Abstract

This publication is a simple biblical interpretation concerning dietary materials for Noah's family in the ark during the Flood and impact of Noah's Flood on quality deterioration of edible plants outside the ark. Neither creative science nor theology is its background.

It is presumed that Noah's family would have taken raw or processed grains, nuts and fruits, and vegetables which had been carried into the ark from outside.

Edible plants immersed in violent and muddy water outside the ark for more than 150 days during the Flood, might have resulted in degenerated or deteriorated "WILD FORMS" which are regarded as the origin of crop plants in current view of evolutionists. These plants which had endured adverse conditions could be utilized as various genetic reproduces. Thereafter Crop improvements should be accomplished not against the order of God's creation.

I. Introductory Remarks

Noah's Flood had been stated throughout three chapters of Genesis in the Old Testament. As shown in Genesis 6:17-21 [1], eight persons of Noah's family and all living creatures, male and female entered the ark to be kept alive from the Flood. God commanded Noah to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store them for Noah's family and for living creatures and everything was done so. It is viewable that plants, lower level of biological life, had been taken into the ark and stored away as food or feed.

Then what kinds of plants were carried into the ark for eating purpose for Noah's family? What happened to the plants outside the ark during the Flood? (Fig. 1) The purpose of the present paper is to pursue a view on dietary materials used for Noah's family in the ark and on the possibility of quality changes or deterioration of edible plants outside the ark during the Flood.

Fig.1. Noah's ark (left) and violent water (right) during the Flood

II. What Kinds of Plants Were Carried into the Ark?

Lee [2] presented 140 kinds of biblical plants with the scriptural phrases and scientific interpretations in his book "Colored Biblical Plants". However, in the present writing, an attempt was made to estimate what kinds of plants had been stored in the ark based upon "The Thematic NIV Study Bible". [3]

1. Grains

It is presumable that the most important food for living of Noah's family and other creatures in the ark would be grains. In the Scripture, grain seems to indicate the seeds of cereals and legumes. Fig. 2 and 3 show selected common cereals and legumes produced in the world at present time. It is not certain whether all of these grains existed at the biblical times or not.

Fig.2. A selection of common cereals

Fig. 3. A selection of common legumes

Based upon the Scripture, grain was one of the three basic foodstuffs along with wine and oil, and included wheat (Fig.2-1 ab), barley (Fig.2-2), millet (Fig.2-3), spelt, bean (Fig.3-1) and lentil (Fig. 3-2) (Ezekiel 4:9). [1] According to van Wyk [4], spelt (Triticum spelta) is an ancient wheat type along with emmer(T. turgidum) and einkorn(T. monococcum) still grown in certain isolated region, which show the possibility of promising modern "biofood". Besides cereal grains and legumes, Noah might have stored some oil seeds (Fig. 4).

Possibly Noah stored grains as raw, dried, roasted states or flour. Noah might need some seeds for sowing and/or surplus food for both his family and all animals utilizable for a while not only at the inside but also at the outside of the ark after the Flood.

Fig. 2-1a. Bread wheat

Fig. 2-1b. Durum wheat

Fig. 2-2. Barley

Fig. 2-3. Millet

Fig.3-1.Common Bean

Fig. 3-2. Lentil

Fig. 4. A selection of oil seeds

2. Nuts and Fruits

What would be the next important foods stored up in Noah's ark? Probably, they might be nuts (Fig. 5) and fruits(Fig.6ab). Nuts wouldn't have any problem to be stored for more than 150 days in the ark during the Flood. The nut shown in the Song of Songs (6:10) [1] is the only record which describes this kind of fruit having hard shelled core. Lee [2] claims that it indicates walnut (Fig. 5-1). However, it doesn't tell whether other kinds of nut tree existed or not in that area at the biblical times. It would be also possible that the grove of nut trees (NIV) [1] or the garden of nuts (NSFLB) [5] could contain diverse kinds of nut.

Fig. 5. Nuts

Fig. 5-1. Walnut

Fruits are edible produces of woody plants which are usually sweet and delicious(Fig. 6 ab). Tree fruits shown in the Scripture include apples(Fig. 6-1), dates(Fig. 6-2), figs(Fig. 6-3), grapes(Fig. 6-4) and pomegranates(Fig. 6-5). [4] Although succulent soft fruits are not kept long as fresh state, they could be also preserved for a certain period by dehydration (Fig.6c) and the addition of honey.

