Genesis 6-9 contains an account of an enormous flood. The language and imagery indicate this was an inexorable global destruction; for example, all of the high mountains are covered.
Building the Ark would not make sense if its destruction only affected localized areas, nor would God choose water as His instrument of judgment if its effects only extended over a small geographic footprint.
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Creation
The biblical creation story is an unforgettable, poetic, and historically accurate narrative of how God brought about our world. Contained within Genesis chapters 1 and 2, this account details God’s six-day creation process of heavens, earth, animals and us – followed by rest on day 7.
Sin entered into our world shortly after it was created due to disobedient humanity’s refusal to listen and follow God. Unfortunately, its effects can be seen throughout history: many people have died at the hands of evil dictators; natural disasters like hurricanes have decimated entire communities; even animals may become harmful or deadly if left alone untamed and managed. But there is hope for a world damaged by sin’s intrusion; God promises to restore His creation as long as those listening and following His voice continue listening and following Him and listening and obeying Him!
Beginning in the early twentieth century, American society experienced a movement known as Creationism that took seriously biblical accounts of creation and Flood, advocating a literal reading of biblical texts. The movement’s growth was spurred by growing desire to comprehend all parts of existence rather than only local areas, as well as advances in science as well as changes in popular culture that encouraged individuals to question traditional beliefs.
Importantly, it should be emphasized that the biblical Flood account details an event on an international scale. There is no reason to assume that humanity or animals lived only in a particular part of the planet – most likely they lived throughout its surface! Furthermore, God told Adam and Eve to become fruitful and multiply; unfortunately they ignored his command resulting in overpopulation with violence and chaos throughout Earth.
God judged humanity by sending a worldwide Flood that devastated every continent except those taken on board Ark. This disaster was not limited to local areas; rather it devastated an entire species on an unprecedented scale.
Flood
The Bible presents us with an account of God destroying Earth by flooding it in order to cleanse it of evil, following humanity’s persistent sinfulness and rebellion against him. It serves as a warning against anyone who thinks that they can disregard his voice while continuing in disobedience against him.
Many people may believe that the Flood was only local, yet Scripture and geological evidence demonstrate otherwise. One indicator is biblical text which describes its aftermath including two times using phrases like ‘all of earth covered by water” as well as “even the highest mountains were submerged”. These statements reveal its global nature.
Geological evidence also supports a global Flood. Fossils found in sedimentary rock layers attest to this period; and the biblical account states that waters covered all land for one year – suggesting it was widespread.
It is evidence of global flooding when Noah anchored his ark on Mount Ararat; Genesis 6:13 uses the Hebrew term for earth, “eretz”, that appears also in Genesis 1:1 when talking about what God created – thus suggesting he may have been making a comparison between Adam and Noah in that verse.
Be mindful that God was not content to just cleanse the physical realm – He also sought to purify spiritual realm. That’s why He bound up fallen angels for judgment at some future time.
Finally, the story of Noah and the Flood serves as a warning to all humankind. Jesus used Noah’s story as an analogy for what would occur if humanity failed to repent of its ways and find salvation elsewhere.
However, one of the strongest arguments for a universal Flood is found in Noah’s story of gathering all animals onto his Ark except those already existing when the flood took place – meaning all contemporary animal species descended from those on board the ark.
Exodus
Exodus recounts God’s rescue of Israel from slavery in Egypt and outlines His covenant relationship with them, setting an important foundational storyline for understanding all other Old Testament books – this being because Exodus centers around God making Israel his own, while subsequent Old Testament books explore whether or not Israel lives up to those expectations set before them by their Father in Heaven.
Exodus picks up four hundred years after Jacob and his sons joined Joseph’s family in Egypt to escape famine, four hundred years after Jacob had sent his sons and families there to find refuge from famine. There, the new Pharaoh recognizes the increasing Jewish population which poses a potential threat to his power; fearing an uprising against himself he orders that every newborn male be cast into the Nile River by midwives; however one baby boy belonging to Jochebed who had Levites among her was saved from this fate by one wise woman who put him into a basket made of bulrushes which was set adrift on its waters – saved from destruction!
Moses later grows into adulthood and leads his people out of slavery in Egypt across the Red Sea and into the desert near Mount Sinai for camping near him. While most of Exodus is about Israel’s exodus from Egypt, it also features other events and miracles meant to demonstrate God’s power and sovereignty over all.
Biblical texts clearly state that God is the creator of all things, including “a violent earth” (Genesis 1:26). Exodus is a dramatic demonstration of this truth; so too are Flood and Exodus narratives in Genesis’ Book of Genesis as part of God’s plan to create people who would worship him and obey his decrees.
Noah’s Ark
God instructed Noah to construct the Ark as He was concerned for mankind’s wickedness and wanted to preserve life. He warned of judgment that would come upon humanity through the Flood; its purpose being symbolic of Christ dying on behalf of sinful humanity then rising from death itself (Genesis 6-9); its meaning also serves as a warning that His justice will fall on those who do not accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
The Bible informs us of the worldwide nature of the Flood. Genesis 7:21’s use of “all every” makes clear its global scope, supporting God’s statement when He created our planet: “and it was good” (Genesis 1:21)
If the Flood had been localized, there would have been no need to construct such a massive ship and gather so many animals; it would have been easier for Noah to simply move them to other parts of the planet rather than taking two of each animal as insurance against flooding.
Furthermore, the Bible indicates that the Flood lasted more than one year; this contradicts a localized Flood since its waters would not have continued rising for so long. Furthermore, Ararat Mountains was more than five hundred miles from where Ark was constructed – this further shows its vast distance and distance.
Some skeptics assert that the Flood was universal, yet this cannot be supported by biblical account. As God clearly indicated in His Word, He sent a great flood upon all living beings except those saved inside an Ark – this suggests to me that His judgment on humanity must have been immense for such destruction to occur worldwide.
As the flood subsided, life began to flourish once more and life started its return cycle. God promised not to destroy earth through another flood again and thus the rainbow is seen as a sign that He won’t do that again. It’s important to remember that He didn’t intend for His plan to be global but just wanted to judge humanity and start again with humanity’s life journey.
