by jimwalton » Wed Jan 13, 2016 11:40 am
I know many Christians will tell you that, "Well, God just did a miracle and sustained all marine life," but I'm a Christian and I convinced that's not how it happened. A global flood is incompatible with how God is known to work and contrary to his character. The text, read through ancient eyes rather than modern ones, allows for a flood of massive, but still regional (continental) scope. There are lists and lists of scientific reasons why a global flood doesn't make sense (I could easily give you a list of at least 10 more beyond your salt water/fresh water question), but there are also lists of theological and biblical reasons why a global flood makes sense, the two primary ones being that:
- God's miracles through the Bible are generally singular in nature: one thing happens to create the miracle. For the flood to have been global, a list of about 50 miracles had to have happened, and while Christians would say, "Well, God could have done it that way" (which is true), it's not the way he usually works and we have reason to look for a different understanding of the flood.
- God is just, and to destroy all human life in the Americas, the Far East, and the southern tip of Africa is patently unjust, given that the flood would have taken them by surprise with no explanation about its occurrence. There's nothing fair about it, but God is fair (according to the revelation of Scripture). What makes more sense, biblically, is that Noah was a preacher of righteousness to the people groups in his larger vicinity, and their lack of response brought on a destructive flood in the area where their lack of response to God was intentional. That's the grounds of true justice, and most likely the better understanding of the flood.
Thanks for asking your question. Obviously, a full discussion of flood theology and the science surrounding it is a HUGE discussion, but I hope I have addressed your immediate question with a brief (but hopefully adequate) response.
I know many Christians will tell you that, "Well, God just did a miracle and sustained all marine life," but I'm a Christian and I convinced that's not how it happened. A global flood is incompatible with how God is known to work and contrary to his character. The text, read through ancient eyes rather than modern ones, allows for a flood of massive, but still regional (continental) scope. There are lists and lists of scientific reasons why a global flood doesn't make sense (I could easily give you a list of at least 10 more beyond your salt water/fresh water question), but there are also lists of theological and biblical reasons why a global flood makes sense, the two primary ones being that:
- God's miracles through the Bible are generally singular in nature: one thing happens to create the miracle. For the flood to have been global, a list of about 50 miracles had to have happened, and while Christians would say, "Well, God could have done it that way" (which is true), it's not the way he usually works and we have reason to look for a different understanding of the flood.
- God is just, and to destroy all human life in the Americas, the Far East, and the southern tip of Africa is patently unjust, given that the flood would have taken them by surprise with no explanation about its occurrence. There's nothing fair about it, but God is fair (according to the revelation of Scripture). What makes more sense, biblically, is that Noah was a preacher of righteousness to the people groups in his larger vicinity, and their lack of response brought on a destructive flood in the area where their lack of response to God was intentional. That's the grounds of true justice, and most likely the better understanding of the flood.
Thanks for asking your question. Obviously, a full discussion of flood theology and the science surrounding it is a HUGE discussion, but I hope I have addressed your immediate question with a brief (but hopefully adequate) response.