Category Archives: family

Noah’s Wine Country, the origin of Human and Wine Migration

Creation, family, History, Science

Some believe that the Biblical account of Noah is a myth; some say it is an allegory; and some, like the present writer, say it is a true historical account. So far, we have not found Noah’s colossal Ark; maybe it was recycled by our ancient ancestors, covered by an ice cap, or buried by the Mount Ararat volcano; nonetheless, the search for Noah’s Ark continues. Meanwhile, we, at Genesis and Genetics, are looking for evidence of Noah in other places, one of which is searching for Noah’s vineyard. So, let’s combine our knowledge of the Bible with modern science and search for Noah’s vineyard.

The Bible says that after leaving the Ark:

Genesis 9:20 Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard … (KJV)

Noah planted a vineyard; but, by now, surely all signs of Noah’s vineyard have disappeared. Right? It appears that is not the case; ancient grape seeds (pips) have been found near Mount Ararat. These grape pips have been carbon dated and genetically sequenced. As a result, their DNA has been traced to modern grapes. These results are illuminating, but before we get into the migration of grapes, let’s get a bit more background from the Bible concerning Noah and his Ark:

Genesis 8:4  And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat (KJV).

The Hebrew word “Ararat” is the word for “Armenia.” When Noah’s Ark settled in the mountains of Armenia, the Armenian borders had yet to be defined; however, the Bible is a timeless book and we can assume ancient Armenia included present-day Armenia. Also, going back in history to just after the time of Moses, we find that ancient Armenia included modern-day Armenia, Eastern Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Southern Georgia. Therefore, logically, Noah’s vineyard should be in one of these countries. The Bible states that the Ark settled in the mountains of Armenia; so, it could have landed on Mount Ararat or any of the Armenian mountains. Christian tradition gives Mount Ararat the honor of being the place of disembarkation from the Ark, and it is, for sure, a possibility.

We find that the modern countries representing ancient Armenia are, indeed, rich in wine history. Here are some facts:

  • Georgia is touted by many as being the birthplace of wine. It claims to have been making wine for 8000 years. In the days of the Soviet Union, Georgia was known as the Soviet Union’s wine cellar.
  • Azerbaijan also touts its ancient winemaking. Azerbaijan has much diversity in landscape, some of which are perfect for growing grapes.
  • Present-day Armenia has a long history of wine culture. Many modern-day Armenians consider wine as the national drink. In Armenia, there are legends that Noah planted his vineyard in the Ararat Valley (Figure 1).

 

      Figure 1 Mount Ararat with vineyards in the foreground

 

Armenia boasts of having the world’s oldest winemaking facility located in Areni Cave (Figure 2).

Figure 2 Excavations in Areni cave

In addition, Armenia is rich in ancient history. For example, Carahunge, Armenia is a Stonehenge-like site. Many of the stones have holes drilled in them, and they are called speaking stones in that they make noise as the wind flows through them. The Carahunge formation of stones predates the British Stonehenge by approximately 4000 years, dating it to approximately the same age as the most ancient Armenian vineyards.

Figure 3 Carahunge, the Armenian Stonehenge predating the British Stonehenge by nearly 4000 years.

 

DNA sequencing shows that most Domestic wines owe their origins to wild grapes in the Near East.

Since the discovery of DNA, many mysteries are being solved in various fields including horticulture. Worldwide, one of the most valuable horticultural crops is grapes; therefore, scientists give much attention to viticulture. DNA markers (SNPS) are used to connect domestic grapes to wild species and trace their migration from country to country. According to an article in PNAS (proceeding from the National Academy of Science), grape domestication began 6,000 to 8,000 years ago with the wild grape Vitis vinifera sp. Sylvestris. This grape is common in the Northern hemisphere, but they have traced domestic grapes to the DNA most closely aligned with those wild grapes from the Near East, specifically Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan (reference 1). Therefore, the origin of domestic grapes is coincident with Noah’s wine country in ancient Armenia. This, of course, does not prove the Biblical account of Noah, but it shows the scientific evidence is consistent with the Biblical narrative.

