All language subtitles for The UnXplained S04E05 Acts of God 1080p HULU WEB-DL AAC2 0 H 264-playWEB_track3_[eng]

WILLIAM SHATNER:
A great flood

that wiped out
almost all of humanity.

that wiped out
almost all of humanity.
Fire and brimstone
that destroyed

Fire and brimstone
that destroyed

two ancient cities.

And deadly plagues
sent by a punishing God.

Some of the events recorded
in the Bible are so devastating

and so awe-inspiring
that for the faithful,

they can only be
described as acts of God.

But are these tales of
biblical disasters and miracles

But are these tales of
biblical disasters and miracles
meant to be taken literally?

meant to be taken literally?

Or are they simply
dramatic stories

that were intended
to teach moral lessons?

Is it possible
that these acts of God

really happened?

Well, that is what
we'll try and find out.

♪ ♪

In eastern Turkey,

some 200 miles southeast
of the Black Sea,

there is a dormant volcano
that is known as Mount Ararat.

At a height
of nearly 17,000 feet,

Mount Ararat is
the highest point in Turkey.

For centuries, this peak
has been considered sacred

For centuries, this peak
has been considered sacred
because according to the Bible,

because according to the Bible,

after God sent the Great Flood
to cleanse the Earth,

Mount Ararat is the location

where Noah's ark
finally came to rest.

ROBERT CARGILL:
The story of the Great Flood

and Noah's ark is one
of the most famous

stories in the Bible.

stories in the Bible.
The story goes that God is

The story goes that God is

so disappointed
at the sinfulness

so disappointed
at the sinfulness
of all of humankind,

of all of humankind,

that he's going
to flood the Earth.

He's basically going
to destroy everything.

And he finds
one righteous human...

And he finds
one righteous human...
Noah, and what God
wants Noah to do

Noah, and what God
wants Noah to do

is build this massive
450-foot-long ark

with three levels on it,
and fill it with

all of the animals
of the Earth and his family,

and those will be the only

and those will be the only
survivors of the flood.

survivors of the flood.

SHATNER:
As the story goes, Noah loaded

his family and
two of every kind of animal

onto the ark.

And then, God made it rain
for 40 days and 40 nights,

flooding the Earth so that even
the highest mountains

were covered with water.

After the waters subsided,
Noah, his sons, and their wives

left the ark and proceeded
to repopulate the Earth.

AMIR HUSSAIN:
The Noah's Flood story

is this really powerful story

because here's this
transcendent God who loves us,

who's created human beings,
but also has a way

who's created human beings,
but also has a way
for us to behave in the world.

for us to behave in the world.

And when we don't behave
in the right way,

this God will punish us.

That's the power of God.

Sometimes doing extraordinarily
horrific kinds of things.

Sometimes doing
wonderful things.

SHATNER:
Historians have long debated

whether the story of Noah,
the ark, and the Great Flood

is only a myth, or if
it was based on real events.

There are some scholars
who believe it's possible

that a massive deluge did,
in fact, take place.

And as evidence,
they point to the fact

And as evidence,
they point to the fact
that the Bible isn't the only

that the Bible isn't the only

ancient text that contains
an account of a great flood.

ancient text that contains
an account of a great flood.
The flood story in the Bible

The flood story in the Bible

The flood story in the Bible
isn't the oldest flood story.

isn't the oldest flood story.

The oldest flood story
that we have

in the western tradition
is in the Gilgamesh story,

in which there's this old man,
Utnapishtim, who's survived

a flood where it's rained
for 40 days and 40 nights.

And this happens also
in the story of Noah.

So for many of us looking at
these stories across cultures,

there's this idea that,
yeah, clearly this happened

there's this idea that,
yeah, clearly this happened
at some point in human history,

at some point in human history,

at some point in human history,
this flood that people remember,

this flood that people remember,

and they write about
in different ways.

SHATNER:
In addition to historical
accounts, might there also be

geological evidence to suggest

that the Great Flood
actually happened?

In 1997, geologists
William Ryan and Walter Pittman

published a study
which concluded

that the biblical story
may have been describing

a massive overflowing

of the Black Sea that took
place in the 6th century BC.

DAVID MONTGOMERY:
The idea that Noah's Flood

was triggered when
the Black Sea flooded

was triggered when
the Black Sea flooded
is rooted in the basic

is rooted in the basic

geological observation that at
the end of the last ice age,

when ice melted off the poles,

when ice melted off the poles,
it raised sea level.

it raised sea level.

it raised sea level.
And what happened
when sea level rose?

