A Case for the Local Flood: Noah's Ark

                                                                  A Case for the Local Flood

The biblical story of Noah’s flood has been a source of fascination and debate for centuries. While many adhere to the interpretation of a worldwide flood, others propose a local-regional flood view, arguing that the deluge described in Genesis was local rather than worldwide. The Hebrew text of Genesis 6–9 uses terms like "eretz," often translated as "earth," but this word can also mean "land" or a specific region. For example, in Genesis 12:1, God tells Abram to leave his "eretz" (land), which clearly refers to a specific territory, not the entire planet. See other examples below.

Kol and Eretz

Genesis 2:11 English Standard Version 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole (kol) land (eretz) of Havilah, where there is gold.

 

Genesis 13:9 English Standard Version 9 Is not the the whole (kol) land (eretz) before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.”

 

Genesis 41:57 English Standard Version 57 Moreover, all (kol) the earth (eretz) came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

 

NOTE: This does not include people from distant countries like the Chinese, Australians, and Europeans.

 

1 Kings 10:24 English Standard Version 24 And the the whole (kol) earth (eretz)  sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind.

 

NOTE: This does not include people from distant countries like the Chinese, Australians, and Europeans.

 

1 Samuel 13:3 English Standard Version 3 Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all (kol) the land (eretz), saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.”

 

Exodus 34:10 English Standard Version  10 And he said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all (kol)the earth (eretz) or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.

 

NOTE: If "ALL the Earth" is mentioned, the phrase "in any nation" would be redundant. It makes sense that this is local.

 

 

 

Other passages to consider: Leviticus 25:9,24; Judges 6:37-40; 2 Samuel 18:8, 24:8.

 

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The Hebrew word Haraba

 

The Hebrew word haraba is found in Genesis 7:22. It is means dry land or a desert/wilderness. Apart from Genesis 7:22, it is used in Exodus 14:21; Joshua 3:17,4:18;2 Kings 2:8; Ezekiel 30:12; and Haggai 2:6. In these verses, all the events are pertaining to local regions, not global. It is inconsistent for the reader to think Genesis 7:22 is global while its other uses is local. Either they are all global or all local.

 

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The Dove and the Raven

 

On its first flight, the dove was unsuccessful finding dry land. In contrast, the raven most likely landed on a dead corpse and never returned. If every mountain was covered in the so-called global flood, how did the dove find an olive tree?

 

The Hebrew word for mountain is har. It can also be used for hill. See 1 Samuel 26:13. Either all the mountains on the earth were covered or all the hills of the region were covered. Considering the dove, it makes sense with the local flood view.

 

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Under the Whole Heaven


Genesis 7:19 English Standard Version 19 And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered.

 

 

Deuteronomy 2:25 English Standard Version 25 This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.’

 

NOTE: This has to do with the Israelites' journey to the Promise Land. Notice the same phrasing with Genesis 7:19. Therefore, Genesis 9 should be considered local as well.

 

Acts 2:5 English Standard Version 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

 

NOTE: This has to with the surrounding nations around Jerusalem/Judea. Not the entire world.

 

Daniel 9:12 English Standard Version 12 He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem.

 

NOTE: Compare figurative language with Exodus 11:6; Ezekiel 5:9,16:16; and Joel 1:2, 2:2. This is localized language.

 

 

Colossians 1:23 English Standard Version 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

 

Colossians 1:6 English Standard Version 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.

 

NOTE: Kosmos is not universal. See John 12:19.

 

 

 

 

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The Hills are Visible???


Genesis 8:9 English Standard Version 9 But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him.

 

Genesis 8:4 English Standard Version 4 and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.

 

 

Genesis 8:5 English Standard Version 5 And the waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.

 

 

NOTE: If the flood was global, how can the ark be resting on the mountains of Ararat while the hills are visible?

 

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The World as a Desert???

 

Genesis 8:7 English Standard Version 7 and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth.

 

Genesis 8:14 English Standard Version 14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth had dried out.

 

NOTE: If eretz means  global land, in order to be consistent, you would have to say the whole world became a desert at some point as well.

 

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Poetic support for a Local Flood

 

 

Psalm 104:6-8 English Standard Version 6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. 7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight. 8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.

