Was Noah's Flood Global or Local?

Question

I believe that Noah's flood was global, not local--I mean, does anyone really believe that God promised to never send another LOCAL flood? But I would really like to hear arguments for one or the other (although I am, admittedly, more interested in hearing arguments for a local flood :D )
Thanks!

Answer 1

Well... technically it was local. Because it was in the local area of THE WORLD.

haha.

But anyway.. uh, where did you hear that the Great Flood was local? that's just a little bit rediculous.

Answer 2

The flood was a global event. There is evidence that supports this. For starters there are some who still find the fossilized bodies of sea creatures and fish at mountain tops and high altitudes that haven't been explained. Then you also have the many many flood myths that are so similar to the story of Noah. I can't go into detail but this site has them listed by culture: http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/flood-myths.html . Overtime the story of the great flood got mixed with stories of local floods and hence the confusion in some of the stories. Noah was given specific instructions of how to create the ark from God. A student at the London School of Naval Architecture made a model replica according to the specifications made in the Bible and it floated. This site shows the model and explains it a little further: http://www.noahsarkzoofarm.co.uk/education/what-happened/exhibitions/ . Genesis also mentions that the fountains of the great deep burst open. We can still see where they burst from, just look at the trenches like the mid-atlantic ridge. If you look at a picture of the sea floor on a map its' like the seam of a baseball and it goes almost around the earth.

Answer 3

I think the flood was fairly localized. Several things lead me to this conclusion:

Humanity at the time was basically only concentrated in one area. It would have been senseless to flood the entire Earth

As far as the people at the time were concerned, the whole Earth was flooded.

There is no way that Noah could have fit two of every animal (and seven of every good to eat animal) on his ark. Not even small proto-animals. It would make much more sense if he were to fit two of every animal from the local biome on his boat

Finally God didn't say he would 'flood the earth.' He said He would never send another flood to destroy all humanity. Teensy semantic difference there.

Hope this helps

Answer 4

It was global. A local flood would have not required Noah to build the boat. He could have just walked up the hill. There is just too much evidence for a global flood.

Answer 5

You can find stories about floods in most cultures. Why? People tend to build settlements along rivers to establish trade. Farmers farm in flood plains because they tend to be rich in nutrients.

No flood ever covered the entire planet. Sorry, but it simply did not happen.

I think it is far more likely that a story of a local flood was used as a parable to teach us how to prepare for difficulties in our lives.

I know that those who read the Bible for literal meaning will have trouble with this, but try to look at it with an open mind.

When we are about to face a problem or difficulty in our life, if we will only build for ourselves an ark of trust in God, we can get through any difficult time. God will not abandon us. I believe this is the message in the story.

The global flood didn’t happen, but this is still a very relevant story since most of us face difficult times, which can feel like a deluge. When you see them coming build your ark out of unwavering trust in God, bound together with Faith and confidence in His promises.

Answer 6

I just watched a thing on the discovery channel about this like an hour ago that said that the word for world in the old language was the same for land so the flood may have been local.

Answer 7

The Biblical account indicates a worldwide event.

There are similar flood stories in the legends of virtually all people.

There's evidence that at one time or another all parts of the world have been underwater.

There's no proof that the Biblical flood was not a worldwide event that occurred within a single 1 year period. (the 40 days of rain and the subsequent awaiting for the waters to recede)

There's no concrete proof that all of the world was flooded at once time...

A religion that claims to be based on truth has nothing to fear from the search for evidence of truth. So... let the research continue.

Answer 8

it must be worldwide besides the undeniable fact that it desires specific examine. Hindu's "Matasia Avtar or Prophet" made his visual allure interior an analogous situations and climatic situations. in accordance to the Hindu mythology in Satyuga Matasia Avtar known contained in certainly one of those a good sized fish from the sea till now the main righteous king of that factor and asked him to flow to the perfect of a mountain the place a great boat alongside with different necessaries is saved for him. He informed him the time of the "Parley" or the great flood and stated that he will push the great boat over the flood water for the time the traditional situations return back. yet i don't be attentive to regardless of if the timings of the Noah's flood and the performing of the Hindus Matasia Avtar are an analogous or diverse. If some physique knows a thank you to calculate the timings, the actuality could nicely be unveiled. I actual have responded in simple terms out of interest because of resemblance of the situations and prerequisites of the the two myths.

Answer 9

The Bible says that Noah was the only man to survive... if men covered all the earth then it was global... all we can safely say is that it killed everyone but a few... and it was this devastation that was never to be repeated, not necessarily the flood.

Answer 10

Either purely local or mythical. There isn't a scrap of evidence of a worldwide flood beyond the say-so of the Bible...nothing in the geologic record at all.