Carbon Dates

We at Genesis and Genetics consider carbon dating good science in principle; however, we have concluded that the calibration curves, based on the uniformitarian model are not correct, and carbon 14 values must be corrected for the Biblical flood effects (Reference 2, To access our carbon 14 date calculator click here). The oldest evidence of winemaking dates to 5900 B.C. Correcting 5900 B.C. for flood effects gives us 2141 B.C. Since the flood receded approximately 2348 B.C., the oldest grape pips found so far lived 200 years after disembarkation from the Ark. Therefore, the oldest vineyard found thus far is probably not Noah’s original vineyard, but they are vineyards planted by Noah’s near kin. If some ancient grapes are carbon dated closer to the flood date of 2348 B.C., it may very well be the vineyard planted by Noah.

Figure 4 shows some of the ancient Armenian vineyards found so far. They probably are those of Noah’s offspring and show the earliest stages of human migration. The present findings are good corroboration of the Biblical narrative and show that (1) Noah’s Ark settled in what is now known to be wine country, (2) there is evidence of ancient winemaking where Noah landed, and (3) that ancient Armenia is the origin of modern domestic grapes.

Figure 4 Some of the Ancient Armenia vineyards found so far (the red W’s denote ancient vineyards and the white A shows the location of Mount Ararat

Summary
 

The Biblical narrative and archaeological evidence meet in ancient Armenia. Now it is clear that Noah and his offspring planted vineyards in some of the best wine-producing country in the world. Also, Noah’s wine country has been shown to be the origin of modern domestic grapes. Our findings are not proof of Noah’s account but show clearly that the Bible is once again consistent with scientific evidence. So, next time you enjoy a glass of wine, grape juice of a handful of raisins, consider giving Noah a little credit for his husbandry skills and give him a bravo for saving humanity from annihilation.

 

 

Coming Soon

Soon we will release a blog concerning the migration out of Noah’s vineyard. We have found that only a portion of Noah’s family “came from the East” and settled in the Land of Shinar (Mesopotamia). We will also identify the historical Nimrod.

References:

  1. https://www.pnas.org/content/108/9/3530?ijkey=487feaf2bb16b6c3b0eafa120da366ea9d45a464&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha
  2. http://www.genesisandgenetics.org/2019/07/27/flood-effects-on-radio- carbon-dating/

     

 

 

 

 

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How much Neanderthal DNA do you have?

Creation, family

You have a lot of Neanderthal DNA. At least 99.5 percent of your DNA is identical to Neanderthal 1.  Recent DNA sequencing is revealing the truth of Neanderthal, and it is time to bury all our preconceived ideas about him and start afresh allowing DNA to be our guide. We have been led to believe that Neanderthal is our ancient, hairy, brutish, ape-like, ignorant, slumped-over cousin who went extinct because he was inept. His DNA, however, is shouting out to us that this is not the case. He is 99.5 percent like us. This 99.5 percent similarity is not based on our opinion or our analysis; it is based on published secular scientific papers. By the way, we present-day humans share this same amount of DNA, 99.5 percent, with one another 2. It does not matter whether you are European, African, Asian, American or Australian, you are all very closely related to Neanderthal. The 0.5 percent that separates us from one another and Neanderthal lies in our genetic markers. *  These genetic markers provide humanity with natural variation and the ability to trace human ancestry.