And what happened
when sea level rose?

The Mediterranean
overtopped the Bosporus

and spilled into the Black Sea.

That event raised the level
of the water in what's now

the Black Sea by about 150 feet
within weeks to months.

It would have been catastrophic
to the people at that time.

It would have literally
flooded the world known to them.

Perhaps it actually seeded
the story of Noah's Flood.

SHATNER:
Was the biblical flood
based on the actual deluge

of the Black Sea?

of the Black Sea?
It's an intriguing notion.

It's an intriguing notion.

But if the flood really
took place, then is it possible

that we might be able
to find Noah's ark?

Well, some researchers argue

that the ark may have
actually been discovered

in a photograph
taken near Mount Ararat

by the Turkish military in 1959.

It revealed a boat-shaped
formation embedded

in the surface of the mountain.

There are those who believe
that this rocky structure

was once Noah's ark
and that the wood

hardened and turned
to stone over time,

a process that is
known as petrification.

ANDREW JONES:
It's a streamlined, boat-shaped
object that's sitting there.

And there's nothing else
in the region that matches that.

So this is a very
distinct object.

According to the Bible,

the ark landed
in the mountains of Ararat.

the ark landed
in the mountains of Ararat.
And in Genesis chapter 6,

And in Genesis chapter 6,

And in Genesis chapter 6,
the ark was 300 cubits long.

the ark was 300 cubits long.

Now, if you do the conversion,
300 cubits equals 515 feet

and that is exactly the length
of this boat formation.

SHATNER:
Does the remarkable similarity

between this rocky structure
and what's written in the Bible

suggest that it is
the remains of Noah's ark?

Since 2019,

a group of archaeologists

leading the Noah's Ark
Scientific Project

have used new technology

to learn more about
this mysterious formation.

JONES:
We hired an American ground
penetrating radar team to create

3D images of what is
below the ground.

About 20 feet down,
they found what looked to be

three different layers.

three different layers.
In the Bible,
the ark had three decks.

In the Bible,
the ark had three decks.

And according to the scans,
you can see the three decks

that the Bible says
this giant boat had.

We are hoping
will happen next year,

is the Turkish government
would then proceed on...

with a small-scale
excavation of the site

to show what we're looking at
below the surface.

This would be a very exciting,
worldwide headline discovery

if this is proven
to be Noah's ark.

If you could find
evidence for this story,

that would actually
prove the biblical account

and maybe get people
more interested

in what is written
in these holy books.

SHATNER:
For the faithful, the search
for definitive evidence

of either Noah's ark
or the Great Flood

is not only about archaeology.

It's also a quest to understand

how the power of God
works in our world.

An act of God
is precisely something

that we cannot explain
in rational, scientific terms.

HUSSEIN:
The Bible tells us that
Noah's a righteous man,

it tells us God orders Noah
to build the ark,

but doesn't tell anyone else.

It's this miraculous act
of God that, by definition,

goes beyond
the flooding of the Earth

where God allows
God's chosen people to live.

And so there are these
astonishing kinds of things

where God intervenes
in human history.

where God intervenes
in human history.
So it's that balance
of the divine favor

So it's that balance
of the divine favor

with the divine wrath.

If the story of the Great Flood
was ever proven to be true,

it would be
a validation of faith

for billions of people,
all over the world.

But what about some of
the other acts of God

that are recorded in the Bible?

Is there any evidence
to support those stories, too?

Well, a group of
archaeologists claim there is,

and point to the ruins
of an ancient city

that, according to scripture,

that, according to scripture,
God destroyed
with fire and brimstone.

God destroyed
with fire and brimstone.

SHATNER:
In the lower
Jordan River Valley,

eight miles north
of the Dead Sea,

a distinct ridge rises
from the landscape.

But this is no ordinary ridge...

...because buried under
layers of dirt and rock

are the ruins of an ancient city

that dates back
almost 4,000 years.

Modern archaeologists
have named the site

Modern archaeologists
have named the site
Tall el-Hammam.

Tall el-Hammam.

When you look at Tall el-Hammam
from satellite imagery,

it's long and it's narrow.

It's about a mile
from end to end.

We believe that as many as
50,000 people occupied the city.

According to experts,

Tall el-Hammam
is shrouded in mystery.

We don't know what it was named

We don't know what it was named
in ancient times
or who lived there.

in ancient times
or who lived there.

in ancient times
or who lived there.
But in recent years,

But in recent years,

some archaeologists have
theorized that Tall el-Hammam

is actually the ruins
of the biblical city of Sodom.

