1. Some liberal religious writers reject the Bible account of the flood.

2. Some claim it was local and limited to a small area of Mesopotamia.

3. Others just reject the entire story as a myth or legend.

Arguments for a universal flood

1. Why was it necessary to construct an ark? Why not move Noah to higher ground?

2. Why did not all the people proceed over the mountains to safety?

3. Animals instinctively move to higher ground as waters rise.

4. Could not the birds have easily flown to drier regions?

5. Does not the size of the ark point to a universal flood?
   [ L = 300 c = 450’; W = 50 c = 75’; H = 30 c = 45’]
   The ark had a capacity of 1,518,750 cubic feet, the equivalent of 522 double-decked stock cars in a train. (See section below from The Genesis Flood)

6. Other flood accounts – Babylonian, Mayan, etc. – relate similar stories.

7. The flood is referred to over and over in the New Testament as factual.

Consider this:

1. Number of animals – Some have claimed that the ark could not contain all the more than 1 million species in our world. This would mean more than 2 million animals would be needed.
   ”It becomes even more difficult to conceive how proper provision could have been made for many animals which spend much of their time in the water, such as crocodiles, seals, and so forth.”

2. ANSWER – Not taken on the ark were – Mollusks (mussels, clams, oysters – 88,000 species); echinoderms (marine creatures, starfish, sea urchins – 1,700 species); fish (bass, trout, catfish – 18,000 species); protozoa (single celled marine creatures – 15,000 species); coelenterates (coral, jelly fish, sea anemones – 10,000 species); some mammals (whales, seals, porpoises); many arthropods (lobster, shrimp crab, barnacles – 815,000 species); amphibians; worms (25,000 species).
   We are now down to about 17,600 species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians possible if flood took place today. Number then would be much less.

3. Size – The average size of these animals is about the size of a sheep.

4. Room on the ark – There is enough room on the ark for 522 railroad stock cars. With 240 animals per two-decked car – 146 cars could carry 35,000 animals.

5. Food – If the animals took up 146 cars, there would be room for 376 cars filled with food for the animals.

6. Young animals – Nothing is stated in the Bible, but it is certainly possible that young, immature animals would be taken on the ark. This would delay mating until after the flood.

7. Hibernation – Many animals hibernate and could have been put into hibernation by God during the flood. They would eat less and be easy to manage.