The Mesopotamian Flood

Most biblical historians and theological scholars now accept that the Great Flood as told in Genesis occurred sometime around 2500BC. Recorded in Genesis 6 through 8, the scriptures point out how God became dissatisfied with the wickedness of mankind and causes a flood in order to destroy mankind. However, before the flood God locates a righteous man and informs him to build an ark for his family and the animals of the Earth in order for them to repopulate the Earth after the flood. After which, the rains begin that cause a flood which kills every living creature of the Earth except for those on the ark. Eventually, the rains stop, the flood waters recede and the land becomes dry, allowing Noah along with his family as well as all of the animals

For one thing, Noah is the ninth generation of Adam and Eve's lineage and its assumed that Noah lived in the Mesopotamian Valley. Archaeological evidence proves that the floods in Mesopotamian occurred around 3500BC and again around 2600BC. Mesopotamian deluge or flood myths such the Eridu Genesis, the Epic of Atra-Hasis and the Epic of Gilgamesh all possess similarities to the biblical version of Noah and The Flood. More importantly, the Epic of Gilgamesh is the most well-known as well as the best detailed of the three Mesopotamian deluge myths along with many similarities to the Old Testament version of The Flood. The main character, Gilgamesh, appears as a mythic character in Mesopotamian literature, but in fact was a real person. Historians generally agree that Gilgamesh lived in the period of 2700 to 2600BC which coincides with the timeline of the floods that occurred in Kish and

God gives instructions to Noah, how to build an ark in Genesis 6:14-16.

Utanapishtim's boat and Noah's ark become prepared and ready.

Utanapishtim and his family fill the ark in the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Likewise, Noah and his family along with the animals go into the ark in Genesis 7:13-14.

Recorded in both the Old Testament and the Epic of Gilgamesh the rains begin.

Epic of Gilgamesh, the rains begin.

Genesis 7:10-11 the rains begin..

Following the storms the boats come to rest on a mountain.

From the Epic of Gilgamesh, storm is over.

In Genesis 8:4 the storm is over.

In order to find dry land, birds are released.

Utanapishtim releases birds in hope of finding dry land.

Noah releases birds in hopes of finding dry land in Genesis 8:6:12.

The rains stop allowing the waters to recede and to dry land out.

Here Utanapishtim leaves the boat to pray.

Finally, Noah and his family can leave the ark in Genesis 8:20-21.

What is more, now numerous writers, scholars and philosophers accept the theories of two different versions of Noah and The Flood. As an example, there exist two reasons for the flood, two versions about the number and types of animals aboard the ark, two versions of the timeline of how long the flood lasted along with different places where the water came from that caused the