The biblical text gives us an account of a catastrophic flood that is said to have wiped away all humanity from the face of the earth and Noah’s ark which is said to be the only thing to have survived it. Throughout the ages, the core events surrounding this account have been fairly consistently told by various people across the world at various times. The flood has never really been looked at with skepticism throughout the ages, that is until the modern age. The modern era has seen scientific advances shaping the way in which we think, and we now start to question such biblical historical narratives as that of Noah and the ark. But are these charges against the veracity of the flood narrative really warranted? Let’s dissect some of these charges and see if there are indeed logical reasons to hold that the flood never actually took place. Just one thing we have to keep in mind – the flood is a supernatural judgment of God.
Challenge #1: The story of Noah’s ark and the circumstances and events surrounding the flood are just too incredible
Incredulity is not an argument! Remember, this is a supernatural event. The fact that God used natural elements to bring about the judgment in no way makes the act itself relegated to natural explanations. The fact that something may appear to be too incredible to a 21st-century examiner of events that are thousands of years removed does not necessarily prove or disprove the reality of the event. In fact, an initial incredulity and cynicism may demonstrate the bias of the questioner, making future positive evidence futile. Most of the time what you seek for you will find. We need to do our best to account for the supernatural aspects of the events in question.
Read Part 2 regarding the charge that since God is thought to be irrational in His decision-making, the flood is merely a fable.