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by Bill Perkins
Noah's flood really did happen. To deny it's a real event, accurately recorded in scripture, is to deny the trustworthiness of the entire Bible.
Noah's Flood is NOT a fable, myth or parable and Christians need to know how to answer the most basic questions that people raise regarding this incredible event.
Let's begin with a quick summary of the events:
"God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth." Gen. 6:13
"Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. Gen. 6:17
"Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch. Gen. 6:14
"Then the LORD said to Noah, "Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time. You shall take with you of every clean animal by sevens, a male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean two, a male and his female; also of the birds of the sky, by sevens, male and female, to keep offspring alive on the face of all the earth." Gen. 7:3
"... the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened. The rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights." Gen. 7:11
"The water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered." Gen. 7:19
"God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided." Gen. 8:1
"In the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat." Gen. 8:4
"Then God spoke to Noah, saying, Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons' wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you, birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth." Gen. 8:15-17
To those of us who believe in Biblical inerrancy, the scriptural account of a worldwide flood is not hard to believe. We know the entire earth could be flooded because God originally created the earth as a planet of all water.
"The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters." Gen. 1:2
On day two of the Creation week, the wording indicates a lot of the earth's water was taken up into the clouds.
Some have theorized that this was a sort of vapor canopy and it shielded the sun's rays... possibly the reason people lived longer in those days.
"...the earth was formed out of water and by water," 2Pet 3:5
"Then God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters. God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so. God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day. Gen. 1:6-8
It's quite humorous that lately you hear the claim from scientists that Mars was at one time flooded with water.(1) There's not a drop of water on Mars today, but they think it was once flooded! But the earth, with 5/6 of the planet covered with water today, couldn't have had a worldwide flood. Please, where is the common sense?
But realistically, all this is simply an attack on God and His authority. They don't want to admit that God can do anything He wants, anytime He wants.
Let's face the facts--God created the heavens and the earth by speaking them into existence (Ps. 33:9). We can never truly grasp that fact because we're mere mortals with limited brains and understanding. So it's not necessary that we totally understand everything about how or why God does what He does.
"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law." Deut. 29:29
"He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end." Eccl. 3:11
But God says we can trust what He reveals in His Word to be true. So we do, believing and defending every Word of the Bible, including the account of the worldwide flood.
And we're in good company--look who else believes the flood was real:
Isaiah - Is. 54:9
Ezekiel - Ezek. 14:14
Peter - 2 Pet. 2:5
Jesus - Mat. 24:37
But the unbelieving world doesn't accept that the Bible is God's infallible word-for-word truth. Most non-Believers think the creation story, the worldwide flood, the account of Jonah and the great fish, etc., are fanciful, imaginative and made-up stories.
And based on the number of people who are upset with the mere notion that Noah's Ark was being rebuilt, the sight of the massive structure must have struck a deep-seated nerve in non-Bible Believers. They're aghast that the Bible could be portrayed so boldly as being 100% true, every word.
They SHOULD be concerned because if they can't shout down the truth about the accuracy of the story of Noah, then other parts of the Bible might also be true--like heaven and hell, and who goes where. Oh what a comical dilemma the rebuilt Ark is for those who don't believe the Bible is God's infallible Word.
This has so bothered so many that a group of atheists named "Tri-State Freethinkers" erected a billboard disparaging the Ark, comparing the Biblical account to "genocide and incest" and going "Back to the dARK ages."(see picture of billboard below)
They've raised over $10,000 to put up more billboards. But as of today the billboard companies in the area have declined to give them any more advertising space.
And here at Compass we know that just advertising our conference coming up this September has caused some people to come unglued! We've had more feedback on our Compass' Facebook conference ad than we ever imagined possible.
Here's the ad:
Above is the ad we're running in Facebook accounts in
Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana--some love it, some not so much!
The above ad is just simply giving them the details of how to join us. It's an advertisement, and not a normal post. The learn more link goes to: https://compass.org/steelingnoahsark/
Yet this ad's received over 500 likes and over 400 shares to date! That's amazing for a normal "look-what-we're-doing" post, much less a business ad!
Unfortunately many of the non-approving comments have had to be deleted due to the foul language used attacking our stance that the Bible is 100% true.