HUSSAIN:
In Genesis, you have these
cities, Sodom and Gomorrah,

and there's wickedness,
there's iniquity in the city.

But then God decides, no.

This city is doing
horrible kinds of things,

This city is doing
horrible kinds of things,
so I'm literally
gonna rain fire,

so I'm literally
gonna rain fire,

so I'm literally
gonna rain fire,
sulfur down.

sulfur down.

I'm gonna destroy this city.

COLLINS:
God said enough is enough.

Fire and burning stone came
forth out of the heavens

from Yahweh
and consumed the city.

In fact, the Bible
says that every person,

crop, plant, tree, twig,
anything that was living

was destroyed.

HUSSAIN:
The Sodom and Gomorrah

story's fascinating
in that it's meant to be

a metaphor, an understanding of,

oh, when human beings
don't do what they should do,

here's what God does
to destroy us.

It's God's power
being manifested.

It's God's power
being manifested.
It's an act of God.

It's an act of God.

SHATNER:
The destruction of
Sodom and Gomorrah

has long been associated
with the Wrath of God.

Until recently,
many scholars thought

Until recently,
many scholars thought
that the story was only a myth.

that the story was only a myth.

So why do some experts
now believe that Tall el-Hammam

could be the remains
of the city of Sodom?

COLLINS:
There is more

geographical data
in the biblical text

geographical data
in the biblical text
for the location of Sodom

for the location of Sodom

than there is for any
other biblical site.

The Bible was very, very clear

that it was north
and east of the Dead Sea,

that it was north
and east of the Dead Sea,
and it was very clear

and it was very clear

that it was east of Jerusalem.

And Tall el-Hammam matches
the geographics of the text,

And Tall el-Hammam matches
the geographics of the text,
it matches the time frame
of the text,

it matches the time frame
of the text,

it matches all
the possible descriptions

as the text describes it.

SHATNER:
The idea that Tall el-Hammam
matches the location of Sodom

in the Bible is intriguing.

And researchers also claim

And researchers also claim
that there is
physical evidence on site

that there is
physical evidence on site

that there is
physical evidence on site
that confirms
the biblical description

that confirms
the biblical description

that confirms
the biblical description
of Sodom's destruction.

of Sodom's destruction.

The actual destruction
event is recorded

in just two verses in Genesis
chapter 19, verses 24 and 25...

...where it talks about
the fact that rock and fire

came down from the heavens and
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

came down from the heavens and
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
One theory

One theory

is that an incoming meteor,

or meteor fragment,

exploded over the north end
of the Dead Sea...

...and destroyed Tall el-Hammam.

There are numerous proxies that

give strong indication
that an airburst

or impact event have occurred.

The first is the evidence
of thermal damage

that's represented through
melted building materials

and partially melted

and partially melted
pottery fragments.

pottery fragments.

The second is the appearance

The second is the appearance
and occurrence of
microspherules--

and occurrence of
microspherules--

and occurrence of
microspherules--
very, very tiny,
spherical-shaped,

very, very tiny,
spherical-shaped,

melted pieces of mineral,
grains, and sands.

And the third is

And the third is
a high concentration

a high concentration

a high concentration
of rare earth elements.

of rare earth elements.

Rare earth elements
are very common in asteroids,

Rare earth elements
are very common in asteroids,
not so common on the Earth.

not so common on the Earth.

COLLINS: What's interesting
is that the middle layer

of Tall el-Hammam

has a really high
salt concentration.

It's so salty that, a lot
of times, we excavate pottery

that's just coated
with thick salt crystals.

That's pretty unusual.

That's pretty unusual.
Why is that layer so salty?

Why is that layer so salty?

Well, it's the same salt
that's found in the Dead Sea.

Probably because
this airburst event

Probably because
this airburst event
pushed a massive
amount of dirt, water,

pushed a massive
amount of dirt, water,

and salt over the landscape.

SHATNER:
A meteor explosion in the sky?

If Tall el-Hammam
really was Sodom,

could such an explosion
be the reason why the city

is now buried in dirt that has
a high concentration of salt?

Some experts believe
the answer is "yes,"

and they point
to the biblical story

for further evidence
of the connection

between the destruction
of Sodom and salt.

CARGILL:
The story of Sodom

essentially picks up
in Genesis 19,

where you have these
two angels that look like men

who travel down to visit Lot,
who's living down in Sodom.

And Lot shows them
tremendous hospitality,

and you are supposed
to be kind to immigrants.