Fig. 6a. A selection of fruits

Fig. 6b. A selection of fruits

Fig. 6-1. Apple

Fig. 6-2. Date palm.

Fig.6-3. Fig.

Fig. 6-4. Grape

Fig6-5. Pomegranate

Fig. 6c. A selection of dried fruits

3. Vegetables

Noah also would have taken various vegetables---earth herbage or fruit vegetables and stored them away. Earth vegetables(Fig.7a) are the ones of which roots are utilized(sweet potatoes and carrots), tubers(potatoes) or bulbs(onions and garlics). Whereas herbage vegetables(Fig.7b) indicate the ones of which leaves are utilized(cabbage, spinach and lettuce), petioles(celery), flower buds (cauliflower), sprouts(asparagus) or shoots(bamboo), fruit vegetables(Fig. 7c) refer to certain legumes(peas and green beans), cereal(corn), vine fruits(melon, squash and cucumber) and berry fruits(tomato and eggplant). [6] No vegetables except cucumbers (Fig. 7-1), melons(Fig. 7-2), onions(Fig. 7-3), garlics(Fig.7-4) and beans(Fig. 3-1) are shown in the Scripture. But it doesn't mean that those vegetables weren't grown there at that time. All vegetables might have been stored up as fresh or salted state in the ark.

Fig. 7a. A selection of earth vegetables

Fig. 7b. A selection of herbage vegetables

Fig. 7c. A selection of fruit vegetables

Fig7-1. Cucumber

Fig. 7-2. Melon

Fig. 7-3. Onion

Fig.7-4. Garlic

4. Others

Besides the above food materials, Noah would have prepared drinking water, salt, oil, herbs(Fig. 8-1) and spices(Fig. 8-2).

Fig. 8-1. A selection of common culinary herbs

Fig. 8-2. A selection of common spices

III. Function of the Ark for Food Storage

The ark made of the gopher wood by Noah, at God's command, was 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high, and known as having the lower, middle and upper decks-three stories. It had various rooms and was coated with pitch both inside and outside. There were a roof and a window for light on the top and a large door in a side of the ark. [1] Because of its cooling effect by rainy or watery outward surface of the ark, one of several rooms might be cool and well-ventilated so that foods kept fresh. It would have been probably employed like modern refrigerated storage room.

In addition, before Noah's Flood the whole earth seemed to have mild and temperate weather [7], and the mesophiles would be prevalent in the atmosphere of the ark. Therefore, these microorganisms might not be so active to spoil the food at the lowered ark temperature during the Flood. Accordingly, even fresh and tender fruits or vegetables might have been kept for a quite long period of time, we think.

IV. Would Noah have Cooked Food in the Ark?

Then, would Noah and his family have cooked or eaten the prepared raw foods in the ark? Had the fire been sustained in the ark? After coming out from the ark, Noah constructed an altar and offered the burnt sacrifices to the LORD. Where did he get the fire? According to Genesis 4:4, [1] at first, Abel offered unto God a sacrifice with fat portions from the firstborn of his flock. It might be the initial use of the fire by human. Surely, the use of fire is one of the earliest discoveries by human beings and presumed to be originated from the lightening. In biblical times, fire was employed to consume the burnt offerings. Fire was always burning on the altar as a symbolic representation for uninterrupted worship toward God. In case the fire became extinct, rekindling was performed only by friction. [8] It is not certain whether Noah got the fire, transferring kindling charcoal from the ark or by friction. However, it doesn't seem to be possible that Noah and his family used the fire for cooking purpose within the ark, a limited enclosed space, even if it has the length of one and half football fields and huge area. [9]

At the ancient time, the means of heating was equivalent to those of cooking. Heating was achieved by openfire, and so was cooking simultaneously. The fire used to be put in the hollow place or on flat stones. Ignition was accomplished by the use of friction or firing tinder. Combustible materials included the broom tree (Job 30:4; Psalm 120:4), thorns (Isaiah 10:17), dried grass (Matthew 6:30), charcoal (John 18:18), sticks and dried animal's dung (Ezekiel 4:15). Fires used for cooking were lit at the outside of house. Rare houses had a chimney. [8] Considering the above informations, we can assume that Noah and his family probably didn't use the fire for baking bread, cakes or wafers (Exodus 29:2) [1] and for cooking stew(Genesis 25:29) [1] in the ark. In case the fire was used in the limited construction, possible air contamination by smokes could not be excluded.

