Truth Series - The Flood

Okay, this one is going to be short. I promise. Maybe.

Local or world wide?

When it comes to Noah's flood, or rather God's flood, do you believe that it was localized in the middle east or did the flood waters cover the earth? By the way, the picture above is Answer in Genesis' depiction of what a local flood would have had to look like...

Well, what does the Bible say? Read it for yourself:

Genesis 7:17-23: Then the flood came upon the earth for forty days, and the water increased and lifted up the ark so that it rose above the earth. The water prevailed and increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. The water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered. The water prevailed fifteen cubits higher, and the mountains were covered. All flesh that moved on the earth perished, birds and cattle and beasts and every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth, and all mankind; of all that was on the dry land, all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died. Thus He blotted out every living thing that was upon the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky, and they were blotted out from the earth. and only Noah was left, together with those that were with him in the ark.

God's word makes a clear claim - the water covered every mountain by fifteen cubits and every living thing on earth died. If it was a local flood, then you would have to believe that there were only mountains in the middle east and that the only animals on the earth lived there as well. Period.

You might be wondering why this is a truth that I believe is discounted by believers. Well, if you believe that the whole world was flooded and ultimately destroyed from the flood waters, as Peter mentions in II Peter 3:5,6, then you are in the minority in the church today. Why? Because most don't agree with you. Most don't believe a literal account of Genesis for reasons I stated in my last post and they don't think that it really matters whether it was a local flood or a world-wide flood. If you don't believe me, ask around. Ask the believers you know what they think of the flood. You are going to be surprised.

Why is this a big deal? Does it really matter? Well, it matters for a few reasons. First of all, God's Word says it was a world-wide flood. That is reason enough to believe it. When believers discount the truth of the above verses, they are in essence calling God a liar. And if the Bible contains lies disguised as truth, then we're in big trouble, wouldn't you say? So when the Bible makes a truth statement, like the earth was completely covered with flood waters and everything died, then we must believe it and stand on it.

Another reason that this matters is that the flood supports the young earth theory. It uniquely provides the answer to the geological strata that, barring a major catastrophe, could only have been laid over millions of years. But if you believe the literal account of creation, then you know the earth is not old but young. The appearance of age then has to come from somewhere, and the flood gives us our explanation.

And by the way, did you know that on every mountain top there have been found fossils of sea life? Curious, wouldn't you say? But not unexpected if you believe the Genesis account of a world-wide flood.

Okay, I'll be done with this one...short enough?