You're supposed to be kind
to foreigners, as Lot has done.

God has decided
to destroy the city

because of its wickedness.

So the angels
grab Lot and his family,

and as they're leaving Sodom,

the angels give them
the command,

"Don't even look back."

And then you have
this fascinating detail,

And then you have
this fascinating detail,
where it says that Lot's wife

where it says that Lot's wife

where it says that Lot's wife
turned and looked back,

turned and looked back,

and she turned
into a pillar of salt.

SHATNER:
What could be the significance

of Lot's wife turning
into a pillar of salt?

Does this detail from the story
support the theory that a meteor

explosion in the sky
buried Sodom in dirt and salt?

Perhaps.

But is a meteor explosion
a natural event

But is a meteor explosion
a natural event
or is it an act of God?

or is it an act of God?

There's been a lot of question
about fire and brimstone

coming down from the heavens.

Right? This is one of
these unexplained mysteries.

And there have
been a lot of theories

and this probably
has something to do

with wanting evidence
that proves faith.

A lot of people believe
in these stories,

and archaeology
can confirm them.

I think from a point
of view of sciences,

we look at the biblical text
and we look at the statement of

this was fire and burning stone

this was fire and burning stone
from God out of the heavens.

from God out of the heavens.

from God out of the heavens.
If such an event
actually occurred,

If such an event
actually occurred,

would it have left
some evidences around?

Well, of course, yes.

That's all confirmed
by the science.

Now, science can't tell me
one way or the other

Now, science can't tell me
one way or the other
whether it's an act of God.

whether it's an act of God.

But the event is confirmed.

For the faithful,
the story of Sodom and Gomorrah

is a powerful demonstration
of the wrath of God.

And there's a group
of archaeologists

who claim to have found evidence
to suggest that another story

of divine destruction
really happened.

of divine destruction
really happened.
One that involves a stairway

One that involves a stairway

built to reach the heavens.

SHATNER:
In central Iraq,

60 miles south of Baghdad,

lie the ruins of
the ancient city of Babylon,

which was once the capital
of the Babylonian Empire.

At its height in 600 BC,
Babylon was estimated

to have been the largest
city in the world,

with a population of more
than 200,000 inhabitants.

Perhaps the most intriguing
ruin that remains in Babylon

is the foundation of an ancient,

crumbled brick tower
that was known as

the Etemenanki Ziggurat.

And there those who believe

that the giant ziggurat
may have actually been

the Tower of Babel.

IRVING FINKEL:
The real Tower of Babel,

from which the account
in the Bible derives,

was built by
King Nebuchadnezzar II

at the beginning
of the 6th century BC.

at the beginning
of the 6th century BC.
If you go to Babylon today,

If you go to Babylon today,

you can easily see on the ground
where the ziggurat was,

you can easily see on the ground
where the ziggurat was,
because it is
a rectangular ditch

because it is
a rectangular ditch

with a kind of black square

full of mud and oily water

which delineates
the entire profile

of this great tower of which

nothing else is left.

The tower was built
and made of mud brick.

The building was seven stories

The building was seven stories
with a little temple at the top.

with a little temple at the top.

And there was a brick
staircase without banisters

so that king Nebuchadnezzar II
could mount the staircase

and go up and up
to the very top.

So, it was definitely
the national monument

of the greatest amount of pride.

SHATNER:
Historians have estimated
that the ziggurat

SHATNER:
Historians have estimated
that the ziggurat
stood nearly 300 feet high

stood nearly 300 feet high

or roughly as tall
as the Statue of Liberty.

But is it possible that
this Babylonian structure was,

But is it possible that
this Babylonian structure was,
in fact,
the real tower of Babel?

in fact,
the real tower of Babel?

Perhaps the answer
can be found by examining

the story that is
recorded in the Bible.

HUSSAIN:
In Genesis chapter 11,

you have the story
of the Tower of Babel.

Human beings are united,
they speak the same language,

they build this tower...

...to go up into the heavens.

But then you have God saying,

"Wait a minute,
what are these people doing?

They're going to build this

and they're going to
come up to where I am."

And so, God basically
confounds these people

by having them speak
different languages,

so they're not able
to understand each other.

CARGILL:
God says, "Let's scramble
their languages,

"and then they won't be
able to communicate

with one another."

This is one of the most
famous stories of the Bible.

I think that the Tower of Babel
is based on a ziggurat.

If you're an ancient Hebrew,
an Israelite,

and you walk up to one of these

large ziggurats, you're
gonna be overwhelmed. Right?