 

Job 38:8-10 English Standard Version 8 “Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, 9 when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, 10 and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors,

 

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2 Peter 3:5-7: Kosmos vs Ge

 

2 Peter 3:5-7 English Standard Version 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens (ouranos) existed long ago, and the earth (ge) was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world (kosmos) that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens (ouranos) and earth (ge) that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

 

NOTE: Many Christians (futurist view) have a faulty idea about the Greek word kosmos. Since it is spelled kosmos, they assume it is like the word cosmos, which refers to the universe. This is somewhat true. However, the correct term is orderly arrangement. When it pertains to a population of people, it can refer to a civilization or society, not universal. Specifically, in the Bible, it means the first century Jews, Romans, and their immediate neighbors. This has nothing to do with other distant nations (i.e. the Chinese) or outer space.

 

The typical Christian would make this common error. Regarding 2 Peter 3:5-7, they have failed to see that ge, which means earth is used for the final judgment context in verse 7. Now in order for them to be consistent, they would have to say ge means universal while kosmos would be locall!!

 

A Preterist with a traditional view of the global flood would fall into a similar error about kosmos. They would think kosmos is universal and be ok with a localized Heavens and Earth. However, John 12:19 would trump their argument because the Chinese and other nations were not coming after Jesus.

 

John 12:19 English Standard Version 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world (kosmos) has gone after him.”

 

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Logistical Problems

  • Millions of animals like penguins, polar bears, kangaroos, koalas, pandas, etc, making their way to the ark in the first place.
  • Limited resources for 8 humans and over a million animals
  • Limited space and volume in the ark
  • Problems with sanitation management with only 8 people
  • Problems with proper ventilation in the ark.
  • Taking care of climate-specific animals under one habitat
  • Problems with fish-salt water/fresh water interaction. Disruptive Eco-systems.
  • Most plants would not survive prolonged submersion in saltwater. How would vegetation regenerate after a global flood?
  • Significant problems with soil erosion, sediment displacement, and changes in the topography
  • Ecological recovery would not be possible even after a few millenniums
  • Noah's ark (510 ft) is significantly smaller than the Queen Mary (1,019 ft) and Titanic (883 ft). The Queen Mary can hold over 4,000 people while the Titanic can hold over 3,500 people. How does a smaller ship like Noah's ark can even hold over a million animals?
  • If the flood was global, that means that no children survived. This is problematic because God calls children innocent and Jesus loves children as well.
  • If the flood was global, there is no way animals could ever evolve so rapidly to fill the earth afterwards.

 

 

Common Arguments from  Critics

Argument: Only 8 people survived the global flood

 

No, only 8 people survived within the righteous line of Seth. A large majority of the wicked Sethites and the wicked Cainites were wiped out for intermarrying with the Daughters of Man.  Also, a careful reading in 1 Peter 3:20-21 states that only 8 were saved by water or through water. It doesn't mean only 8 people survived the flood in total. Otherwise, it would have said 8 were saved by the ark. The emphasis is on the eight people who was baptized symbolically through the flood for the New Heavens and the New Earth order, not the number of total survivors; only eight people were in the ark. This doesn't negate other survivors on mountains, on boats/rafts, in underground tunnels, or who travelled to another region before the rain. See Genesis 6:4.

 

Genesis 6:4.English Standard Version The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and ALSO AFTERWARD, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

 

 

Argument: God made a covenant with Noah to never drown the entire world again. Therefore, local floods make God a liar.

 

God only promised never to drown the descendants of Noah and the animals IN THE ARK (6:18-22, 9:9-17). This was not a covenant with the entire world. This is why the builders of the Tower of Babel used waterproof bricks. If the flood was global, it wouldn't make sense to even build a tower that would be easily swept away. It had to be regional.

 

Second, God could have promised never to have flood regions with that same magnitude.

 

Lastly, one has to consider floods due to man-made error: poor urban planning,  inadequate drainage systems, weak dams, levies, and barrages, cloud seeding, deforestation, agricultural practices, house floodings/faulty appliances, etc.

 

Argument: If the flood was local, why didn't God have Noah and his family walk to another country?

 

Why didn't God transport the Israelites to the Promise Land immediately? Why did they had to fight enemy nations to get to the Promise Land? Why did the Israelites have to march around the Walls of Jericho for 7 days? Why did God have Moses use a bronze serpent to heal the people? Why did Jesus use mud on the blind man's eyes and tell him to go to Siloam? Why did Jesus have to die on a cross? Couldn’t God just forgive us? None of these things were required either. God does what he likes.

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