What Happened to Noah’s Ark?
Many people have speculated about the final resting place of Noah’s Ark, and some have even searched for its physical remains. In fact several people have claimed to have found its remains, and photographs of their discoveries have appeared in best-selling newspapers and magazines. But there have also been many skeptics, and none of the purported discoveries has been backed up by conclusive scientific evidence. Some archaeologists even refer to searches for the ark as wild goose chases.
According to the bible (Genesis 8:4), after the waters of the flood receded, the Ark finally came to rest on the “mountains of Ararat”. Christian traditions associate this with Mount Masis (also known as Mount Ararat), which is the highest peak in the Armenian Highland, located in present day Turkey. Some people have speculated that the freezing temperatures on the high mountain slopes could have help preserve wood from the Ark. Beginning in the nineteenth century, various expeditions have searched for remains of the ark on this mountain. At least one group of searchers claimed to have found petrified wood from the ark, but attempts to estimate its age by radiocarbon dating have been inconclusive. Aerial photos of the mountain show several "anomalies" which are regarded as sites for possible future expeditions. Thus at this time the matter is still unresolved.
Mystery of the Dead Sea Scrolls
In 1947 some ancient scrolls were accidentally discovered in a cave near the Dead Sea in southern Palestine. It was soon realized that these documents were written in the centuries just before and after the birth of Jesus, about two thousand years ago, and many people immediately wondered if they might contain information about him or his early followers. But initially there was no clear answer, because the scrolls were very fragile, and would need to be carefully transported to safe locations, after which their translation would probably require many years of painstaking work by experts in ancient languages.
During the next few years further searches of the same area turned up more scrolls in other caves, and archaeologists also found the crumbling remains of some nearby habitations. Various clues indicated that these structures had been the living quarters of a community of Essenes, an ancient Jewish religious sect known for a very ascetic lifestyle. Archaeologists concluded that these Essenes had probably written the scrolls. It was also speculated that the scrolls had been hidden in the caves during a period when the Essenes feared that their community was about to be attacked by the Romans.
Because of political and religious disputes, many leading biblical scholars were initially denied access to the scrolls. As a result, most of the documents weren't translated for several decades. During the delay some people even accused the officials in charge of the scrolls of intentionally preventing an independent examination of them. There were even accusations that some scrolls had been destroyed because they contained shocking information that contradicts what the bible says about Jesus.
When translations finally did become available, some of the scrolls turned out to be copies of the sacred Jewish books which eventually were included in the Old Testament part of the Christian bible. Others are special writings of the Essenes themselves, including some which refer to a mysterious "Teacher of Righteousness", who may have been one of their early leaders. But no "shocking" information has been found, or at least none has been publicly revealed.
Because none of the published documents specifically mention Jesus, at least by name, some scholars have concluded that he had no connections with the Essene community that produced the scrolls. But others aren't so sure, especially since there are many similarities between the teachings of Jesus and the views expressed in the scrolls. Some people have even proposed that the Essenes followed the teachings of Jesus, and that his brother James was the Teacher of Righteousness. But these proposals are mostly speculation.
In addition to the scrolls, the searches of the caves also uncovered about 450 bronze coins, an urn of annointing oil , and a metal roll which has become known as the Copper Scroll. The latter is a rolled scroll actually made from a sheet of copper, but it was so badly oxidized that it couldn't be unrolled and had to be cut into individual strips to be examined. What is most interesting is that this copper scroll appears to be a treasure map which lists the locations of various caches of precious metals and religious artifacts supposedly buried throughout the country. Scholars have speculated that that these objects were hidden to keep them safe from the Romans during wars. But attempts to use the copper scroll to find these treasures have been unsuccessful. As a result, no one knows what happened to these treasures, or even if they ever actually existed. Because the scroll mentions that another copy of the same list was made on another copper scroll, there is a theory that someone found this other copy and used it to gather up all the treasure. But exactly what happened remains a mystery.
For more information about the Dead Sea scrolls and the possible treasure, go to this page.