DNA can and will solve the mystery of Neanderthal

So, let’s follow the Neanderthal DNA and see where it takes us in rebuilding our perception. Thanks to the work of many scientists, we now have a draft sequence of the full Neanderthal DNA 3. And thanks to several private laboratories, these DNA sequences and genetic markers are being translated into physical characteristics. Here are several examples of what is being discovered about Neanderthal:

  • Neanderthal falls inside the variation of present-day human DNA 3; therefore, it would be difficult to conclude anything other than Neanderthal being fully human. He shares the status, of “made in the image and likeness of God” (Genesis 1:26) with us.
  • Neanderthal had less hair on his back than many present-day humans. This is due to genetic marker rs4849721. This marker is shared by Neanderthal and present-day humans. If you have a T at this marker position, you probably have less back hair than average 4. Neanderthals have the T which means that they too probably had less back hair than the average present-day human. Hmmm, so much for the hairy ape-man image.
  • Neanderthals had freckles 5. People with light skin get freckles because they have less melanin in their skin which causes uneven tanning. It appears that freckles are now in vogue. Some of our most popular movie stars have them. So, Neanderthals are not just human, but “in vogue” humans.
  • Several Neanderthal DNA sequences have genes indicative of red hair 5 and blue eyes. This does not mean that all Neanderthal had red hair and blue eyes, but at least some had these characteristics. By now, hopefully, you can see that at least some Neanderthals would look like someone you would bump into at a St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
  • Neanderthal shares the FOXP2 gene 6 with us indicating that he was capable of complex speech just as we are. Also, it is generally accepted that Neanderthal had a larger brain 7 than present-day man which opens the possibility that he was more articulate than we are.
  • Although Neanderthals share 99.5 percent of our total DNA, they share only 98.7 percent of our mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). This is interesting and can be explained. Mitochondrial DNA is a primary contributor for our energy, strength, and length of life. The fact that Neanderthal mtDNA differs from us by 1.3 percent fits the fossil evidence nicely. Neanderthal fossils are indicative of them having better muscle tone, more strength, and better bone structure than we have. In short, he was buff. Also, some mature Neanderthals had a prominent brow ridge indicative of them living long lives 8.
  • Neanderthals, in general have less genetic diversity than we have; however, researchers are finding little, or no evidence of incest 9. This, in my opinion, signifies that Neanderthal had complex relationship structures, as do we. Maybe he came calling with a bouquet of flowers, a box of chocolates, and an articulate, witty proposal.

According to DNA, Neanderthal is 99.5 percent like you. He was not a hairy, ignorant, inept, ape-man. He was human, created in the image of God just like you. So, the obvious question is, where does Neanderthal fit into the chronicles of human history? Where do you think he fits? We have our opinion (click here), but we will leave it to you to make up your own mind.

Commentary Note: You may have heard that some geneticists proclaim that we have only a small amount of Neanderthal DNA; some say 2-4 percent, some say 0 percent, and some say 20 percent. These claims come from the same scientific community that says we share 99.5 percent of our DNA with Neanderthal. Why this huge conflict? I will not attempt to explain where these low numbers come from; you would think I am making it up. Suffice it to say, the 99.5 percent is correct, and the lower numbers are contrived to justify the “out of Africa” and evolution hypotheses. The DNA sequences are available to the public and can be verified and viewed by anyone.

New details on Neanderthal are emerging every day as are the reconstructions of Neanderthal’s physical appearance. We will keep you posted: You can Subscribe Here if you like.

* Genetic markers – Single Nucleotide polymorphisms, microsatellites, short tandem repeats, et. al.

 

 

References:

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2583069/
  2. https://www.genome.gov/10001551/genetic-variation-program/
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5100745/
  4. https://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Neanderthal/
  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17962522/
  6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4766443/
  7. https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2008/09/09/neanderthal-brain-size- at-birth-sheds-light-on-human-evolution/
  8. Cuozzo J., (1998) “Buried Alive the Startling Truth About Neanderthal Man,” Master Books Inc.
  9. http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/prehistoric-humans-are-likely-to-have-formed-mating-networks-to-avoid-inbreeding

 

 

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What Happens after Death?

Creation, family, Religion

We live in the physical world; we have bodies and we have brains: we are living souls. We have personalities and we have memories. We have desires and we have goals. So, the question is how do all these personal possessions transition after death?

