Global Flood
   Geology

... "If I, as a geologist, were called upon to explain briefly our modern ideas of the origin of the earth and the development of life on it to a simple, pastoral people, such as the tribes to whom the Book of Genesis was addressed, I could hardly do better than follow rather closely much of the language of the first chapter of Genesis."

Wallace Pratt, quoted by W.L. Copithorne, in "The Worlds of Wallace Pratt," The Lamp, Fall 1971, p. 14.

Introduction

Our world is completely covered in monumental flood sediments suchas those visible in the walls of theGrand Canyon, or in the photograph at right taken in Utah.According to Genesis6-8 and the Biblical chronology,approximately 4500 years ago there was a global flood that destroyedall terrestrial life on earth, except for those which were storedon the ark by Noah and his family.It is therefore the basic assumption of most Biblicalcreationists that the stratified sedimentary layers knownas the geological column havebeen misinterpreted by modern science, and are instead a ratherobvious testament of this worldwide catastrophe.

'Genesis 7:11-12 on that day all thesprings of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates ofthe heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth forty daysand forty nights.

The flood is said to have been caused bya forty day rain that was accompanied by an upsurgence of subterraneanwaters lasting for one hundred and fifty days (chronologyof the flood). A debate has been ongoing within the creationcommunity concerning whether rainfall,or subterranean sources were theprincipal supply of the flood waters. It is now largely presumedthat the latter was largely responsible, however, there are manyfactors indicating a significant change in our atmosphere hastaken place as a result of this Biblical catastrophe. Some ofthe evidence supporting these two views will be examined below,and theories presented to offer an explanation on thecause of the flood and mechanism of settlingflood water.

Vapor Canopy

Some speculate that Gen 1:6-7 is referringto a vapor canopy which collapsed during the flood. but beforehandprotected the earth, or provided atmospheric stability that nolonger exists. For example the size of organisms before the flood,and the productivity of various ecosystems was generally muchgreater than after. Also regions that are now perpetual glacierssuch as Antarctica, possess fossil evidence of rich ecosystemsincluding fossil ferns and amphibians with skulls measuring upto one meter. Such productivity could only be explained by globaltemperature fluctuation or drifting continents.

Genesis 1: 6-7 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

There are other indicators of an atmosphericchange resulting from the flood such as the sudden appearanceof rainbow following the flood, and the rapiddecline in human lifespan in just the few generations afterNoah. Likewise the first mention of clouds is not until afterthe deluge, and many believe there was no rain or clouds beforehand.However, from the Bible it is clear there were stars also visiblebefore the flood, therefore any supposed canopy was less densethan than our standard cloud-cover today.

Genesis 9:14 - When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds,
Genesis 9:16 - When the bow is in the clouds, I will look upon it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
Genesis 2:5-6 In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5 when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up--for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; 6 but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.

The existence of the "vapor canopy"remains theoretic, but it is unquestionable that our world wastremendously affected by the flood, and the catastrophe resultedin or was caused by atmospheric changes.

Factors Suggesting Preflood Canopy or Atmospheric Change Resulting from Flood

• Continuous forty day rain.
• Rainbow - absent before flood; present after flood. (Clouds also?)
• Fossiliferous plants and animals in polar regions indicating globally uniform temperatures before.
• The tremendous decline in human life expectancy following the flood.

Fountains of the Great Deep

Genesis 7:11-12 on that day all thesprings of the great deep burst forth

Theflood possibly began when the earth's crust was fractured releasingsubterranean caverns of water and magma. The picture at rightshows the locations of the mid oceanic ridge which resides allover the world, and are possibly where the earth was globallyfractured.

The "springs of the great deep"are believed to be thepreflood subterranean water-table much like those that stillexist today in remnant form. Unknown to many, much of the landunder our feet resides upon massive ancient bodies of water suchas the Ogallala aquiferpictured at left. The Ogallala Aquifer resides under severalstates in the US, and supplies continuous spring water such asthe famous Artesian Wells (et al. Geysers).It is thought that all land masses were positioned upon aquifersat the beginning of creation which supplied free-flowing riversbefore the flood. It was these ancient massive aquifers thatwere triggered to "burst-forth" and floodedthe earth. Even though these aquifers were largely depleted,today 40% of the drinking water in the United States comes fromthese ancient ground waters.

What Started the Flood?

Accordingto the Bible, God decided to destroythe earth by flood because man had become wicked, and in particulardue to a race known as theNephilim. Although the exactmechanism used may never be known, the event that triggered thebreech of the "springs of the great deep" mayhave been caused or accompanied by other catastrophic processes.Evidence of meteor and volcanic activity is interspersed throughoutthe geological column, and itis presumed by some that perhaps a series of meteor impacts fracturedthe earth's crust causing the preflood aquifers to flow unrestricted.It can only be presumed what actually caused the flood otherthan the might hand-of-God, but there were clear and irreversiblealterations of both our earth's crust and atmosphere as a resultof the great flood.

Mechanism of Flood Water Recession

A portion of the flood water recessionwas accomplished by glacial formation. It is almost certain therewas proportionally more land available immediately after theflood than there is currently. The ocean levels continue to risetoday because of melting of glacial deposits that were formedwhen the earth was still completely covered in flood water. Itis believed the majority of the glacial development, known as the ice ages, formed during the flood,and was responsible for land and ice bridges allowing the postflood migration of animals and humans into regions that are nowcompletely isolated by water (i.e. Bering strait).

Today the earth's crust has sufficientlyuneven elevations so that about 30% remains above the water line,however, if the present contour of the earth's surface was leveled,the entire planet would still be covered by water to a depthof 9000 feet. Much of the deformation of the earth's crust hasoccurred since the deposition of thestratified sediment during the flood. These layers were originallylaid in horizontal rows, and have since been folded and forcedupward. Therefore most of the tectonic activity responsible formountain building has been relatively recent, and likely drivenby receding flood waters.

Most of the rise in the earth's land elevationhas been due to plate tectonic activity caused by spreading oceans.The continental land masses have been essentially crushed, andslabs of crust have been overthrust or subducted under otherscausing mountain building, and volcanism. If is presumed by somecreationists, that the majority of the ocean bodies are settledflood waters, and it is this accumulation that is driving thespreading of the mid-oceanic ridge and related geological movement.It is believed the oceans have essentially stretched to accommodatethe accumulation of the expelled subterranean water, and thepressure of this expanding volume displaced the newly formedlayers causing deformations such as folding, and mountain formation.

TOP