Was there a worldwide flood?

Genesis chapters 6-9 describes the destruction of mankind, by a worldwide flood. Only 8 people were saved, and only because Noah heard from God and obeyed Him.

Some people would claim that there is not enough water to cover the Earth. Where did the water come from? Where did it go? They would cite this as evidence that it never happened. It seems just too convenient to be believed. (It would be a bigger miracle than they have faith to believe.) But, just because a critic doesn’t understand how it happened doesn’t prove that it didn’t happen.

Let’s start with what the Bible says:

… the springs of the great deep burst forth and the floodgates of the heavens were opened, and rain fell for 40 days and 40 nights. (Genesis 7:11-12)

…The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than 15 cubits. (Gen 7:20)

…The waters flooded the earth for 150 days. (Gen 7:24)

… the springs of the deep and the floodgates of heaven were closed, and water stopped falling from the sky. (Gen 8:2).

Water came from underground and from the sky. The thought that significant amounts of water being stored underground has troubled people for some time. It is known that there is a water table under the surface of the soil, but where could enough water come from to cover the mountains?

The Earth has a long history of asteroid and comet strikes. At least one is suspected of causing a mass extinction event. A severe impact of any kind can send shock waves into the Earth’s crust that can penetrate to the mantle and ripple outward for many hundreds of miles. 

In recent years a mineral called Ringwoodite was found under the Earth’s oceans. Under tremendous pressure, this mineral will store water. (When it is not under pressure it will release its water.) It is believed that this mineral stores approximately one to three times the amount of water currently in the world’s oceans. Add to this the arrival of objects from space, it is understandable to see how that a large comet striking the Earth could disturb the Earth’s crust, suddenly release the “springs” under the earth as well as the “floodgates” in the heavens; then as the disturbance subsides, return to normal and reabsorb the water.

Recent scientific discoveries provide a mechanism to explain where mountains of water could come from and where they would go. A worldwide flood is entirely plausible.