Was Noah’s Flood Universal?

Was the Flood of Genesis universal, covering all the earth? Or was it merely a regional inundation engulfing only a small area ? This question has troubled many readers of the Genesis story. How can we discover the truth?

by Arnold Mendez

For many, the theory of evolution is the foundational underpinning for the geological and biological sciences. Since evolution is so widely accepted in much of the academic community, many believe that the geological record can only be interpreted using evolutionary guidelines.

These widely accepted guidelines supposedly show that the present is the key to the past. According to this concept (often called uniformitarianism), since there are no worldwide or global floods occurring now, there have been none in the past.

Misled or confused by the scientific community, many readers of Genesis have given in to the concept of a regional or local flood. The Bible, however, is very clear about the magnitude and scope of Noah’s Flood. The biblical story, both in Old and New Testaments, firmly tells us that planet Earth was indeed covered by a universal flood. (For background information concerning what really lies behind many scientists’ belief in evolution and its effect on their view of the Bible, request your free copies of Creation or Evolution: Does it Really Matter What You Believe? and Life’s Ultimate Question: Does God Exist?)

Biblical facts about Noah’s Flood

The Bible says the deluge began in the 600th year of Noah’s life. How long did it last? Many believe that the Flood merely lasted the 40 days and 40 nights of rain followed by a short drying period, after which the earth was ready for Noah and the animals.

They fail to realize how long the whole Flood episode lasted. The Noachian deluge lasted for more than a year (compare Genesis 7:11 and 8:14-15). During this time the earth was covered by water for 150 days—five months. The Bible clearly states that “the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days” (Genesis 7:24; 8:3-4).

Read the full article at www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn47/noahsflood.htm

Related Information on UCG Sites:

Sidebar: Was There Enough Water?
Sidebar: Evidence of a Worldwide Flood
Table of Contents that includes "Was Noah's Flood Universal?"
Other Articles by Arnold Mendez

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