Obviously we're not trying to provoke the ire of non-Believers. In fact, Facebook promised the ads would only go on the Facebook personal pages of those who stated in their profile that their religion was "Christian."
Well, apparently a LOT of vocal "Christians" don't believe the Bible is literal. We're being called everything from "idiots" to "ignoring science."
The tone of their arguments really sound more like accusations because, again, if they lose this argument, oh dear, the Bible may be true. And that of course is unacceptable to have to be accountable to a sovereign and righteous God.
"So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God." Romans 14:12
The bottom line is that this accurately replicated Ark is inciting nervousness in the non-Believer. And God may very well use it in an evangelistic way. Hey, when we SCIENTIFICALLY raise eyebrows proving the world was once totally flooded for over a year, then next to fall could be evolution itself--Satan's biggest lie! So their annoyance will move to anger to furious wrath. We should expect it.
In fact, the Bible says that in the time in which we live there will be mockers mocking. And they will vocally deride both the flood and the Second Coming.
"Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation. For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. 2Pet. 3:3-6
Therefore, to provide some armor to use when this discussion comes up with friends, family and coworkers, here are basic answers to some of the typical arguments against Noah building an Ark and surviving a horrific and catastrophic flood of the earth.
The Bible says the flood was worldwide.
The water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered. Gen. 7:19
Bible Skeptics Say:
"Obviously the flood had to be local and not worldwide because it could not have covered all the mountain peaks like Mt. Everest."
Answer:
This is the classic mistake of assuming that the mountains like Mt. Everest were that high prior to the flood. But they were not. It didn't even rain before the flood... which I'm sure made Noah and his family the laughing stock of earth at the time he was building the Ark.
Below in Ps. 104:6-9 you can plainly see that after the world was flooded, THEN the mountains were raised and the valleys created by God. So the water only had to cover the highest mountain at the time of Noah.
"You covered it with the deep as with a garment; The waters were standing above the mountains. At Your rebuke they fled, at the sound of Your thunder they hurried away. The mountains rose; the valleys sank down to the place which you established for them." Psa.104:6-8
Scientists now have discovered there is a lot more water below the surface than above. Therefore there is certainly plenty of water to flood the earth.
Also, there is enough water on the exterior of the earth today that if the earth was smoothed over, the mountains flattened and the ocean depths raised, the water would be two miles deep over the entire earth!
It's also worth noting that the reason we have bad weather today is because when God "raised the mountains and lowered the valleys," the height and topography of these NEW mountains caused the storms, tornadoes, flooding, hurricanes, tsunamis and such that we have today.
And even more interestingly, during the coming 7-Year Tribulation the Bible says the mountains will again be lowered.
And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. Rev. 16:20
Therefore after the tribulation when Jesus reigns on the earth for 1000 years, there won't be weather problems with which He'll have to concern Himself. The removal of the high mountains will smooth down the earth's surface to be more like the earth before the flood.
There's no telling how beautiful the earth was prior to the flood. The residual beauty today is probably only slightly similar to the unimaginable lushness of original earth created by God. All we know is that the destructive flood and receding waters radically rearranged the earth's surface.
The flood lasted for more than a year so there is no way it was a local flood, it could only be global. And if it were local, there would have been no need for an Ark to save mankind and all the animals.
Trying to make it local undermines the specificity of the account in the Bible, making a mockery of scripture.
The Bible says EVERYTHING was destroyed by the flood.
"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." Gen. 7:23
Bible Skeptics Say:
"Why would God flood the earth when he could just 'poof' everyone out of existence? That's so inefficient."
Answer:
God is God, He can do what He wants. He makes the rules and didn't consult us humans. He defines sin and the penalties for unforgiven sin. What He does, according to the Bible, is in our best interest, even if we don't understand it.
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. Is. 55:8
The Bible Says the earth was destroyed by water:
"Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. Gen. 6:17
Bible skeptics say:
"There is no geographical or archeological evidence whatsoever for a worldwide flood."
That is simply untrue. The evidence for a worldwide flood is overwhelming. If there were a catastrophic worldwide flood where much or most of the water came from below, you would expect to find layers of sedimentary rock laid down quickly by water containing billions of fossils.
And that's exactly what we find today, billions of plants and animal fossils laid down in sedimentary layers all over the globe. They were drowned and buried so quickly they couldn't even be eaten by scavengers.
