The Warning

It is written, "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Noah would continue as a representative of the human race.  Noah and his family would keep man from becoming extinct.  Noah and his children would re-populate the world.  Many of Noah's descendants would become God's adopted sons.  Noah would survive.  God could trust him to do the things necessary to ensure his family's survival.   (Genesis 6:8) 

Noah believed God, when God told him it was going to rain.  No rain had ever occurred.  Believing in rain, required faith from Noah.  God told Noah to build a boat.  Noah was willing to do it.  God told Noah to gather up animals, so certain ones would not become extinct.  And God told Noah to sound a warning.  The record says Noah "was a preacher of righteousness."  When the time was right, God told Noah to go into the ark. God shut the door. A few days later it began to rain.    (Genesis 2:4-7, 6:12-22; 2 Peter 2:5) 

The First Destruction

The first destruction of the earth is an event of which rocks bear witness.  Man's writings and folklore, in almost all cultures, have recorded the event happened.  Yet much of the science of the event is ignored.    (2 Peter 3:5-7) 

The great bubble of water covering the atmosphere of earth was burst by God.  God also broke up the underground spring system that had been used to water the ground and plants.  The "windows of heaven were opened," and "all the fountains of the great deep broken up."  Much science could exist on this matter, if it were not ignored as a possibility.  Suppose it could be shown, the Grand Canyon in Arizona was dug out of rock in a few months, instead of ages. Suppose Earth's rock is broken because Earth gave a gigantic heave.    (Genesis 7:11) 

Modern science, by its very nature, cannot believe (assume) anything. Science must rely on empirical information.  Science must deduce from things observed. Creation Science is a borderline science which does allow room for a belief in a Creator.  But modern scientific thought is not supposed to assume anything.

Scientists, in general, agree, the natural world is immense and complex, and we humans have barely scratched the surface of knowledge.  We have knowledge of "black holes" in space.  We have knowledge of background radiation and knowledge that gravity can travel in waves.  Some say space is curved and the atom is composed of even smaller particles.  I suppose these things are true.  But, even Science has to separate, and make distinctions, among and between "THEORIES" and "FACTS."  One still has to believe, even in science.  And we KNOW, true science and true religion have no conflict. 

Recorded history contains many 'facts' about Earth and man's life here.  By definition, "History" is the record of what has happened.  Yet history is colored by the historian.  Each record kept by man includes the viewpoint and culture of the man who kept the record. 

Science relies heavily on dating of articles and events.  Much of this inquiry into age is done by some form of radioactive dating.  Radioactive dating measures the breakdown rate of a radioactive material, compares the measurement to the amount of radioactive material found left in an object, as compared to non-radioactive material in it, then computes the age of the object. 

One difficulty with this is the possibility of the radioactive material having a different breakdown rate than the one assumed.  Another difficulty is the possibility the object dated never had the radioactive material in it in the first place. 

In simpler terms, what if Noah's flood changed the radioactivity of things?  What if there was little, or no radioactivity under the water surrounding the earth before the flood?  Wouldn't this change many assumptions we place on radioactive dating of things? 

When the bubble of water burst, there was an immediate drop in air pressure.  The poles froze first.  As the atmosphere adjusted to the changes, the climate bounced between stages that were hot and cold, wet and dry, stable and unstable.  The earth went through a cycle of climate, first major changes and fluctuations, then gradually finding its own stability.  Earth's climate then stabilized into the weather patterns we now have. 

The first rain was a massive event, to say the least.  Water surged and flowed across the broken surface of Earth.  Great canyons and plains were created in hours.  Mountain ranges rose as Earth's surface buckled.  Basins of water formed, and filled, and became the great oceans.  The springs of water were broken up.  Water spewed out of the irrigation system God designed, creating great caverns under the earth.  God had cursed the ground three times.  This made the planet vastly different from Adam's first home.               
  (Genesis 7:11, 8:1-3, 3:17, 4:10-12, 5:29, 8:21) 

God caused a great wind to blow.  The wind blew the rotting flesh, of things before the flood, into piles, which became covered by earth and water.  Subject to great heat and pressure, these piles formed coal, oil, natural gas, and many other mineral deposits.  This stirring of the earth created the world we live in today.    (Genesis 8:1-2) 

God had removed early man from the earth.  For Noah, his family and descendants, God had made a fresh start. 

The dates of these events can be only  speculated.  I wasn't there.  My history contains only those things I have seen, experienced, or believe to be true.  Radioactive dating relies too heavily on assumptions of its own accuracy. 

The physical world before the flood is not described in great detail in the Bible.  The physical world after the flood we live in.  The planet today, we can see and measure, as accurately as our sight and measurements will allow.  The physical world of the future, its atmosphere and earth, we cannot predict either.  Except for what is revealed in the Bible, about the world to come, it is unknown to us.  Yet, all of us can see changes happening to Earth.  Some of these changes are caused by us, many are beyond our control.  At least God in Heaven can take care of the physical world. 

Still, a lesson is to be learned.  History, Science, Religion, and Common Sense make this clear, when something dies, it is gone.  When a species is extinct, it is gone.  When a man or woman, plant or animal dies, its presence is gone.  If not for the promises of God, all life would face eventual extinction.  But, God has promised, and has His purpose.  He will soon keep His promise.     
    (2 Peter 3:3-18)