CHAPTER NINE

FLOOD PROBLEMS

The Genesis flood answers many of the questions that are raised when we consider the relatively young age of the earth but when we think about the flood many more questions arise. We need to consider carefully such questions as, can we prove a universal flood? Where would enough water to flood the whole earth come from? Where could the water go? How could a boat be built large enough to hold two of all the animals on the earth? And how could the animals get from one continent to another if they were all released at one place?

CAN WE PROVE A UNIVERSAL FLOOD BY THE BIBLE? In Genesis 7:20 we find, "The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet." Since water seeks its own level, and since the Bible says that the mountains were covered, we must conclude that this was a universal flood.

In Genesis 6:15 we find, "The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high." This is a large ship, in fact, not until 1884 was a ship built larger than the ark.[1] If the flood was a local flood, Noah would not have had to take many animals, and the ark would not have had to have
been that large. But if it was a universal flood, the great size of the ark was necessary.

In Genesis 6:3 we have a strong indication that God gave Noah the warning of the coming flood 120 years before the flood finally came. In 120 years, Noah could have migrated far beyond the influence of any local flood. Therefore, if the flood was not universal, he would not have needed the ark at all.

In Genesis 6:7 we find, "So the Lord said, 'I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth--men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air--.'" Only a universal flood could have accomplished this goal.

In Psalms 104:5-9 David said that there was a universal flood. In II Peter 3:3-7 Peter said that there was a universal flood, and in Luke 17:26,27 our Lord Jesus said that there was a universal flood. Yes, indeed, the Bible does say that the flood was universal. If we reject the universal flood, we reject the Bible because this flood story forms part of the foundation of the Bible, and every house falls when its foundation is removed.

CAN WE PROVE A UNIVERSAL FLOOD FROM SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE?  In recent years archaeologists have found, in three separate locations, an eight-foot lawyer of clean water-laid clay with evidence of an older civilization buried underneath.[2] This is evidence that at one time there was a world-wide flood.

In Henry H. Halley's Bible Handbook, Halley tells us the following: "The story of the flood is universal. Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Hindus, Greeks, Chinese, Phrygians, Fiji Islanders, Esquimaux, Aboriginal Americans, Indians, Brazilians, Peruvians, and indeed every branch of the whole human race...have traditions of a Great Deluge that destroyed all mankind except for one family... All these myths are intelligible only on the supposition that some such event did actually occur."[3]

Scientists estimate that more than seventy-five percent of the earth's surface is sedimentary and has been deposited just like mud is dropped from a river. In India, sedimentary deposits have been found which measure sixty thousand feet deep.[4] This is definite proof of a universal flood.

The bones of fish and shells of sea snails and clams have been found on top of Mount Everest and on top of many other high mountains.[5] Ocean fossils on top of the highest mountains prove a universal flood.

Pillow lava has been found as high as the fourteen thousand foot level on Mount Ararat. This implies that lava issued from inside the earth while Mount Ararat was under water. Water rapidly chills lava, and creates circular formations that resemble pillows.[6] This again is proof of a great depth of water, yes, a universal flood.

A clay female doll was discovered in Nampa, Idaho, by M. A. Kurtz in 1889, at a depth of about three hundred feet below the earth’s surface. (Mr. Kurtz was boring for an artesian well.) This doll proves that once a civilization existed three hundred feet below Nampa, Idaho, or that at one time a great flood washed the doll to that place. Either explanation draws us back to an enormous flood.[7]

The writer of this book has a friend named Wilfred Burgus. Wilfred once told this story: "We were drilling for oil. The drill was eight hundred feet below the Mississippi river basin, and boy were we surprised, for large chunks of Cypress wood came up from that enormous depth." And again we have more proof that there once was a universal flood.

The oldest living things on earth are trees. Many of the giant sequoias are over three thousand years old. A Bristlecone pine tree has been found with 4,600 growth rings. This tree is the oldest living thing known to man. It is interesting to note that this pine tree began to grow at almost the exact year of the flood.[8] Question: "Why is it that man has never found a living thing on this earth that can be dated earlier than the flood?" Is this not evidence that at one time the earth was wiped clean of all living things?

