Noah's Ark Has Been Found
...and Tom Crotser, founder of The Institute For Restoring Ancient History, says he wants to show proof. "There is so much unbelief these days that what is in the Bible is true," Crotser said. "I am sent to discover Biblical articles to prove that what is in the Bible is true~Noah's Ark really did exist."
The box-like boat longer than two football fields and as high as a six-story building has been reported to be resting precariously on Mt. Ararat in eastern Turkey. Tom Crotser has been on expeditions to this site nine time and confirms the Genesis account of Noah's Ark with carbondated wood and photos of the Ark. The photos expose visible planking on the side of this large wooden ship. The wood has been carefully examined by the University of Bourdeaux. France and the Forestry Institute of Research and Experiments, Madrid, Spain. "NASA's Skylab has also photographed a formation which appears to be foreign to other materials found on the mountain according to Kodak," Crotser said.
Crotser, 50 (when this story was published by The Esoteric World News sometime in the 1980s), enjoys a combination of roles ~ explorer, businessman, and family man. He is a person driven by the Spirit of God to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt his God and Bible are real, so that it will benefit mankind. "There is so much unbelief these days that what is in the Bible is true," Crotser said. "I am sent to discover Biblical artifacts to prove that what is in the Bible is true ~ Noah's Ark did really exist."
Crotser from Winfield, Kansas, is the founder of the Institute For Restoring Ancient History, International, established in 1969. "The Institute," he said, "is a successful business which owns 43 acres of land in Texas, 210 in Winfield, 13 in Colorado, 10 in Oklahoma, 13 in South Carolina and two blocks of apartments in Scotland."
Crotser Wants To Show Proof
"We at the Institute," Crotser explains, "knew there was much need for study to orientate ourselves with the mountains of Ararat. The first expedition in 1971 gave us a real first-hand look at the mountain. In 1972, after going to the mountain, we met with Fernand Navarra in his home in Bordeaux, France, and spoke to him about his 1955 expedition. He believed he had found fragments of the Ark on Mt. Ararat. After examining the wood he found there, we asked Mr. Navarra for a piece of it. He looked at us carefully as we said, 'We want to use it for God's glory, to show it too the people of America and the world as tangible evidence that God's Word is true. It will be a reminder that the same God who told Noah to build the Ark of this very wood is the same God who is gathering His people unto himself in these last days. Yes, this wood will be a wonderful reminder to many that God is truly restoring the authority of His Scriptures to the minds of His people the world over.' Mr. Navarra said, 'Yes,' as he gave us a nine by two-inch piece. After three more expeditions, we were blessed of the God of heaven to photograph Noah's Ark in September of 1974.
"What a thrilling and deeply moving experience it was when we first realized that we were sitting there looking at Noah's Ark across the vast canyon. What we were seeing was the same Ark, the same vessel, the same boat that Noah used to overcome the flood.
"Now not only ourselves, but millions would see that Noah's Ark is still on this Mt. Ararat, still in the earth today, as the sign of the coming of Jesus Christ."
The photo taken from 2,000 feet with a telephoto lens reveals a boat-like object camouflaged with black ice and volcanic ash from the mountain. The stereo-photographed and enlarged photo emphasizes the already visible features in the original. This report and the photo have been circulated by the news agencies and even used in the motion picture "In Search of Noah's Ark," by Sunn Classic. But perhaps the real story lies in the experiences and spiritual awareness that Crotser relates that a young crippled boy was healed when he and another man the team prayed and laid hands on him. "We were all deeply affected, even the village doctor was there and we all became close friends."
This was a major opening for the Institute to eventually be given free run of the mountain by the Kurdish tribes. The mountain people all know of the resting place of the Ark and have seen many expeditions come and go. However, they were not as warm toward other groups because of fear of being exploited. Many groups have tried to climb the greater Mt. Ararat called Agri Dagh or the "painful mountain." Some have reached the summit but no one else beside the Institute has claimed taking a photo of the Ark. There is also a high danger risk on the mountain only eight miles from the Russian border. If one makes it past the wild mountain dogs and is fortunate enough to miss crossing paths with a bear, there are still large crevasses covered only with thin blankets of snow that lie in wait.
James Irwin, the astronaut who has walked on the moon and is a personal acquaintance of Crotser, had an injury when he fell 200 feet. He had scaled Ararat in search of the Ark and lost his footing, falling over rocks and ice badly injuring his head and lying there for 18 hours before being found by his party.
A Mr. John Morris was hit by lightning while searching for the Ark.. His team from the San Diego-based Creation Research was attempting to climb Ararat when a sudden mountain storm furiously struck, immobilizing Morris for several hours with him narrowly escaping death.
Crotser speaks of seeing fresh bear tracks in the snow and spending many nights in sleeping bags with sub-zero weather, freezing sleet and only a large rock for cover. He firmly attests, "Only by God's direction and preservation of life have I been able to climb Ararat nine times safely and have such clear photos of the actual boat that was used centuries ago to save another man and his family from destruction. The Lord spoke to me and told me He'd give me Noah's Ark if I would be responsible for the souls he would reach with this evidence."
