The Global Flood:
As for the size of the Flood it was completely Global, not 'ethnocentric', but rather was covering the whole surface of the entire earth below the heavens even as high as 15 cubits above the "then" highest mountains.
Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. (Genesis 7:20)
[1] First we see that the waters
"prevail[ed]".
"...the waters prevailed..." [Genesis 7:18,19,20,24] From the Hebrew [Tr.]: "gabar" meaning to "have strength over", "over-powering", etc. The waters
"prevail[ed]" so much so, that
"fifteen cubits upward" above the very
"mountains were covered" and overcame, so that
"all the high hills", being
"under the whole heaven, were covered".
And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that [were] under the whole heaven, were covered. (Genesis 7:19)
[2] Secondly we read that all men [
"all flesh" and
"every man",
vs 21], from
"under the whole heaven" and all land animals and birds [
"fowls also of the air" vs 3 and
"fowl(s)" vs 8,14,21 and
"fowl of heaven" vs 23], wherein is the breath of life, outside of the Ark were destroyed:
And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. (Genesis 6:13)
And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein [is] the breath of life, from under heaven; [and] every thing that [is] in the earth shall die. (Genesis 6:17)
And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: (Genesis 7:21)
And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. (Genesis 9:11)
And I will remember my covenant, which [is] between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. (Genesis 9:15)
Consider carefully that
the text is from the viewpoint of God [
"before me" Genesis 6:13, 7:1], and that which is
"under the whole heaven", and not some localized, ethnocentric event. It would be
meaningless to have those
"fowls" which could fly enter into the Ark, the Clean Pairs [of Sevens] an the Unclean Pairs [by Twos], should the Flood not be indeed entriely global.
It is easily demonstrated that Birds can fly away from and can escape a local flood, especially since the Flood did not cover all the mountains
in a single day. In fact, animals know of disaster many hours and sometimes even days in advance of men, and would have fled before it even happened, but instead we see them miraculously brought to the Ark by God, in Pairs!
Mankind also who were left outside of the Ark, too could just as easily flee to another location through various means should the flood be merely local. The Antediluvians were no fools [though such, not to enter the Ark] to stand around while waters arose, for these men were of
giant intellect, knowing city building [Genesis 4:17], metalurgy [Genesis 4:22], fine craft like musical instruments, arts [Genesis 4:21], tent making [Genesis 4:20], etc. [and we can even go to places in the world where such ancient remains are found of said civilization, massive stones, superb craftsmanship, surgery, things of exquisite and even unrepeatable design, more on this later]
[3] Thirdly, the Covenant that God makes with Noah and
"all flesh" is universal [entirely global] in scope. Look again at the Promise and Covenant made by God:
And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. (Genesis 9:11)
And I will remember my covenant, which [is] between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. (Genesis 9:15)
The Promise and Covenant of God then made would be
meaningless, as would be the sign [
"[rain]bow" Genesis 9:13] given to
"all flesh". If the Flood only destroyed a local [ethnocentric] locale then the Promise is
worthless Biblically, for endless floods and disasters have since come upon the earth and wiped out many peoples, and beasts. Just look at the recent destruction in Japan, and further back, New Orleans, etc.
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. (Genesis 9:13)
However, God's promise stand's firm, in that never again would a Flood of water cover the whole earth, even though in the very end times to come, "islands" will flee away at the coming destruction.
[4] Fourthly, God made all men, and not just those in “Noah's valley” [ethnocentric locale]:
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26)
And so, God was angry with all mortals [
"all flesh"] upon the Earth:
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. (Genesis 6:11)
And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. (Genesis 6:12)
[5] Fifthly, God had
all the fountains of the great abyss break up, not just some localized [ethnocentric] fountains, nor few fountains, but ALL:
In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. (Genesis 7:11)
The Bible declares that the great abyss is below the entire surface of the earth, and not merely localized to “Noah's valley” [ethnocentric locale]:
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2)