In Chapter 8, we discussed the proof of a universal flood that oil, coal, diamonds, and extreme erosion provides. There is yet one more scientific proof to discuss -- the existence of Noah's ark. If the ark is still on top of Mount Ararat, this would prove that there once was a universal flood.

IS THE ARK IN EXISTENCE TODAY?  History and legends lend credence to the Bible’s story of the Ark's landing on Mount Ararat. Armenians call Mount Ararat "The Mother of the World." Nearly every town in the area of this mountain gives reference to the ark. One town in ancient times was called "The Landing Place" and now is called "The First Place of Lodging." Another town is called "The Place of Eight." Another is called "The First Appearance," and a story is told that this is the location of Noah's first home. Another village is called "The Place of Dispersion," and yet another, "The Village of Noah." One village in this mountain is called "The Ship." At the base of the mountain lies the rebuilt part of an ancient town that was called "The Planting of the Vine," and the story is that Noah planted a vine there shortly following the flood. The town Marand means, "Mother is here." The residents of this town insist that Noah's wife was buried at this location.[9]

HAS ANYONE IN RECENT YEARS SEEN THE ARK? In 1670, Jans Struts, a Dutch doctor, treated a monk for a hernia problem at a monastery on Mount Ararat. At that time the monk gave Struts a small wooden cross and asked him to take it to St. Peter's church in Rome. The monk also gave a letter to Struts which he was to present to the priest. The letter stated, "...I presented him (Struts) a cross made of a piece of wood from the true ark of Noah. I myself entered the ark and with my own hands cut from the wood...the fragment from which the cross was made." The letter was dated July 22, 1670, on Mount Ararat, and was signed, Domingo Alessandro.[10]

A violent earthquake in Eastern Turkey in 1840 prompted a group of men to go into the area to ascertain the damage. These men said that they had discovered a huge wooden ship high on Mount Ararat.[11]

In 1880, Haji Yearam, a teenage boy who lived at the foot of Mount Ararat, met three men who hired him and his father to guide them to the ark. The group found the ark and explored it.

In later years, Haji moved to the United States and told his story to a Seventh Day Adventist preacher by the name of Harold H. Williams who then lived in Logansport, Indiana. Preacher Williams later told the following story. He said that in 1918 he was reading the daily paper and saw a small article stating that an old scientist wished to make a dying confession. The scientist told the very date and very facts that Haji had earlier related to him. The scientist had not believed in God, so he had never told the story of his exploration of the ark but now on his death bed he wished to clear his conscience. The scientist died in London, England.

Williams then said, "When the scientists on the other side of the earth told the same story, identical in every point, I then knew positively that Haji's story was true.”[12]

On August 10, 1883, the Chicago Tribune and other leading American newspapers recorded that the Turkish government has announced that they had discovered Noah's ark.[13]

In 1887, it was reported that Prince John Nouri had climbed Mount Ararat and found a vessel with stalls and cages on board.[14]

In 1902, a ten-year-old boy, named Georgie Hagopian, was taken by his uncle to see the ark. Georgie told his story to ark researchers in 1970, at Easton, Maryland. He said that after crawling up a pile of rocks, his uncle pushed him to the top of the ark. He then saw a narrow, raised section that ran the whole length of the roof. The raised section had at least fifty large holes in it. Georgie thought that the holes were probably for ventilation. He walked across the flat roof and looked through a hole to the inside of the ark, but it was so dark inside that he could see nothing.[15]

In 1955, Fernand Navarra, a French engineer, reportedly visited the ship and brought back a five foot timber from the ark. [16]

In 1972, the earth resources satellite recorded a large wooden object, far above the tree line, on top of Mt. Ararat.[17]

Research shows that since 1856, at least two hundred people in twenty-three separate sightings have testified of seeing Noah's ark.[18]

WHY IS THE EXISTENCE OF THE ARK SHROUDED IN MYSTERY? It would seem that if we can send a man to the moon, we could surely have more information about the ark. Why do we not have detailed pictures showing every aspect of it? Why has the ark not been moved to an area where it could be examined by everyone?