You've never seen
anything like this.

MARK ALTAWEEL:
It's very possible that
the ziggurat of Babylon

may be associated
with the Tower of Babel.

There's a lot of parallels.

There's a lot of parallels.
One is the location.

One is the location.

Babel is another name
for Babylon.

Babel is another name
for Babylon.
That's more of a Semitic name.

That's more of a Semitic name.

So the location's certainly
correct and it certainly was

a very tall tower, as suggested
by biblical sources.

SHATNER:
Some archaeologists claim
that the most intriguing

connection between this
structure and the Tower of Babel

can be found
in the remaining bricks

from the foundation of
the ziggurat.

FINKEL:
Some of the bricks that we have

have on the upper
or lower surface

have on the upper
or lower surface
a thick black deposit.

a thick black deposit.

And this is
the remains of bitumen,

which, when the original
building was put together,

functioned as cement.

And in the account in Genesis,
it is pointed out

that the Tower of Babel
was built of mud brick

with bitumen in between.

So this is a very convincing
piece of evidence

that the one building
is predicated on the other.

SHATNER:
But if this ziggurat
was the Tower of Babel,

then how was it destroyed?

then how was it destroyed?
According to
an ancient Hebrew text

According to
an ancient Hebrew text

known as The Book of Jubilees,
God was so angry with humans

for building the Tower of Babel
that he summoned a mighty wind

to knock over the tower.

Is it possible
it was brought down

by the power of God?

PHILLIPS:
Some experts believe

that the story
of the Tower of Babel

and its destruction by God
is based on an historical event,

an earthquake in ancient times.

In fact, quite a few ancient
towers in the city of Babylon,

in what's now Iraq,
were destroyed by earthquakes.

Archaeologists know that
that area was and still is

prone to earthquakes,
because in the year 2017,

there was the largest
magnitude earthquake

there was the largest
magnitude earthquake
in the world in that year

in the world in that year

and the epicenter
was only 100 miles

from what was
the ancient city of Babylon.

SHATNER:
If an earthquake
did destroy the ziggurat,

that could lend support
to the theory that it was

that could lend support
to the theory that it was
the legendary Tower of Babel.

the legendary Tower of Babel.

But many experts believe

the true power
of the Tower of Babel story

is that thousands
of years later, its warning

about the consequences of
challenging God still endures.

CARGILL:
The story of
the Tower of Babel is

absolutely fascinating because

you have God basically
curse all of humankind

by scrambling
all of the language.

And the moral to the story being

you're not supposed to show
that kind of arrogance.

You shouldn't try
to be like God.

Did an earthquake topple
the Tower of Babel?

And if so, is it possible
that catastrophic disasters

can actually be directed
by the hand of God?

Perhaps further clues
can be found by examining

Perhaps further clues
can be found by examining
the Plagues of Egypt,

the Plagues of Egypt,

where God is said to have
harnessed the power of nature

where God is said to have
harnessed the power of nature
not once but ten times.

not once but ten times.

SHATNER:
The Nile River, Egypt.

At a staggering 4,130 miles,

this river that winds

through the deserts
of northern Africa

is considered to be
the longest in the world.

In ancient times,
the Nile was the center

of the Egyptian civilization.

But the Nile is perhaps
most famous for being the site

of the Plagues of Egypt,

a miraculous series of events
that is recorded

in the Book of Exodus.

HUSSEIN:
In the Book of Exodus,

the chosen people of God,
the Israelites, are in Egypt

and they've become
enslaved by Pharaoh.

And so here's God,
who sends Moses

to Pharaoh, saying,

"Let my people,
my chosen people, go."

Pharaoh, of course, isn't
going to let his workforce go.

And so God sends
these ten plagues.

SHATNER:
As the story goes, God turned
the water of the Nile River

to blood.

When that didn't
convince the pharaoh,

God rained down
frogs from the sky.

And he sent lice, flies,
pestilence, and boils

to harm the people and animals.

Then God summoned a mighty
thunderstorm of hail and fire,

followed by a swarm of locusts

that covered the land of Egypt.

When Pharaoh
still didn't listen,

God created a darkness

that lasted three days to fill
the people's hearts with dread.

Finally, God sent
the angel of death

to claim Egypt's
firstborn sons,

including
the pharaoh's oldest son.

Only then did the pharaoh

finally set Moses
and his people free.

CARGILL:
According to the Bible,

God is clearly responsible
for the plagues.

