Cain’s Wife and other Biblical Conundrums
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God was specific in the description of the two main materials for the construction of the Ark. The two elements were to be gopher wood and pitch. We have no idea what type of tree Gopher wood may have been. Does this type of tree still exist? Was it all used up in the construction of the ark? Perhaps all the Gopher wood trees were otherwise destroyed in the flood. Pitch is simply any type of gooey black pine tar, or tree resin. This was used as glue and water-proofer, inside and out, over the entire structure; most important when building a boat for a flood. Because of this pitch application, the general over-all appearance of the ark would have been black. This goes contrary to most conjectured art work of the ark, which normally shows the ark being brown in color because of the hewn wood.
Besides the two-pronged materials list for the construction, God also gives Noah a specific blueprint, a schematic of instructions for the ark construction. The dimensions were to be three hundred cubits in length which is about 450 feet, fifty cubits in width, which is nearly 75 feet, and thirty cubits in depth, or close to 45 feet. For a visual size comparison; A regulation football field from goal post to goal post, is 120 yards long or, 360 feet long as compared to the 450 feet of the ark. Regulation baseball fields are about 400 feet or so at the centerfield fence from home plate. The distance between bases on a regulation baseball field is 90 feet, as compared to the 75 feet of ark width. The 45 feet of ark height is half the distance of 90 feet, between bases on a baseball diamond. Some modern cargo and naval ships have very similar dimensions. These dimensions for an ocean-going vessel are thought to be very stable and sturdy by those schooled in such specifications.
The ark was also to have a window, which was to be a cubit in size, or about eighteen inches. Also, the one door on the ark was in the side of the ark. The size of the door is not specified, but it would have needed to have been at least large enough for beasts like elephants, giraffes, and perhaps other phylum, which may have been larger than these, if there were such beast at this time. God continues to instruct Noah with the building of three decks within the ark structure which were to contain rooms, or “nests” as described in the Hebrew language. Since the ark was 45 feet deep from the bottom draft to the top rail, we can calculate or speculate that the three decks were about 15 feet each in depth. Anything beyond this blueprint of the ark is pure speculation. Genesis 7:16 tells us that God shut Noah into the ark.
In most classic and contemporary Sunday school and Bible school art, the ark had a possible V-shaped stem complete with a rounded bottom and a house boat barn on top. This may, or may, not have been so. From the simple description given in Scripture, the ark most likely resembled a big wooden box. Perhaps it did have an 18 inch “cubit ridge” or a vented window along the top as recorded in Genesis 6:16. This box shape would have sufficed, since the ark only had to float, and ride out the tempest, and tumult of the titanic flood. The ark did not have to make a traversing wake. Except for the active Hand of God, the ark had no described means of propulsion such as propellers, paddles, oars, motors, or sails. Nor did it have a rudder for steering, or a compass for navigation. It was mostly a floating box with a full cargo of eight souls, and all the various zoological wonders and oddities held within its pitched gopher wood boards and beams.
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About the Book
“I like his book … I like the book for several reasons. This book stimulates our thinking. The book is readable. In Cain’s Wife and other Biblical Conundrums, you will find thoughtful and reasonable answers.”
—Dr. Robert C. Dunston, Department Chair and Professor of Missions and Ministry at
The University of the Cumberlands, Williamsburg, Kentucky
I have known Terry Roberts for almost 30 years. He has always had a desire for people to be drawn closer to Christ. That’s no exception with his new book. Terry writes the way he talks, with a dash of wit and a dose of wisdom. Read his new book and you might get some questions answered and maybe even learn something new.
—Mark Moore, Louder Than Words Mission Adventures, Weaverville, North Carolina
Cain’s Wife and other Biblical Conundrums challenges readers to embrace the true meaning of Scripture as it relates to issues such as the story of Noah, Jonah and more importantly, women and their importance in the Scripture.
Terry Roberts can encourage readers to seek out the truth regarding these Biblical stories by immersing oneself in the Scripture themselves through reflection and more importantly, one’s own faith.
This book serves as a great addition for those wishing to have a better understanding of the Holy Scriptures.
—David H. Foster, M.Ed., M.S., M.A.
Cain’s Wife and other Biblical Conundrums is a group discussion book. What does the scripture say? What does the scripture not say? In an intriguing and often poetic and humorous format, this book tackles the tough questions of the Bible from a real-life conservative/academic perspective. How do we describe time and eternity, the Trinity of God, and the divinity of Jesus Christ? Who wrote the Bible? Who is King James? When and what was the war in heaven? When did the Creation happen? What kind and how many animals were on Noah’s ark? What about dinosaurs? What swallowed Jonah? Was Mary Magdalene a prostitute? What do angels look like? Are angels and aliens the same thing? Did Jesus go to Africa? What does INRI mean? And ultimately, who was Cain’s wife?
Cain’s Wife engages you as the group reader to dig, discover, and discuss what the scripture actually says. Each chapter includes a workbook section, complete with group discussion questions. Know what and why you believe. Also included is an appendix of American Christian holidays. Do you know what and why you are celebrating? Are you up to the challenge of Cain’s Wife?
About the Author
Terry A. Roberts is a retired Navy/USMC Chaplain and cancer survivor. He is a triple war combat veteran: Persian Gulf War (USMC Corporal), Iraq invasion and Afghanistan. He served in churches in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Alabama. Terry graduated from Cumberland College, Williamsburg, Kentucky and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky. This is his third book.