The major reason that we do not have better information about the ark is because of the difficulties of reaching it. The mountain is simply an unfriendly place. It is the home of poisonous snakes, ferocious bears, and man-attacking wolf dogs. The mountain has dangerous, one hundred feet deep crevasses that have taken the lives of many that have climbed its surfaces. In many places, the rocks are so loose that the climber slides back one step for every two that he goes forward. There are no trees on the upper part of the mountain to be used for shelter or fuel for heat. There are also huge rock and snow avalanches that are set in motion simply by the climbers talking to each other. The mountain has a perpetual ice cap that completely hides the ark for several years at a time. On lower levels of the mountain, there are terrible lightning storms daily. On one expedition, three explorers were struck by lightning.[19] In higher elevations there is an almost daily blizzard. A heavy mist hovers around the mountain each day, starting about ten o'clock in the morning.[20] But, perhaps, the most restrictive feature of all is the fact that Mount Ararat is in a highly protected military zone. Mount Ararat is located on the Turkish-Soviet border.[21] Russian missile launching pads are located less than forty miles from Mount Ararat and are visible from the mountain.[22] In April 1974, the Turkish government officially pronounced a band on travel by foreigners to Mount Ararat[23] in order to insure against a conflict with Russia.

Although we would certainly welcome more information about the ark, the evidence that we do have is strong enough to prove that the ark is in existence today. This being true, we find more evidence of the Genesis flood and the truthfulness of the Bible.

WHERE WOULD ENOUGH WATER TO FLOOD THE EARTH COME FROM? The Bible tells us that the flood waters came from two sources. "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month--on that same day, all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of heaven were opened." Genesis 7:11 There is, even today, vast amounts of water under the surface of the earth. Evidently, the touch of God's finger started a chain reaction of earthquakes and volcanoes that released great quantities of water which gushed upward and out upon the earth's surface. The Bible also speaks of the floodgates of heaven being opened. What could this mean? For an answer to this question, let's turn to 2 Peter 3:5. “...the earth standing out of water and in the water...” NKJV. Notice how this is stated in the New Testament in Basic English, “...the earth was lifted out of the water and circled by water, by the word of God.” In Genesis 1:6-9 we read, "And God said, 'Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.’" (verse 6) From this verse we might picture something that looks like a sandwich. On the one side we would have water, then expanse in the middle, and then more water on the other side. "So God made the expanse and separated the waters under the expanse from the waters above it. And it was so." (verse 7) With this verse we see that we must turn our sandwich so that water is on the top, expanse in the middle, and water below. But what is expanse? "God called the expanse 'sky'." (verse 8) Sky here refers to atmosphere. In other words, at one time there was a bubble of water that circled the earth just beyond our immediate atmosphere. Today, we have an outer bubble of ozone, and Venus has an outer bubble of carbon sub oxide. It is believed that the world's original outer bubble of water vapor was some three thousand to five thousand feet thick and between 5,000[24] and 10,000 feet above sea level.[25] It is interesting to note that in Genesis 7:11 God mentioned that the springs of the great deep burst forth before the floodgates of heaven opened. Quite possibly, enormous volcanoes spewed dust thousands of feet into the air. (TV news reported on 12/14/89 that ashes from a volcano in Alaska were detected seven miles upward in space.) The dust could have acted much like the seeding of clouds.[26] This then could be the trigger that caused the water bubble to begin to break and fall to the earth.

If the surface of the earth was made level, the ocean would now cover the entire globe to a depth of twelve hundred feet. It is believed that if all the water that is now locked under the earth's crust and in our atmosphere were added to the oceans, we would have enough water to flood the earth to a depth of three miles.[27]

WHERE COULD THE WATER GO?  At first glance, it seems impossible to have water standing twenty-two feet higher than the highest mountains and then for it to be absorbed some place on the same planet. However, when we turn again to God's Word, we find the key that unlocks this mystery. "He established the earth...thou didst cover it with the deep... the waters were standing above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled; ...the mountains rose; the valleys sank down... thou didst set a boundary... that they may not return to cover the earth." Psalms 104:1-5, NAMSV Doctor K.K. Landes, head of the Geology Department at Michigan University said, "Large areas of sea floor have sunk vertical distances measured in miles."[28] As the mountains rose and the valleys sank, the water shifted to its present location. We should also note that nearly three-fourths of the earth's surface is now covered by water.[29] Evidently, most of the earth's surface, before the flood, was dry.