However,

you might be able
to understand how the pharaoh

might see these plagues

as coincidence, as naturally
occurring phenomenon.

But when so many plagues
occur back-to-back,

But when so many plagues
occur back-to-back,
then he's convinced.

then he's convinced.

It's a story about how God
wants people to be free,

It's a story about how God
wants people to be free,
and not oppressed
and not exploited.

and not oppressed
and not exploited.

SHATNER:
Were the ten plagues
really acts of God?

Or can they be
explained by other means?

Many biblical historians agree

that before that question
can even be answered,

it must first be established

whether the ten plagues
actually happened at all.

PHILLIPS:
There exists an ancient

PHILLIPS:
There exists an ancient
Egyptian text called
the Ipuwer manuscript...

Egyptian text called
the Ipuwer manuscript...

...written at the time
that the Exodus is supposed

to have occurred,
that tells us that Egypt was

afflicted by what
the Bible describes as plagues.

It talks about the river
Nile turning blood red.

It talks about plagues
of flies and locusts.

It talks about
boils on people's skins,

and it talks about
cattle dying in the fields.

and it talks about
cattle dying in the fields.
So, according
to the Ipuwer manuscript

So, according
to the Ipuwer manuscript

the plagues of the Exodus
could actually have happened.

SHATNER:
But if the Plagues of Egypt
did in fact take place,

then how did so many
different calamities occur

in such a relatively
short period of time?

Some researchers suggest
that a natural disaster

may have been
the cause of the plagues.

PHILLIPS:
What's fascinating
is that many of the plagues

described in the book of Exodus

bear an uncanny resemblance

to the effects
of a volcanic eruption.

For example,
when volcanoes go off,

you get volcanic ash clouds
that cover the skies,

day turns to night.

And then you get
something called iron oxide,

which is a red substance

that can be thrown
out of volcanoes,

and when it goes into the water,
turns the water red.

and when it goes into the water,
turns the water red.
You might think
that frogs and flies

You might think
that frogs and flies

are nothing to do
with a volcanic eruption.

But what happens is when
a volcano goes off,

the larger predators are killed

by inhaling the volcanic dust.

And because of this,

smaller animals that would
have been eaten

smaller animals that would
have been eaten
by the larger predators survive.

by the larger predators survive.

So you end up with
millions of frogs,

So you end up with
millions of frogs,
flies, locusts,

flies, locusts,

other insects

that you wouldn't
have had otherwise,

just like the plagues
in the Bible.

MICHIO KAKU: If you have
atmospheric anomalies

created by the eruption
of this volcano,

all of a sudden, everything
you're accustomed to seeing,

night and day
and cycles of temperature,

get thrown out of kilter
because of a major eruption

that has taken place.

That may have caused
the ten plagues

mentioned in the Bible
that afflicted Egypt.

SHATNER:
Is it possible
that the Plagues of Egypt

were caused by fallout
from a volcanic eruption?

Perhaps.

But what could explain
the tenth and final plague:

the death of Egypt's firstborn?

HUSSEIN:
There's no easy explanation

for this angel
of the Lord who slays

the firstborn of Egypt

or why this happens,
other than this is God saying,

or why this happens,
other than this is God saying,
"Okay, here's the last straw."

"Okay, here's the last straw."

But oftentimes,
the point of the story

isn't to talk
about scientific truths.

It's to talk about
human relationships.

It's about what do we do
when we're not living

in right relationship
with God or with each other.

The story of the ten plagues

persists because it's not about
the science of the miracle.

It's about freedom.

When God successfully gets
the Hebrews out of Egypt,

that's when they turn
to the heavens and say,

that's when they turn
to the heavens and say,
"God works in mysterious ways."

"God works in mysterious ways."

Were the ten plagues caused

by a naturally occurring
volcanic eruption

or by an act of God?

For many, the answer may simply
come down to a matter of faith.

But perhaps we can learn more
about the power of faith

by examining how the ancient
Hebrews escaped Egypt

by examining how the ancient
Hebrews escaped Egypt
when Moses held out his staff

when Moses held out his staff

and God parted the Red Sea.

SHATNER:
In northeastern Egypt,

there's a 120-mile stretch
of the Red Sea

that separates Africa
from the Sinai Peninsula.

that separates Africa
from the Sinai Peninsula.
In addition to being

In addition to being

one of the busiest shipping
routes in the world,

the Red Sea is also widely
believed to be the site

of a miracle that continues
to capture our imagination.