V. What Would Noah and his Family have Eaten?

Since God has given human beings meat as foods after coming out of the ark (Genesis 9:3), what Noah's family would have taken in the ark seems fresh, dried or honey added fruits; raw, dried or salted vegetables including herbs and various roasted grains.

This article is based on the facts that the whole universe including the earth is approximately 6,000 years old and biblical creation days are equivalent to the current ordinary days.[10] Accordingly, initial processing operations for foods such as drying, roasting, grinding and preserving by salt or honey were thought to be feasible at Noah's time. Therefore roasted grains, dried or salted vegetables, dried or honey added fruits might be important food products in Noah's ark.

VI. What Happened to Plants Outside the Ark ?

1. Plant Deterioration

Excluding Noah's family and animals in the ark, all living creatures that had the breath of life in its nostrils perished among the floodwater. Then what happened to plants? As God commanded, Noah took various plant foods into the ark for storing purpose. Through seeds and reproductive pieces of various plant foods[11], fruits and vegetables which had been stored in the ark could have sustained their good quality after the Flood. However, all other plants scattered in the gardens and over the fields and the mountains had been immersed in water for longer than 150 days.

According to Genesis, when the water had been receded, a dove was sent out from the ark to check the situation of dewatering. The dove returned with freshly plucked olive leaf in its beak! The above record strongly suggests that trees were not influenced by the deep flood water. However, it is presumable that small-sized herbaceous plants and shrubs might have been destroyed or undertaken some deterioration.

How had the plants been deteriorated in floodwater? Possibly, the floodwater entered in the plant cells and caused them to burst by plsamolysis. Thus most of plants had been perished and damaged. However, the highly resistant plants or plant portions kept alive and some of these plants might have been pulled out from the soil. They had been pushed around by the swirling floodwater and took root on the new habitat.

Then did what kind of deterioration or change occur to the plants? It is presumable that the plants survived from the Flood would have showed the reversed outcomes of changes which could be occurred in wild plants during domestication. [12] These changes might include an increased adaptability to the adverse environment, morphological changes in shape and size, and improvement in the survival or multiplying ability of species.

They also would have showed increased dormancy of seed or reproductive portion and change of chemical components such as the formation of toxic compounds, etc. Sarfati [10] has already pointed out that the original kinds God created might have immense variety in their genetic information, and so their offsprings could have adapted well to a wide range of diversified environments.

When the floodwater came on the earth, various kinds of plants would be in different stages of plant growth and development---in stage of rested or germinated seeds, young or mature seedlings, flowering or fruiting and after picking. No doubt, these plants with diversified edible portions would have been affected in various ways in deep water.

The floodwater would have had different compositions according to the regional soil components or the geological conditions, consequently the locations on the surface of the earth. Seawater might have been mixed with the floodwater at the seaside districts. Surely compositional character of water would have resulted in diverse destructive patterns on quality of plants.

2. WILD FORMS, The Origins of Crop Plants by Evolutionists

Numerous plants had been pulled out, drifted about with the swift current and took roots individually or in groups on the local areas when the water receded. These regions would have been identified as centers of origin and/or diversity for numerous crop plants as proposed by Vavilov [12] at the evolutionistic viewpoint. Certain seeds or root portions could be survived in the crack of the rock or inside muddy soil.

Floating flowers upon or in water could be pollinated and this kind of cross pollination could have resulted in new hybrid plants. Transformation of certain specific genes or mutations could have occurred by the influence of swift water. Such gene transformation or mutations could have brought in related species of various plants. As Sarfati indicated, [10] numerous "species" at present time on the earth are known as the outcomes of non-information-increasing diversification resulted from gene pools of original few kinds created by God, especially after the Flood. It is clearly disclosed that mutation can not generate any kind of informations. [13]

Judging from the viewpoint of biblical creationism, plant species which are generally called as Wild Forms, and regarded as the origins of crop plants by evolutionists nowadays might be actually "degenerated or deteriorated species which resulted or differentiated from good quality plant species God made, during and/or post Noah's Flood."