HOW COULD A BOAT BE BUILT LARGE ENOUGH TO HOLD TWO OF ALL THE ANIMALS ON THE EARTH? First, we need to remember that Noah lived at the height of the civilization of the first world. Second, Noah may have hired many people to work on the ark, and third, the scriptures indicate that it took Noah 120 years to build the ark. In 120 years, a crew of workers could build a mighty large structure. The dimensions of the ark were 45 feet high, 75 feet wide, and 450 feet long. This brings us, again, to the question, how could two of all the animals be put in a boat that size? This problem is magnified when we remember that each of the clean animals were to be brought in by sevens. (Genesis 7:2) There are about 1,260,000 varieties of life in the world today. Of the 1,260,000 varieties, 175,000 are varieties of plant life. This leaves 1,085,000 varieties of animals. There are 70,000 varieties of water life which would not need to enter the ark. This leaves 1,015,000. Of 1,015,000 types of land animals that would need to board the ark, 1,010,000 of these are worms and insects. Perhaps these insects existed only in the form of eggs throughout the time of the flood. Although these tiny animals require some space, we can readily see that our problem is not nearly as immense as we originally anticipated. There are only about 5,000 types that we would actually classify as animals.[30]

Another thing to consider, animals never evolve between the kinds but they do produce varieties within their kind or family. For example, the dog has produced two hundred varieties[31] but only two dogs would be required to board the ark. This would again reduce the number of animals required. At the very most, no more than thirty-five thousand individual animals would have needed to board the ark[32] and none of these were required to be full-grown.

With regard to food storage, hibernation could be an answer. Many animals and some birds hibernate. Some believe that all animals have the latent ability to do so.[33] Certainly, the rocking of the ship and the storm outside would be conducive to sleeping. If a large portion of the animals went into hibernation, very little food would have been consumed.

Now let us, again, consider the size of the ark. The ark had 95,700 square feet of floor space, which is larger than 20 college basketball courts. It had 1,396,000 cubic feet of space and had a carrying capacity estimated at 13,960 tons. This is the size of many of the large ocean going vessels of today.[34] The ark had a carrying capacity equal to eight trains of sixty-five cars each, or the capacity of five hundred and twenty standard train stock cars. Suppose the average size of the animals was that of a sheep. Two hundred and forty sheep can be carried in one box car. Two trains of seventy-three cars each could carry thirty-five thousand animals,[35] thus leaving a space equal to that of three hundred and seventy-six box cars for the worms, insects, and food. The shape of the ark was, no doubt, box like. This would allow for greater storage capacity and buoyancy. The ark was designed for floating, not for sailing. As a barge sinks deeper into water, its stability increases.[36]

HOW COULD ANIMALS GET FROM ONE CONTINENT TO ANOTHER IF THEY WERE ALL RELEASED AT ONE PLACE? It is quite likely that, at one time after the flood, dry land connected the continents to each other. These “land bridges" would make it possible for the animals to migrate to any continent they wished.[37] These land bridges are no longer visible because the sea level has risen since the days of the flood. As silt from the rivers, is dumped into the ocean basins, the basins get a little smaller and the water level gets a little higher. Consequently, these inter-continental land passages have been covered by water. Floating islands, made of debris from the flood, would have remained for many years. Even today, floating islands are sometimes seen in the oceans. Floating islands could easily transport animals from one continent to another.[38]

SUMMARY: In this chapter we found scientific answers that harmonize with the Bible for five questions. The questions and answers are as follows:

1. Can we prove a universal flood?

     The Bible shows a universal flood:

·        The flood was above the highest mountains.

·        The ark was far larger than a local flood would warrant.

·        The 120 years of forewarning would have made an ark unnecessary if it was only a local flood.

·        A universal flood was the only way that God could fulfill His goal of destroying all living creatures on the earth.

·        David, Peter and Jesus all said that there was a universal flood.

