July 5, 2016: Visitors pass outside the front of a replica Noah's Ark at the Ark Encounter theme park during a media preview day in Williamstown, Ky. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Discoveries in biblical archaeology occur almost daily. Along with many other archaeological findings in 2015 validating the Bible’s truth, a burnt ancient scroll excavated from the Torah ark of a Bzyantine-era synagogue in Israel has been deciphered to contain verses from the book of Leviticus – making this the oldest Hebrew Bible scroll since the Dead Sea Scrolls.
As an apologetics (i.e., Bible-defending) ministry, we have been sadly observing that, although there are many more examples of biblical texts found in archaeological excavations than any other book, society continues to deny the Bible’s historicity for what it is – the most comprehensive primary source historical document chronicling the ancient world.
What was formerly a staple in American classrooms, the Bible is now one of the most commonly challenged books, often facing fierce scrutiny and being opposed by many parents, teachers, and secularists.
A 2014 study by Gallup found that 75 percent of Americans believe the Bible is in some way connected to God, only a startling 28 percent of Americans believe the Bible is the actual word of God and that is to be taken literally. What is even more frightening is that 21 percent of Americans view the Bible “as ancient fables, legends, history, and precepts written by man,” up from 13 percent in the 1970s.
While these statistics are disturbing, they should not come as a surprise for those of us who have read the book. The anti-intellectual sentiment toward the Bible and its divine nature is not new. The Apostle Paul faced the same adversity in the New Testament with the Greeks that we face today with secularists.
We should be moved to counter this trend of trying to debunk the Bible as the true Word of God and historical account of His people, starting with its very first book, Genesis. This is one reason we’re building the Ark Encounter in Northern Kentucky. It will be a life-size reminder, with a 510-foot-long Ark as its centerpiece, to the truth of God’s Word and His involvement in the affairs of humanity.
We will powerfully show that, just as the account of Noah’s flood did actually happen, so did the rest of what we read in the scriptures – especially the gospel message preached by Christ in the New Testament. We hope to inspire a return to and a respect for the Bible as relevant for our culture today.
Author's note: The Ark Encounter opens on July 7, 2016. You can order your tickets at ArkEncounter.com to be among the first to visit the full-size ark.
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