Was the Flood a literal event or Not?

The flood in Genesis was global and literal and there is evidence to prove it. This part of

Genesis is the most controversial because it can be interpreted in many ways. Over the course of

time the evidence is mounting over time as researchers find reason to believe that the flood

happened. Genesis is a controversial book because it was written long past the time that these

events happened, which leaves people to wonder whether what Moses wrote is true or not. Over

time researchers and scientists have found evidence that proves that the flood has happened.

There are many ways to interpret the Bible. 

“The various sedimentary rock layers that we now see stacked up on top of one another

thus supposedly slowly accumulated as sea creatures were progressively buried.”(“Was The

Flood of Noah Global or Local in Extent?”) This shows that there was a time before the flood

took place and that there were major land changes in elevation because there are different rock

layers that fossils are found to prove it. It also shows that it happened a long time ago because it

took a long time for the layers to form and solidify. “We find fossils of sea creatures in rock

layers that cover all the continents. For example, most of the rock layers in the walls of [the]

Grand Canyon (more than a mile above sea level) contain marine fossils. Fossilized shellfish are

even found in the Himalayas.”(Snelling) This proves that the flood took place globally and that

the earth was completely covered. Finding fossils in the Himalayas and the Grand Canyon

proves that the flood did take place globally because we find fossils of sea creatures miles away

from any seas or oceans. “Four hundred feet below the surface, they unearthed an ancient

shoreline, proof to Ballard that a catastrophic event did happen in the Black Sea. By carbon

dating shells found along the shoreline, Ballard said he believes they have established a timeline

for that catastrophic event, which he estimates happened around 5,000 BC. Some experts believe
this was around the time when Noah's flood could have occurred.”(Millman) This shows that the

flood happened because there is evidence of different shorelines under the earth which supports

the theory that a flood happened and changed the terrain of the land. The different shoreline must

mean that there was a time that the earth looked different than it does now, this proves that a

flood must have happened at some point in history. 

““The structure is partitioned into different spaces," said Noah's Ark Ministries

International team member Man-fai Yuen in a statement. "We believe that the wooden structure

we entered is the same structure recorded in historical accounts. ... "The team says radiocarbon-

dated wood taken from the discovery site—whose location they're keeping secret for now—

shows the purported ark is about 4,800 years old, which coincides roughly with the time of

Noah's flood implied by the Bible.”” (Than) This is evidence that Noah built the ark and it

proves that the flood did happen at some point in time.  This is solid evidence that there was an

ark built and it suits the theory of the flood.

“Gopher wood is mentioned only here in the Old Testament. It probably refers to a type

of cedar or pine.” (Chaffey) The wood from the ark is a strong wood, we know this because we

have found wood that is from the ark according to research. The wood is closely related to cedar

or pine which are common wood used for building. These two species of wood are very similar,

they are strong, durable and moisture resistant. These are all good qualities you want in a big

boat that will go through a worldwide flood, which makes it reasonable to think that the wood is

a type of cedar or pine.

  “11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters

of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the

sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a
covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the

sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” (“Genesis 9:11-13 (NIV)”) If you believe that it

was local and God promised never to send a flood to the earth it means that God has broken his

covenant. If you believe in the Bible then you believe that God doesn’t break his word which

makes believing the worldwide flood was not worldwide means you believe God does not keep

his word.

“ Only by undergoing rapid burial, away from scavengers, bacteria, and oxygen, can an

organism be fossilized. Yet we find fossils in almost every rock type. Surely catastrophic

processes are displayed in the fossils.”(“Do Fossils Show Signs of Rapid Burial?”) “This proves

that the conditions of a flood would have been perfect for fossilizing an animal. Because without

the rapid burial the dead animal would have decomposed and it would not have been buried

perfectly in the ground keeping its shape. “Obviously, animals or plants must be quickly buried

to avoid the action of scavengers”(“Do Fossils Show Signs of Rapid Burial?”) The animal would

have been rapidly buried during the flood which would have prevented scavengers and predators

from tearing up the entire body shape. This is why we find fossils of entire animals intact today,

not spread out. 

While there is no scientific evidence and the flood might have been a moral lesson, God

promised to never send a global flood ever again, but if the flood was local God already broke

his promise because we see local floods all the time which proves the flood was global because

God’s word is true. Genesis is a controversial book because it was written long past the time that

these events happened, which leaves people to wonder whether what Moses wrote is true or not.

“11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a

flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign
of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant

for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the

covenant between me and the earth.” (“Genesis 9:11-13 (NIV)”) If you believe that it was local

and God promised never to send a flood to the earth it means that God has broken his covenant.

If you believe in the Bible then you believe that God doesn’t break his word which makes

believing the worldwide flood was not worldwide means you believe God does not keep his

word. “ Only by undergoing rapid burial, away from scavengers, bacteria, and oxygen, can an

organism be fossilized. Yet we find fossils in almost every rock type.” This is why we find

fossils of entire animals intact today, not spread out. We also find fossils of sea creatures in

places like the Himalayas and the Grand Canyon which are nowhere near the ocean. This can be

explained by a worldwide flood because the sea creatures would have been spread out across the

world.

 
 Works Cited 

Chaffey, Tim. “Gopher Wood: The Mystery of the Ark’s Timber.” Answers in Genesis, 7

Oct. 2020, answersingenesis.org/noahs-ark/gopher-wood-mystery-arks-timber.

“Do Fossils Show Signs of Rapid Burial?” Answers in Genesis, 3 Nov. 2015,

answersingenesis.org/fossils/how-are-fossils-formed/do-fossils-show-signs-of-rapid-

burial.

“Genesis 9:11-13 (NIV).” Bible Gateway, www.biblegateway.com/passage/?

search=genesis+9%3A11-13&version=NIV. Accessed 26 Sept. 2022.

Millman, Jenna Bryan Taylor And Lauren Effron. “Evidence Noah’s Biblical Flood

Happened, Says Robert Ballard.” ABC News, 7 Mar. 2017,

abcnews.go.com/Technology/evidence-suggests-biblical-great-flood-noahs-time-

happened/story?id=17884533.

Snelling, Andrew. “Geologic Evidences for the Genesis Flood.” Answers in Genesis, 17

Dec. 2020, answersingenesis.org/the-flood/geologic-evidences-for-the-genesis-flood.

Than, Ker. “Noah’s Ark Found in Turkey?” Adventure, 3 May 2021,

www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/100428-noahs-ark-found-in-turkey-

science-religion-culture.

“Was The Flood of Noah Global or Local in Extent?” Answers in Genesis, 13 Apr. 2016,

answersingenesis.org/the-flood/global/was-the-flood-of-noah-global-or-local-in-extent.