    Scientific evidence of a universal flood:

·        There are eight foot layers of clay over evidences of ancient civilizations.       

·        Traditions of a universal flood are held by every branch of the human race.

·        The earth's surface is seventy-five percent

sedimentary.

·        Ocean fossils are found on the top of the highest mountains.

·        Pillow lava is found at the fourteen thousand feet level on Mount Ararat.

·        A clay doll was found three hundred feet below Nampa, Idaho.

·        Cypress wood was found eight hundred feet below the Mississippi.

·        The oldest living things started growing about the year of the flood.

·        At least two hundred people have testified of seeing Noah's ark since 1856.

 2. Where would enough water to flood the earth come from?

·        All the springs of the deep were broken up.

·        The floodgates of heaven were opened. The outer ball of water that was once above our atmosphere fell to the earth.

3. Where would the water go?

·        The mountains rose out of the water.

·        The valleys sank, allowing the basins to hold much more water.

4. How could a boat be built that could hold two of all the animals?

·        Noah lived at the peak of the first world's technology.

·        Noah probably hired many people to help.

·        Noah had 120 years to construct the ark.

·        Only thirty-five thousand animals would have needed to board the ark.

·        Less than one-half of the ark's space would be required to house thirty-five thousand animals. The rest of the space could be used for the storage of food.

5. How could animals get from one continent to another after the flood?

·        After the flood, there were intercontinental land bridges.

·        After the flood there were floating islands.

We Can Know . . .

  1. We can Know God made America Great!

2. We can know that evil people and evil nations will be punished if they don't repent.

 3. Faith and Knowledge

  4. The Bible claims there is a God, He created the Heaven and the earth, the Bible is His word, and that the earth is less than 10,000 years old. We can know the Earth is less than 10,000 years old!

  5. We can Know the gap theory and the million years per day theory are unfounded.

  6. We can know scientific evidence proves God's existence.

  7. We can know prophetic evidence proves God's existence.

  8. We can know why a young earth looks so old.

  9. We can know the answers to flood questions such as: Where could all the water necessary to flood the whole earth come from; where could it go; how could a boat be built large enough to hold all the animals; how could the animals get from one continent to another?

 10. We can know what it was like before the Genesis flood.

  11. We can Know why many methods to date the earth are unreliable.

 12. We can know our Bible is accurate.

  13. Final summery and conclusion.

 14. Common questions such as:

• Which came first the chicken or the egg?

• Was sex the forbidden fruit? Was prostitution the first profession?

• Were did Cain get his wife?

• Could God have created other people beside Adam and Eve?

•  Does "replenish the earth" mean there were people on the earth before Adam?

• Where do cave men fit into the Bible picture?

• Is there life on other planets?

• Where does the Ice Age fit into the Bible picture?

• Why do good people suffer?

We Can Know . . .

  1. We can Know God made America Great!

2. We can know that evil people and evil nations will be punished if they don't repent.

 3. Faith and Knowledge

  4. The Bible claims there is a God, He created the Heaven and the earth, the Bible is His word, and that the earth is less than 10,000 years old. We can know the Earth is less than 10,000 years old!

  5. We can Know the gap theory and the million years per day theory are unfounded.

  6. We can know scientific evidence proves God's existence.

  7. We can know prophetic evidence proves God's existence.

  8. We can know why a young earth looks so old.

  9. We can know the answers to flood questions such as: Where could all the water necessary to flood the whole earth come from; where could it go; how could a boat be built large enough to hold all the animals; how could the animals get from one continent to another?

 10. We can know what it was like before the Genesis flood.

  11. We can Know why many methods to date the earth are unreliable.

 12. We can know our Bible is accurate.

  13. Final summery and conclusion.

 14. Common questions such as:

• Which came first the chicken or the egg?

• Was sex the forbidden fruit? Was prostitution the first profession?

• Were did Cain get his wife?

• Could God have created other people beside Adam and Eve?

•  Does "replenish the earth" mean there were people on the earth before Adam?

• Where do cave men fit into the Bible picture?

• Is there life on other planets?

• Where does the Ice Age fit into the Bible picture?

• Why do good people suffer?