if it actually rained for 40 days/nights would the earth be covered in water?

Answer 1

A materialistic answer first...

In 40 days there are 960 hours. Make that 1000 hours for convenience. Let's not insist that mountain tops be covered, just human habitation. That means water up to about 6000 feet or, rounding up, 75,000 inches. If the rain arrives at a constant rate, that's 75000 / 1000 or 75 inches per hour. Hurricane Floyd produced widespread flooding with 15 to 20 inches of rain over a 12-hour period, an average of 1-1/4 to 1-2/3 inches per hour. I don't say that a miracle could not dump water at the rate of 75 inches per hour for 40 days, but it seems inappropriate to call it "rain."

It is abundantly clear that we are not talking about an event governed by natural law. Our hurricanes draw their water from the oceans, but in this instance, the oceans are covered to a depth of over a mile. There is no source on earth or in the atmosphere to provide this much water.

There is a reference in another answer to the 'fountains of the deep." If an ocean-sized subterranean reservoir has been identified by creationists, I have not seen the account. I think 'the deep' was the sea, the traditional source of water. Any water provided by the sea would have to be restored to the sea to raise the water level.

A couple asides.

In the Bible, 40 is one of those numbers used to indicate fullness, completeness, fitness, and so forth. The author of Genesis may have used '40' in that traditional sense, in which case an historical deluge may have lasted longer. Since that would contradict the literal text, it isn't an explanation apt to find favor with anyone.

There is considerable evidence that at some point not much earlier than recorded history the Mediterranean Sea was formed by entrance of the Atlantic Ocean between Europe and Africa. That event would have produced floods of heroic proportions, and I find it more plausible than 75-inch/hour 'rainfall.'

Answer 2

You have to remember that water on earth is not being created. The amount of water now is the same as a million years ago. Water exists in three states, liquid, solid (ice), gas (vapor). So what you are really asking is if fall the water on earth were to only exist as a liquid would it cover all the land areas. The answer is no. It would only increase the depth of the ocean by up to a thousand feet or so and this is not enough to cover the earth completely.

Answer 3

Remove the mythical acts of invisible gods and the answer is No. To cover the entire planet with water would require several decades of constant, hard, fierce rain. Remember, for one, that more than a few of Earth's mountains are really tall chaps.

Answer 4

ya it rained. but it did not just rain there was earthquakes and water came up out of the earth! some even say there mite have ben a barier of frozen water arowed the earth.
read the bible!

Answer 5

If it rained hard enough yes. We see floods in a few hours on the news all the time right?

Answer 6

For a time, the tallest mountian was 20 feet under...

Answer 7

It depends how hard and fast it rained. If it only sprinkled, than a little flooding here and there. but if it poured continuously, than I would say yes.

Answer 8

unless it rains continuously in all places of the world, its highly unlikely.

Answer 9

No. You would also have to get "the fountains of the deep" to open up.