What Kind of Flood?

      I have heard Bible believers debate the flood. I use the term “Bible believers” loosely here, because some of these so-called believers can’t seem to accept the Bible for what it says. Genesis 6:17 says, “I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die” (ESV). That is plain. God said He would flood the earth and destroy all living things on it.

       That, however, is not palatable to some. Perhaps they can’t believe God would actually do it. Perhaps they can’t believe such a feat is possible in the natural world. Perhaps they believe there is not enough “scientific” evidence for it. They want to make the Bible digestible for the masses, so they say, “It was a local flood around the Black Sea.”

      These believe they are performing a noble task. More people will accept the Bible if they think the flood was local instead of a cataclysmic world event. Thus, they think they are being evangelistic, performing God a service by clearing up this difficulty. On the surface, I appreciate that these are trying to help people believe the Bible. However, when I scratch beneath the surface, I wish they would stop their incessant and inane babbling.

      They are not helping God’s cause or the Bible. Instead, they are making the Bible out to be nothing but lies and contradictions. Who can believe the Bible if their assertions are correct?

      Aside from not taking the Bible at its word, these “thinkers” have produced a lie in the Bible. If Genesis 6:17 was hyperbole to show how awful the sin was and how serious God’s judgment was, then Genesis 9:11ff is the same exaggeration. God’s point in Genesis 9 is He will never again do what He did in Noah’s day.

      He set the rainbow in the sky as a reminder of His covenant. Every time we see a rainbow, we can remember God’s power in the destructive flood and His promise not to do it again. Further, we can remember He has promised to destroy the world with fire (cf. II Peter 3:8-13). But not if these so-called believers are correct.

      If they are correct, every time we see a rainbow, we are reminded God lies. If this was about local floods, God lied. I have one word here—Katrina.

      People should cease trying to make the Bible more palatable to the masses. Either accept what it says and live by it or reject it. Don’t say you accept it and then twist it to fit what you think you really can accept. In the end, you will only make God out to be a liar and yourself a fool.

      God did destroy the earth by flood and He does plan to destroy the earth by fire. Let’s not twist it to be more acceptable. Let’s accept it and live it.

Edwin L. Crozier