I will identify these briefly as a series in each of the remaining issues of the Happ-O-getics in 2023. The first is the central truth.
1. A global flood is taught in the inspired Word of God
- What did God say He would do? “And behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish” (Genesis 6:17). The literal reading here is clearly global.
- What did God say He did? “Thus, He blotted out every living thing that was upon the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky, and they were blotted out from the earth; and only Noah was left, together with those that were with him in the ark” (Genesis 7:23). Again, clearly global.
- What did God promise? “And I establish My covenant with you [bow in the cloud-v.13]; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth” (Genesis 9:11). If the Genesis flood were only local or regional, then God lied, for there have been many such floods since.
- The New Testament has over 100 references to Genesis 1-11 (see Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5). In every instance, they viewed those chapters as historical, true, and authoritative.
- Jesus, the Son of God, taught that the ark, Noah, and the flood were factual history. “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark…” (Matthew 24:37-38).
- If the Genesis flood were not global, how could Jesus liken it to His final universal judgment? “…and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:39). If many outside the suggested “local” flood of Genesis escaped judgment, wouldn’t that imply that many would escape the final judgment as well?