CARGILL: Following
the story of the Exodus,

Moses successfully
gets the Hebrews

out of Egypt and they take off,

out of Egypt and they take off,
but then the pharaoh,
in his anger

but then the pharaoh,
in his anger

and in the realization
that he's lost his free labor,

says, "I changed my mind,

says, "I changed my mind,
go get those guys."

go get those guys."

And so now the Hebrews
find themselves on the run,

with this massive body of water
ahead of them--

understood to be
"the Red Sea"--

and the Egyptian army
behind them.

SHATNER:
According to the Bible,

as the Egyptian soldiers were
closing in on the Israelites,

Moses held out his staff
across the waters

Moses held out his staff
across the waters
and God parted the Red Sea.

and God parted the Red Sea.

HUSSEIN:
The Israelites are able

to walk across the sea,
and then Pharaoh's army

comes rushing in after them,
and the sea closes in,

comes rushing in after them,
and the sea closes in,
collapses and kills them.

collapses and kills them.

And so the story gets resolved

by Moses and the Israelites
escaping through the miracle

of God with the parting
of the Red Sea.

SHATNER:
Biblical scholars point
to the parting of the Red Sea

as a story that is meant
to show that the power of God

can bring salvation
to those who are downtrodden.

HUSSEIN:
The parting of the Red Sea,

it's this amazing kind of story
because it very much is

this vengeful God

who has this
extraordinary power

saying, "Okay, here's
the reward for the righteous."

Moses and his people
are able to get free.

Moses and his people
are able to get free.
Here's the punishment
for the wicked,

Here's the punishment
for the wicked,

you know, Pharaoh and his army.

SHATNER:
On the surface,

the parting of the Red Sea
may seem farfetched

compared to other acts of God

compared to other acts of God
that resemble
natural occurrences,

that resemble
natural occurrences,

such as the Great Flood
or the ten plagues.

But there are some
researchers who believe

that there is evidence to
suggest that the literal parting

of an enormous body of water
is actually possible.

And they claim a clue
can be found in the way

the Bible says God used
his power to part the Red Sea.

CARL DREWS:
The biblical account

of the parting of the water
is told in Exodus chapter 14.

And there's two key verses.
I will read them.

"Then Moses stretched out
his hand over the sea..."

So there's this detail
in the account that says

how the wind blew,
and the water shifted,

and the dry land emerged
from the sea bottom.

SHATNER:
But what was the mysterious wind

that God used
to part the Red Sea?

Well, according
to some scientists,

it could have been
an unusual weather phenomenon

it could have been
an unusual weather phenomenon
that is known as "wind setdown."

that is known as "wind setdown."

DREWS:
When a strong wind blows

on a body of water,
the body of water shifts,

on a body of water,
the body of water shifts,
all the water in one direction.

all the water in one direction.

Now, on one side
it's called "storm surge,"

because the waters
are gonna build up there.

On the other side,
the level drops,

and that's called
"wind setdown."

Then, when the wind stops,
the waters come back again

Then, when the wind stops,
the waters come back again
just like the Bible says.

just like the Bible says.

One theory is that Moses
could have timed it.

He knew when the next
rush of water would come in.

And the Egyptians
would blindly walk

into the trap and get flooded.

DREWS:
This kind of event happens
only by hourly timing,

and the Bible reports that God
told Moses to be at this place

and at this time and be ready
for what's gonna happen.

So, the mystery here
is really in the timing.

Could the parting of
the Red Sea have been the result

Could the parting of
the Red Sea have been the result
of a weather phenomenon?

of a weather phenomenon?

Some scientists believe
that it's plausible,

particularly since there
are multiple historical accounts

of strange wind
activity in this area.

In the year 1798,

Napoleon and his troops

were crossing
over the Red Sea area.

But then, water
suddenly rushes in,

and Napoleon's troops
almost drowned as a consequence.

So, some people think
that what happened

to Napoleon and his troops

might have happened
on a much larger scale

to the Egyptian army.

DREWS:
There is an account from 1882

where a British general,
Major Tulloch,

was surveying along
the shores of the Suez Canal

was surveying along
the shores of the Suez Canal
in the eastern Nile Delta.

in the eastern Nile Delta.

He describes how the wind blew
all night long from the east,

and he had to go into
his tent and hunker down.

and he had to go into
his tent and hunker down.
The next morning,

The next morning,

he reports that the natives were
walking around on dry ground

where the previous day
they had been in their boats.

Immediately,
it flashed to his mind:

this is like Moses
and the Israelites

this is like Moses
and the Israelites
and the parting of the Red Sea.

and the parting of the Red Sea.