In case of potatoes, almost 5,000 varieties of about 100 wild species (Fig. 9) are collected in the Potato Museum of International Potato Center in Peru. It has been said that the potato originated in the Andean high lands and initial domestication was performed in the southeast area of Peru approximately 7,000-8,000 years ago.(14) However, the Bible clarifies that God created good quality tuber-bearing potato plant at the level of species (15).

Fig. 9. The Peruvian Potato

All kinds of plants which had been survived from Noah's Flood are the ones owning the highest resistance to many adverse environmental conditions. So it is assumed that they could be utilized as diverse genetic resources. Improvements of crop plant should be accomplished not against God's order of creation in the future.

우리쌀 제품 홍보 행사가 열렸다

경상북도 여성농민협회에서 나오셨다

곱게 한복 차려 입으시고 돌아다니시며 열심히 우리쌀 홍보하셨다

원래 많은 인파들로 북적거리던 그 장소가 그 행사로 인해 한적하게 변했다

슬픈 현실...

촛불시위 하던 인간들 다 어디갔냐?

우리 농민들 대변하고 그들을 위하는 것처럼 행동하는 이들 다 어디로 갔냔 말이다

인절미랑 다른 떡들을 시식할 수 있었다

돈을 주고 양키 빵은 먹어도

공짜라도 우리 떡은 싫으냐?

에이~ 잡것들아!!

나라 사랑한단 말 마라!!

그것은..

성공한 사람만을 기억하고

시대를 앞서는 선각자를 무시하며

다수의 잘못을 지적하는 성인을 배척한다

눈물이 흐를 때 기도하는 것

기도하며 눈물 흘리라고 가르치는 것과

눈물 흘리고 있을 때 함께 기도해주는 것

비슷해 보이지만 엄청난 차이

그 생각에 구속받는 이들

돈에 노예가 되지 않겠다며

자본주의에 노예가 되는 이들

과연 상처란 뭘까? 그냥.. 후시딘 연고 바르면 나을까?

세상을 바라보는 시각에서 눈으로 바라보는 것과 마음으로 바라보는 두가지 눈이 있는데..

그중에 어떤 눈으로 바라보고 있을까?

각기 다른 시각으로 바라보는 것 보다는 두 눈으로 한곳을 바라

본다면.. 더욱 좋지 않을까..하는 푸념을 적어본다..

썬~~ 깨어나라. 잠들지 말고..

은혜의 끈

하나님께서는 우리의 삶 가운데

어떤 한 부분을 해결되지 않는 문제로 남겨 두십니다.

그것이 '은혜의 끈' 입니다.

그것 하나 때문에, 우리는 애타하면서

하나님께 매달리고 그 문제를 풀려고 애를 씁니다.

그런데 그 문제를 풀려고 하는 것이

우리의 삶 전체를 건져내는 능력이 될 수 있습니다.

성경에서는 이것을 주로 '사랑의 끈'

또는 '은혜의 끈' 이라고 합니다.

사도 바울에게는 육체의 가시가 있었습니다.

육체의 가시를 좋아할 사람은 없습니다.

그런데 바울에게는 육체의 가시가

은혜의 끈이 되어서 하나님을 떠나지 않고,

하나님의 능력을 구하게 되었습니다.

그래서 언제나 자고 하지 않고 겸손하게

하나님을 섬길 수 있는 능력이 되었다고 합니다

내게 해결되지 않는 문제가 은혜의 끈이라고

생각해보면 우리도 바울과 같이 감사할 수 있습니다.

- 옮긴 글 -

상처가 많은 사람은 작은 것에도 감사한다

우리는 그들을 인생의 쓴 맛을 아는 자들이라 한다

행복할 것 같지 않은 상황에서 행복을 느끼며 자신들의 꿈을 이루는 능력이 있다

나는 조금이나마 그런 사람들을 이해하고 보듬을 수 있는 무기를 가지게 되었다

같이 울어준다는 것은 억지로는 할 수 없는 것이니깐...

여자는 남자들이 이해하는 것들을 잘 이해하지 못한다

나라고 할말이 없어서 침묵하는거라 생각하시나요?

날 정녕 외톨이로 만드실건가요?

그냥 견뎌볼 밖에...