stories in the world, challenging the way we look at ancient history. Since the Victorian period, it has been understood that the story of Noah, iconic in the Book of Genesis, and a central motif in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, derives from a much older story that existed centuries before in ancient Babylon. But the relationship between the Babylonian and biblical traditions was shrouded in mystery. Then, in 2009, Irving Finkel, a curator at the British Museum and a world authority on ancient Mesopotamia, found himself playing detective when a member of the public arrived at the museum with an intriguing cuneiform tablet from a family collection. Not only did the tablet reveal a new version of the Babylonian Flood Story; the ancient poet described the size and completely unexpected shape of the ark, and gave detailed boat building specifications. Decoding this ancient message wedge by cuneiform wedge, Dr. Finkel discovered where the Babylonians believed the ark came to rest and developed a new explanation of how the old story ultimately found its way into the Bible. In The Ark Before Noah, Dr. Finkel takes us on an adventurous voyage of discovery, opening the door to an enthralling world of ancient voices and new meanings.

In THE ARK BEFORE NOAH, British Museum expert Dr Irving Finkel reveals how decoding the symbols on a 4,000 year old piece of clay enable a radical new interpretation of the Noah's Ark myth. A world authority on the period, Dr Finkel's enthralling real-life detective story began with a most remarkable event at the British Museum - the arrival one day in 2008 of a single, modest-sized Babylonian cuneiform tablet - the palm-sized clay rectangles on which our ancestors created the first documents. It had been brought in by a member of the public and this particular tablet proved to be of quite extraordinary importance. Not only does it date from about 1850 BC, but it is a copy of the Babylonian Story of the Flood, a myth from ancient Mesopotamia revealing among other things, instructions for building a large boat to survive a flood. But Dr Finkel's pioneering work didn't stop there. Through another series of enthralling discoveries he has been able to decode the story of the Flood in ways which offer unanticipated revelations to readers of THE ARK BEFORE NOAH.

Illustrations accompany the Biblical text telling how Noah obeyed God's command to build an ark in order to survive the great flood.

One of the most stunning, unique and captivating books on the account of the Ark and the global Flood of Noah's day ever produced. Based on the account recorded in Genesis 6-9 in the Bible, the narrative is true to the biblical record and its timeline of events concerning Noah and the Great Flood, with added insight as to what it might have been like to be in Noah's shoes. The thrilling adventure of Noah comes to life through the dazzling, detailed illustrations by Bill Looney in the exciting True Story of Noah’s Ark. The images of the interior of Noah’s ark are like nothing you’ve ever seen before. The people and cities depicted here are certainly more advanced than what you’ve been led to believe And this is not fiction - it’s all biblically and historically based. This book is not just material for Ministry to Children, but can also be used as an excellent Evangelical tool because it comes directly from the multi-media presentation of author Tom Dooley, who uses it to witness to multitudes of people across America every week. This dramatic and exciting retelling of a timeless Bible story is an excellent resource and should have a place in every Church Library.

'It's enthralling stuff, mixing the scholarly with the accessible and placing storytelling right at the heart of the human experience.' - History Revealed 'A fascinating journey' - Yorkshire Post 'Marvellous...Finkel is an expert in Mesopotamian cultures at the British Museum, and is one of the most clever, and nicest, of people it has ever been my pleasure to encounter...A fascinating journey' - The Scotsman There are few things more in common across cultures than the belief in ghosts. Ghosts inhabit something of the very essence of what it is to be human. Whether we personally 'believe' or not, we are all aware of ghosts and the rich mythologies and rituals surrounding them. They have inspired, fascinated and frightened us for centuries - yet most of us are only familiar with the vengeful apparitions of Shakespeare, or the ghastly spectres haunting the pages of 19th century gothic literature. But their origins are much, much older... The First Ghosts: Most Ancient of Legacies takes us back to the very beginning. A world-renowned authority on cuneiform, the form of writing on clay tablets which dates back to 3400BC, Irving Finkel has embarked upon an ancient ghost hunt, scouring these tablets to unlock the secrets of the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians to breathe new life into the first ghost stories ever written. In The First Ghosts, he uncovers an extraordinarily rich seam of ancient spirit wisdom which has remained hidden for nearly 4000 years, covering practical details of how to live with ghosts, how to get rid of them and bring them back, and how to avoid becoming one, as well as exploring more philosophical questions: what are ghosts, why does the idea of them remain so powerful despite the lack of concrete evidence, and what do they tell us about being human?

Basing their research on geophysics, oral legends, and archaeology, the authors offer evidence that the flood in the book of Genesis actually occurred.

For thousands of years, the story of Noah has been one of the greatest epics ever wrote. This compelling book looks into the Biblical story from an historical standpoint. It looks at what the ark would have looked like, what society looked like, and the several archaeological quests to discover the ark. The book looks at the story from an unbiased viewpoint; it presents both sides (those who believe the story was true, and those who do not), and let’s the reader decide what they believe.

Jesus said that, 'as the days of Noah were, so will it be at the coming of the son of man. ' The story of Noah 's ark contains shadows regarding the last days. This book will reveal these shadows in unprecedented clarity. The shadows not only help to decipher an accurate timeline, but they also reveal the hand of God upon the church. This book is a marriage between bible prophecy and the body of Christ, written for the common person. Beginning at the Garden of Eden, the reader will engage in a life-changing experience. What was the fall of man like from God 's perspective? Readers will become acquainted with Noah and his trials, fallen angels, and giants! What was it really like for Noah? The plot thickens when a panoramic view of Noah 's story begins to explain God 's plans for His church until the second advent of Jesus. Noah 's ark is one story, revealing two revelations that lead to only one conclusion. Learn how God 's plan for His church and bible prophecy regarding the end-times can no longer be studied apart from one another. Will the church stay, or will the church go before the tribulation? Does God have a purpose for the tribulation? What role will fallen angels have in the tribulation? Will the nephilim return? Will you be part of the army that conquers with Jesus at Armageddon? It is a message that cannot be ignored. It all begins with you. Are you ready for Noah 's Ark and the End of Days?

In THE ARK BEFORE NOAH, British Museum expert Dr Irving Finkel reveals how decoding the symbols on a 4,000 year old piece of clay enable a radical new interpretation of the Noah's Ark myth. A world authority on the period, Dr Finkel's enthralling real-life detective story began with a most remarkable event at the British Museum - the arrival one day in 2008 of a single, modest-sized Babylonian cuneiform tablet - the palm-sized clay rectangles on which our ancestors created the first documents. It had been brought in by a member of the public and this particular tablet proved to be of quite extraordinary importance. Not only does it date from about 1850 BC, but it is a copy of the Babylonian Story of the Flood, a myth from ancient Mesopotamia revealing among other things, instructions for building a large boat to survive a flood. But Dr Finkel's pioneering work didn't stop there. Through another series of enthralling discoveries he has been able to decode the story of the Flood in ways which offer unanticipated revelations to readers of THE ARK BEFORE NOAH.

Could a ship be constructed that would be able to survive the global flood described in biblical book of Genesis? Could it be built without the modern techniques of today being available to Noah?This groundbreaking book answers both of these questions with a resounding "yes"!Join naval expert and mechanical engineer Tim Lovett in "thinking outside the box" as you consider groundbreaking research in this innovative new study on Noah's ark. Lovett builds on traditional research into this historic event using the latest techniques in computer modeling and testing.