Does the Bible teach that the flood was global or localized?

[Agnostic75]

I believe that the Bible teaches that the flood was global. The texts say that the flood killed all of the people except for Noah's group, and all of the animals, birds, insects, and plants. If the flood was localized, it is very probable that some humans except for Noah's group would have been outside of the area of the flood for various reasons, and would have survived a localized flood.

 

[sandy whitelinger]

I believe that the Bible teaches that the flood was global. The texts say that the flood killed all of the people except for Noah's group, and all of the animals, birds, insects, and plants. If the flood was localized, it is very probable that some humans except for Noah's group would have been outside of the area of the flood for various reasons, and would have survived a localized flood.

A good article on the subject is here.

 

[fallingblood]

Was Noah or those who wrote about the flood, aware of what the Earth truly was? Or is it true that many ancients spoke of the world as to what they knew?

If we were to take the story of Creation literally, as if that was truly how human life was formed, is it even then logical to assume that in the short time between Adam and Eve being kicked out of the Garden of Eden, and the flood story that the entire world was populated? Not at all.

Then given the fact that there are two flood stories, taken from different sources, which are most likely taken from the Epic of Gilgamesh, included in Genesis, it is not reasonable to believe that they meant to make the story to include the entire Earth as we know it today. Couple that with the evidence of a localized flood, and the way that ancient histories were written, it is only logical to assume that it was a localized flood.

Yes, conservative Christians would disagree, but the fact that they are ignorant to Biblical history, as well what the Bible actually says means very little to nothing at all.

 

[JustWondering2]

If you take the story literally, it was written as a global flood. There is some evidence (scientific) for a local flood about that time in history. One is the sudden filling of the Black Sea from the Med and another is regarding an tsnami (sp) caused by an asteroid impact. But the later is said to have occured off the South East coast of Africa. That being said, the is NO scientific evidence of a world wide flood ever occuring at anytime in History. Not enough water on Earth, where did it all (the water) run off to for the flood waters to go down, fossil evidence to the contrary, etc,etc.....

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

The bible does not teach
It is a repositary of religious stories.
Some are true, Some may be true, some could be true and some are unlikely to be true.
The flood Myth is one of the latter group.

 

[JustWondering2]

A good article on the subject is here.

Very good and complete paper Sandy!! Very good and well written.

OK folks all you out there who insist on the literal 100% reading of the OT go and read this!

 

[James Humphreys]

I read a very interesting article in the New York Times a couple of years back about the theorized asteroid impact, that someone mentioned, in the Indian Ocean about 5000 years ago. One conclusion was that there would have been worldwide flooding, and with 600 foot waves in the Indian ocean basin, which I imagine would have affected the Persian Gulf as well. Nevertheless, it wouldn't have covered all the mountains by any means.

I did find one hint in Genesis that it may not have been quite as big as the story says. Noah sends out a few doves, and the second one returns with an olive leaf in its mouth. Where did the dove get this? Presumably it was from a living tree. But after being covered by salt water for 40 days I don't think any kind of vegetation would have survived.

 

[logician]

With the separation of the continents, how could anyone at the time have the slightest idea whether there was a "global" flood.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I think the flood was probably just a myth, but I'll take a whack at it anyway. The flood must have been local, because otherwise how did Noah get all those animals from other continents to the Middle East and back?

 

[Willamena]

I think that for the flood story to be meaningful, it's necessary for everything to be washed away. You don't get a new beginning without an end.

 

[kejos]

I believe that the Bible teaches that the flood was global. The texts say that the flood killed all of the people except for Noah's group, and all of the animals, birds, insects, and plants. If the flood was localized, it is very probable that some humans except for Noah's group would have been outside of the area of the flood for various reasons, and would have survived a localized flood.

The Bible teaches that the flood will be global. Any not safely inside the Ark, justified by faith in Jesus' sacrifice, will be destroyed.

 

[tumbleweed41]

The Bible teaches that the flood will be global. Any not safely inside the Ark, justified by faith in Jesus' sacrifice, will be destroyed.

The question in the OP refers to the historical accuracy of the flood mentioned in Genesis and whether or not it was global or local.
Or are you insinuating that the Flood story is after all a myth, and that it is symbolic of the end times of the New Testament?

 

[kejos]

The question in the OP refers to the historical accuracy of the flood mentioned in Genesis and whether or not it was global or local.

There was no flood. No Ark. No Tower of Babel. There may have been a Noah. Genesis becomes chronological somewhere towards the end of chapter 11. Before that it combines a measure of ancestral record with story myth, the ancient norm for explaining the natural world and mankind's place in it, though in this case from the perspective and under inspiration of the deity of the Israelites. Probably written in Moses' time.

 

[tumbleweed41]

There was no flood. No Ark. No Tower of Babel. There may have been a Noah. Genesis becomes chronological somewhere towards the end of chapter 11. Before that it combines a measure of ancestral record with story myth, the ancient norm for explaining the natural world and mankind's place in it, though in this case from the perspective and under inspiration of the deity of the Israelites. Probably written in Moses' time.

Does the Bible teach that?

 

[kejos]

Does the Bible teach that?

Yes, it does.

 

[tumbleweed41]

Yes, it does.

Enlighten us.

 

[kejos]

Enlighten us.

The light is already there. It just needs thinking about.

 

[tumbleweed41]

There was no flood. No Ark. No Tower of Babel. There may have been a Noah. Genesis becomes chronological somewhere towards the end of chapter 11. Before that it combines a measure of ancestral record with story myth, the ancient norm for explaining the natural world and mankind's place in it, though in this case from the perspective and under inspiration of the deity of the Israelites. Probably written in Moses' time.

Does the Bible teach that?

Yes, it does.

Enlighten us.

The light is already there. It just needs thinking about.

If you have no answer, just say so.

 

[gnostic]

If you take the story literally, it was written as a global flood. There is some evidence (scientific) for a local flood about that time in history. One is the sudden filling of the Black Sea from the Med and another is regarding an tsnami (sp) caused by an asteroid impact.

The big problem and flaw with linking the Black Sea Deluge to the Biblical Flood is timing.

If you calculate the Flood of Genesis, then it would place it some where in the 2nd half of the 3rd millennium BCE, between 2340-2104 BCE to be more precise.

The Black Sea Deluge, some researchers put the time to mid-6th millennium BCE, 5600 BCE to be more precise.

That's over 3000 years difference. What could have happened in the 6th millennium BCE, could not have possibly effected the Noah's thingy.

 

[darkendless]

I had Jehovahs witnesses at my house the other day.

According to them water came from the ground from a giant under-ground oasis.

However, they could not explain how enough water to cover the world completely came out of the ground.