There have been many people who claim to have died, experienced the “other side,” and come back to tell about it. However, these accounts, as fascinating as they are, really cannot be trusted; there are many things that could affect their testimonies such as drugs and/or hallucinations due to lack of blood flow. Fortunately, we have an account in the Bible that can answer many of our questions, and since this account was told by Jesus himself, we know it is true. This account is about Lazarus and the rich man. This is not a parable, it is an actual account; we know this because specific names were used: Lazarus and Abraham, not just some generic Abraham, but “the” Abraham from the book of Genesis. Here is the Biblical account:

Luke 16:19  “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.

Luke 16:20  And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,

Luke 16:21  who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.

Luke 16:22  The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,

Luke 16:23  and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.

Luke 16:24  And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’

Luke 16:25  But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.

Luke 16:26  And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’

Luke 16:27  And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—

Luke 16:28  for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’

Luke 16:29  But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’

Luke 16:30  And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’

Luke 16:31  He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'” (ESV – words of Jesus in red)

From this account, we can answer the following questions: Where did they go? Did they keep their memory? Did they retain their physical bodies and senses? Did they keep their personalities? Let’s take these one at a time:

Where did they go?

Lazarus went to be with Abraham and was comforted (Luke 16:25); the rich man went to Hades where he was in torment (Luke 16:23). There was a deep chasm between the two places, and neither side could cross over to the other side, but they could see one another and verbally communicate from one side to the other.

Did they have memory after death?

Yes, they did have memory after their brains stopped working. Even though their neurons and dendrites rotted, their memory lived on. The rich man saw Lazarus and recognized him. Surprisingly, the rich man not only recognized Lazarus, but also recognized Abraham; this would imply that the rich man had an enhanced memory/knowledge and awareness of things he had never seen. Continuing on, we also see that the rich man remembered that he had five brothers, another indication of his earthly memory. Abraham too had an enhanced awareness and memory; he spoke of Moses and the prophets, all of whom lived many years after Abraham died.

Did they have bodies and senses of sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste after death?

Both Lazarus and the rich man had bodies. We know that Lazarus had a body because he was seen by the rich man and recognized. The rich man was experiencing excessive heat and thirst; he wanted Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and touch his tongue (the rich man’s) so he could feel some cooling relief. This would indicate that he had a body and similar senses to those he had while alive on earth.

Lazarus was being comforted which would show that he was in a good spiritual as well as physical state. Also, we know that they all had eyes to see, ears to hear, tongues to taste, and fingers to touch. So, all of this would lead us to believe that our characters in this account had DNA and it was performing in a similar fashion to how it performed before death.

Did they keep their personality after death?

It appears that the rich man did keep his personality. The rich man was accustomed to getting his way by ordering people around. In this account, the rich man implored Abraham to order Lazarus to dip his finger in water to cool his (the rich man’s) tongue, and also ordered Abraham to send Lazarus back to earth to witness to his five brothers. The rich man knew that Abraham was high in the spiritual realm, but assumed that Lazarus was still a lowly outcast. Therefore, the rich man presumed that his power and authority conveyed to life after death. He presumed that both he and Abraham were men of importance, and therefore Lazarus, the low man, should do tasks when ordered. Abraham, however, did not hearken to the demands of the rich man and reproved him.

Note: This account mentions Lazarus by name, but not the rich man; he is simply referred to as the “rich man.” This shows us that Jesus knew Lazarus, but not the rich man. This is consistent with many scriptures including Luke 13:27 and Matthew 7:23:

Luke 13:27  But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all
ye
workers of iniquity.

Matthew 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Final thoughts

It is important to understand that this account of life after death was before the resurrection of Jesus. The New Testament teaches that when Christians die, they instantly go to be with Jesus. However, the account of Lazarus and the rich man presents some interesting clues concerning memories, senses, DNA, and personalities. It also implies that, like Abraham, we will inherit enhanced awareness, knowledge and memory.