And to add cold water in the face of evolutionists, the layers of sedimentary layers all over the globe are laid down by weight, the heaviest material at the bottom and the lightest at the top and perfectly graduated by weight in-between. Exactly what you would expect from a worldwide flood.
Fish Fossils Above 10,000 Feet
Millions of fish died in the turbulent waters during the flood and are fossilized today for us to see. Below is a fish fossil that not only contains a fossilized fish, but also fish feces near his mouth.
When a fish poops in the water, the feces disintegrates in about 20-30 seconds. So for the fish to have been covered and fossilized together it would have had to have been a quite sudden and catastrophic event.
Even more interesting is that the fish and poop fossil was found near the top of Mt. Elbert in Colorado, the highest mountain in Colorado. How did those fish get buried quickly up that high if there had been no worldwide flood covering the mountains? Why can fish fossils be found on or near the top of every mountain worldwide? Because the flood covered the whole earth!
The Bible Says the Ark held two of every kind of animal.
"You shall take with you of every clean animal by sevens, a male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean two, a male and his female; Gen. 7:2
Bible skeptics say:
"There is no way two of all the animals on the earth could fit in the Ark!"
Answer:
That's precisely why the rebuilt Ark in Kentucky is raising so many eyebrows. It proves that the Ark, built to the dimensions God gave Noah in Genesis, is large enough
to contain two of every kind (not species) of animal in the world, Noah and his family and food and water for all to live for over a year, with room to spare!
The rebuilt Ark in Kentucky even shows how Noah's family would have been able to care for all the animals and dispose of all their waste. It is likely Noah and his family only had to deal with about 6700 individual animals, and most of them were small and easily maintained.
Dinosaurs are often brought up for ridicule due to their size. But only two dinosaurs would have been needed, and most dinosaurs were about the size of an average sheep. Not to mention, you didn't need to bring along adults of every "kind," two youths of each kind would do.
You didn't need one of every dog breed. Two dogs would do just fine. Skeptics love to ask the question, "You're telling me all the dog breeds in the world came from only two dogs?" And of course the answer is yes, and it is easily proven through genetics. But also point out they think that dogs evolved from a rock! 🙂
The Bible says God gathered the animals and birds to the Ark.
"Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. Gen. 6:20
"... went into the ark to Noah by twos, male and female, as God had commanded Noah." Gen 7:9
Bible skeptics say:
"How did all the animals get to the Ark from other continents?"
Answer:
The Bible says God brought the animals. He certainly could have supernaturally brought them from afar. But also it's possible that there was just one continent at the time on the earth.
The Bible says God gave the size of the Ark to build.
"This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits." Gen. 6:15 (over 500 feet long)
Bible skeptics say:
"Noah didn't have the technology or manpower to build a boat of that size."
Answer:
The Ark was built only 16 centuries from the time of Adam and humans were originally built perfect. The ravages of sin had only begun to take its toll. The Bible says they were building cities, making musical instruments and even working with metal (Gen. 4:17, 21, 22). So there's no reason to think that Noah couldn't have built the Ark.
The Bible doesn't say whether or not Noah employed outside personnel to assist in the construction, which is possible. But even if the Ark construction was limited to Noah and his sons, they had ample time to build the Ark...between 80 and 100 years.
It's not surprising that the God-given ratio of 30 X 5 X 3 is the standard ratio used in shipbuilding today to be the most seaworthy.
The Bible says God destroyed every living thing in the flood.
"Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. Gen. 6:17
Bible Skeptics Say:
"A loving God would never destroy so many innocent people."
Answer:
Not true. God is a God of justice and sometimes killed tens of thousands at a time in the Old Testament due to mankind's sinful ways. Thankfully He sent His only Son to pay the price for our sins so we could escape the penalty of eternal death. This free gift is open to anyone who believes the Gospel.
"if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;" Rom. 10:9
Why?
And we need to never forget THE REASON for Noah's Flood: God's worldwide judgment on a sinful people. Our loving God is a righteous but just God. God gives us an account of His past judgments to remind us of his future prophesied judgments. God is not mocked.
There is a penalty for sin. And there is a future worldwide judgement coming when the Lord removes the Holy Spirit from the earth. The Flood of Noah is a reminder of that fact.
References:
(1) http://science.time.com/2013/03/11/the-great-and-recent-martian-flood/