Ancient Stones Found
The archaeological team from the Institute has also found stones on Ararat with Hebrew inscriptions relating the story of eight souls saved in a flood. The stones are said to be original and not fakes according to Dr. I.J. Gelb and Dr. Lawrence Smith of the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute of Languages. Crotser also claims to have pictures of the House of Shem and the House of Jepheth in the city of Noah nestled in the Valley of Arguri at the base of Ararat. He displays what he says are photos of Noah's Watchtower and altar in the same area. He carefully points out from older maps, the names used on the mountain and their meanings: Ahora, "he that planteth a vineyard," Ortiloo, "the place of dispersion," Nakhichevan, "the first harbour," Naxuma, "Noah's burial place," and Thaminim, "the city of the eight."
The most convincing proof is a small block of very hard, almost black wood which he says is from Noah's Ark and the papers certifying its age of 4,500 to 5,000 years for the biblical date of the flood.
Crotser believes that in order to restore men's hearts to God during these end times, certain tangible objects must be restored to mankind's knowledge once again. He makes no bones about seeing in prophecy the return of Jesus Christ in 1988 after the restitution or restoration of these biblical artifacts. He believes that before Jesus comes, four men must come first; two men ~ one having the spirit of Elijah and the other the spirit of Moses and two men ~ the anti-Christ and the false prophet.
Crotser delights in Noah's Ark being evidence against evolution. He says, "Some scientists or science falsely so-called have forgotten to include Genesis in their reports. A world-wide cataclysmic flood doesn't fit into their timescale, neither do the footprints that we've located and dug out first hand at Paluxy River in Texas." He claims that photos showing dinosaur and man tracks in the same strata rock in Glen Rose, Texas, can be a disturbing threat to the geological tables because dinosaurs are not supposed to coexist with man. He believes "modern" man has regressed not evolved, and aims to prove this in his next expedition to Equador and Peru. He said he will return with ancient stones, dated 50,000 years old, and inscribed with instructions on how to complete heart and kidney transplants, and a cure for burning ague being evidence of the lost civilization of Atlantis and Mu.
The "painful mountain" is calling again as Crotser plans to return there in August to bring further proof the vessel was indeed Noah's Ark. "I plan to go into the boat this time, take pictures of the animal cages and hopefully find some animal hair," he said. "I plan to see my friends, the Kurdish people, again and discuss the Koran and the Bible." On his last trip he said he showed the inhabitation out of the Koran that Jesus Christ was born of Mary, a virgin and that there is one God. He said the Kurds think that Christians believe in three Gods. He said he found a real key to being able to relate to one God whom they call Allah. "The Kingdom of God in earth as it is in heaven is my message to them and they agree on this answer to bring world peace," he said. His message is the same for America. "What this nation needs is to return to God's Word and obey it literally."
Crotser and the I.R.A.H. have discovered many biblical artifacts over the 16 years of his intense research. Among his discoveries are the city of Adam, the Great Stone of Abel, the Tower of Babel, Abraham's true birthplace Ur, Hebrew writings in Michigan mounds showing ancient migrations and more recently the most important find to the history of man. In October 1981, Crotser claims to have found the Ark of the Covenant, the most powerful, sacred and controversial object in man's history.
The Institute's residents have devoted their lives to restoring these biblical events and live in Christian communities. The community 10 miles north of Winfield, Kansas, is involved closely with the town of Winfield, where they have a place of worship, a construction company, a museum and show free full-length motion pictures weekly.
1988 Meeting With Jesus Christ
Crotser quotes scriptural events as his basis for such a lifestyle. "Take Enoch for example," he said, "It is told to us in the Book of Enoch how Enoch secreted himself in set-aside places in the earth. He went out into the world to teach, but returned to his community of saints to live. Noah lived in a community. The Book of Jasker relates to us that Abraham spent 39 years with Noah and Shem, after the flood, learning the way of the Lord. To this day a large ruin called "Abraham's Chateau' is seen in Haran, Turkey where Abraham had a community of believers. There were Elijah and the sons of the prophets, the Maccabees, and certainly the Essene-Qumran community who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls. This community brought forth John the Baptist and Jesus Christ both preaching the exact same message, the Kingdom of God. Then in the Bible we are told "and all that believed were together and had all things common.' From this principle was the gathering of God's people into Ireland, Scotland and England; then the Israelite migration to the land of America~Manasseh."
God has revealed to him his life plan, Crotser said.
In 1985, I will be moving to Jerusalem. In '86, I will witness the mark of the beast. In '87 I will be one of God's Chosen 144,000 sent by Christ to preach the Word. In '88 I will meet Jesus Christ on Mount Sion which is 125 miles north of Jerusalem.
"And then, from Revelation chapter 11, I will be in Jerusalem when the two witnesses are assassinated. For three and a half days they will be dead, then rise and go into the city of Petra where the 144,000 will be.
"Soon after," he said, "the Battle of Armageddon will be fought.
"And Christ will establish his Kingdom on earth and rule and reign as King for 1,000 years of peace.
"This is no pie in the sky," Crotser said. "It's God's will. It will be done."
Imagine it is the year 2003 and
Noah lives in the United States
Last updated on 07/27/07 10:05 AM