One clue is missing from this account, and that is the words of Lazarus. Wouldn’t it be interesting to hear Lazarus’ thoughts? Would he have said to the rich man: “Now you are getting yours,” or “I forgive you,” or “I do not know you?” Perhaps Lazarus was being spared the unpleasantness of dealing with the rich man, but for now, his thoughts remain a mystery.

Dear children and friends, The Bible is truth and the account of Lazarus, the rich man and Abraham may be used to better understand “the other side.”

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Something Easy

family, Religion, To Do

In life there is often a fine line between success and failure, and many times this fine line is something simple and easy: something as simple and easy as a hug. I am
not sure exactly how it started, but within a few years of our marriage, my wife and I would hug each other and pray for each other before I left for work. When my wife hugged me she prayed that the Lord would bless and protect me at my job, and I would pray the same for her. This hug was simple, easy, and fun, but had profound results. When things got rough at work, I had confidence knowing that God and my wife were with me; and when I had tough decisions to make, I knew I had divine anointing. This had a similar affect on my wife with all the challenges associated with taking care of children and a household.

Another benefit of the hug is that it is an expression of the union that occurs in marriage. A hug signifies and promotes this union: that we are one and not two; everything that benefits me benefits her and everything that benefits her benefits me. The enemy is continuously trying to destroy marriages, but a simple hug can defeat his assaults.

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The Full Gospel

Evangelism, family, Love, Religion, To Do, Uncategorized

The word “gospel” means good news. Generally, if you ask a Christian what is the gospel, they will say that the gospel is that Christ died for our sins. This is true, it is good news that we have been redeemed; but, this good news is also associated with bad news; it is bad news that man rebelled against God; it is bad news that at one point in time God was sorry He made man; it is also bad news that Jesus had to suffer, be humiliated, and be killed for crimes He did not commit. There is much bad news associated with the crucifixion of Jesus. So, to understand the full gospel, that is the full good news, we must go back to Genesis to see what God’s original plan was before sin messed everything up.

Here is the full gospel also called the eternal gospel:

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Genesis 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Genesis chapter 1 presents God’s creation and purpose. He did not intend for there to be sin; He did not intend that Satan would betray Him, and to fall, taking man with him. It was God’s intention that we live with Him forever in a sin-free world. He did not intend that our bodies would have mutations and disease. It was not His intention that we die and be separated from our bodies, and from Him. He did not intend to lose His Son to the cross.

The Bible says that we should come to God as little children. I have found that little children have a very good sense of the “full gospel.” This is evident with the pictures they draw. Most children, given a piece of paper, will draw a house, a family, the sun, the sky, some trees, and maybe a dog or cat. This picture represents the full, eternal gospel: it represents the creation, it has the concept of family; it has the sense of belonging (the child is often holding someone’s hand); it has the sense of beauty (the sky and the tree); it has the sense of security (again the parents and the house); it has the element of protection (this includes the Savior and His protection from ourselves and sin, and the sense that we will be brought back if we stray).

When you preach Jesus crucified, you are preaching the love of God and also the failure of man. This is good and important, but if you preach it too much, you discourage people by concentrating on the bad news. Remember, gospel means “good news.” The death and resurrection of Jesus is the basis for Christianity, but it is not the full gospel. Let’s look a little further into what the Bible says is the full gospel, the eternal Gospel. Someday soon the eternal Gospel will be preached to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. This preaching will not be done by us alone, but also by an angel of God. Please read:

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

Revelation 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

We are to give Him glory that judgment is come; this judgment will restore everything back to the Genesis “very good” condition. And, then it says to worship Him who made all things. The world and Satan are doing everything in their power to convince us that judgment is not coming; and, that God did not create “heaven, and earth, and the sea and the fountains of waters.”

Pastors, preach Jesus crucified, preach the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but remember these are just a portion of the full gospel. The full and eternal gospel is that God created all things so that we may exist, belong, be loved, have a home, have a family, have security, and be with Him forever.


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