The Resurrection of Lazarus
One of the best-known stories in the bible is the account of the resurrection of Lazarus. Found in Chapter 11 of the Gospel of John, it tells how a man named Lazarus became sick and died, and how his body lay in a tomb for four days. Then Jesus came to the tomb and cried with a loud voice "Lazarus, come out." A moment later Lazarus came out even though his hands and feet were bound in grave wrappings and his face covered with a cloth. "Unbind him", Jesus said to the bystanders, "and let him go." It has been speculated that Jesus was careful to call forth Lazarus by name, since otherwise all the other dead bodies in the area would have also arisen.
The fact that Lazarus was dead for four days is significant. For according to ancient Jewish belief, the spirit of a dead person remains with the body for three days before finally leaving. This idea may have arisen because of cases in which people who appeared to be dead were actually only comatose, and revived after being put into a tomb. So the fact that Lazarus' body remained in the tomb for four days indicated to the Jews that he was truly dead.
But some biblical scholars contend that the ancient Jewish belief was wrong, because of documented modern cases in which a person has been pronounced dead but then revived more than three days later. Thus, these scholars argue, it's possible that Lazarus was never completely dead even though his body was in the tomb for four days. And if he was never dead, it wasn't a real resurrection.
But most Christians believe that it was a real resurrection, and that it is one of the miracles that demonstrates the divinity of Jesus.
Sodom and Gomorrah
According to Genesis 19:24-25, the people of Sodom, Gomorrah, Zeboim, and Admah were so sinful in the eyes of God that he destroyed their cities with “brimstone and fire". For this reason, the names of these cities are synonymous with wickedness and sin, and the story of their destruction is one of the best-known examples of God’s wrath. However, there is a theory that the story derives from a natural disaster such as an earthquake which destroyed some rich cities in ancient Palestine.
Because some people doubt the actual historical existence of Sodom and Gomorrah, considerable effort has been expended in trying to find their physical remains. The Bible suggests that they were near the Dead Sea, and various ancient sites in its vicinity have been proposed as possible locations. At some sites excavators have found evidence of burning, traces of sulfur, and a sudden abandonment by the inhabitants. But no one has found definite proof that any of the sites are the remains of Sodom and Gomorrah. Some scholars think that the Dead Sea has expanded since ancient times, and that the original locations of the two cities are now covered with water.
To read more about these mysterious cities, go to this article.
The Mystery of the Afterlife
Perhaps the greatest religious mystery of all is what happens to us after we die. Most of us believe that we have immortal souls which continue to exist forever. But where do these souls go and what do they do there?
In some ancient religions, the souls of all dead people go to the same place, a dark underground cavern, where they float in the air like ghosts. But in some religions there are two different places, one for the souls of good people, and the other for the souls of bad people. In Christianity and Islam, the first place is called heaven, and the second is called hell. The souls that go to heaven experience eternal bliss, but those sent to hell must undergo eternal torment there.
The most common view of hell is that it is a big cave deep inside the earth. According to the bible, it contains a lake of fire where all condemned souls must burn forever. This lake is filled with liquid brimstone, and flames leap up from its surface. Because these flames don't use any fuel, they never die out. According to the scriptures, the devil and all his demons will also be thrown into this lake. In a story called the Harrowing of Hell, Jesus makes a trip down into its depths in order to rescue the souls of the ancient dead saints. You can find more information at this page about hell.
The Lost Tribes of Israel
The twelve tribes of ancient Israel traced their origins back to the twelve sons of the patriarch Jacob. At a later period, ten of these tribes associated together to form the northern Kingdom of Israel. But in about 722 BC the Assyrians under King Shalmaneser V conquered this area and deported the inhabitants to the region of upper Mesopotamia, in modern Syria, Iran, and Iraq. There are no reliable historical records of the subsequent fate of these people, and they are now known as the Ten Lost Tribes.
But although there are no reliable historical records, there have been many rumors, legends, speculations, and theories about what happened to these ten tribes. According to some theories, they migrated to other areas and became the ancestors of such modern races as the Irish, the British, the American Indians, and even the Japanese. The Kaifeng Jews of China also claim to be descended from one of these tribes. But what really happened to them is still an unsolved mystery.