ROBERT RUSSELL:
The miracles of the Bible

in some way reflect
our limited knowledge

of the way the world works.

People didn't have the science

to describe the underlying
events in nature.

to describe the underlying
events in nature.
And even now, we don't have

And even now, we don't have

enough knowledge to know
why some events happen.

The point is that scientific
knowledge of natural processes

doesn't exclude God
bringing them about.

God acts through these events.

The debate as to whether
God could be responsible

for inexplicable
natural phenomena

is not limited to
stories from the Bible.

In fact, there are many
who wonder whether

some of the most powerful
disasters in our world today

some of the most powerful
disasters in our world today
could also be signs

could also be signs

of divine intervention.

SHATNER:
A 7.2 magnitude earthquake
levels the country,

SHATNER:
A 7.2 magnitude earthquake
levels the country,
and more than
2,000 people are killed.

and more than
2,000 people are killed.

In the hours following
the initial jolt,

aftershocks collapse hundreds of
thousands of weakened buildings

and torrential rains
flood the streets,

causing billions
of dollars in damages.

HUSSEIN:
Haiti is an example
of good people

who have horrible
things happen to them.

The fact that you have
people who are religious...

...having to do burials
literally in the rubble...

...and as they're doing
the burials, a flood comes.

How do you make sense of this?

Why does this happen
if God is just?

If God is powerful, you know,

are we cursed?

SHATNER:
It can sometimes seem
like our world is being

SHATNER:
It can sometimes seem
like our world is being
constantly rocked by cataclysms.

constantly rocked by cataclysms.

Disasters such as tsunamis,

tornados and hurricanes
often devastate

vulnerable communities,
wreaking havoc

on innocent people's lives.

It's easy to see
how these events

might have been interpreted as
acts of God in biblical times

when our scientific
understanding was more limited.

But there's many who believe
that a higher power

But there's many who believe
that a higher power
continues to influence our world

continues to influence our world

in mysterious ways that
we don't fully understand.

in mysterious ways that
we don't fully understand.
Our brain cannot stand chaos.

Our brain cannot stand chaos.

We hate it when
natural disasters happen

and there's no meaning at all.

And so we interpret
our religious, our ethical

standards to that event,

and we try to make
a lesson out of it.

It was the will of God himself
that created that disaster,

or that anomaly.

And so, we're hardwired
to do this.

We can't help it.

We can't help it.
Because a feature
of the human brain

Because a feature
of the human brain

is that we try to find meaning.

To this very day,

there are people,
when there's a drought,

who get together
to pray for rain.

When people feel helpless,

when people have
nowhere to turn,

especially during
natural disasters,

that's when they turn
to the heavens.

We still call them
"acts of God."

And it goes back to all of these
ancient stories in the Bible.

SHATNER:
Biblical scholars and historians

suggest that humanity's
search for meaning

is one reason why
the acts of God from the Bible

is one reason why
the acts of God from the Bible
continue to have
relevance today,

continue to have
relevance today,

thousands of years
after they were recorded.

COLLINS: Science can tell us
a lot of things

about the ancient world,

but can science say
that the Bible is

factual, historically factual?

That's why archaeologists
continue to dig.

Because if we thought
we were satisfied

Because if we thought
we were satisfied
with what we know
at the present time,

with what we know
at the present time,

we'd stop.

CARGILL:
For the believer,

there's faith-affirming
power in these ancient

stories in the Bible

about a flood,
or a hailstorm, or a plague,

or fire and brimstone
that destroys a city

when there's lots of scientific
evidence that supports it.

Because at the end
of the day, they can say

this is the hand of God.

(man chanting prayer)

HUSSEIN:
We talk about
the mystery of faith

because we're human beings.

What's really key here is that

the hand of God is
at work all around,

whether it's in wonderful,
we would call blessed events,

whether it's in wonderful,
we would call blessed events,
or whether
it's in horrific events.

or whether
it's in horrific events.

Is God there
in the hurricane? Yeah.

Is God there in the birth
of the new child? Yeah.

And both these things
are examples of the hand of God.

The power is God all around us.

So, what do you think?

Were some of the most
famous disasters and miracles

described in the Bible
really acts of God?

Well, at the very least,
there are plenty of reasons

to think that these events
did, in fact, happen.

But as to whether
they were caused

But as to whether
they were caused
by a higher power...

by a higher power...

that, my friends, is a question
that will continue to remain

that, my friends, is a question
that will continue to remain
unexplained.

unexplained.

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