If there really was a worldwide catastrophic flood, what would you expect to find today? Genesis 6-8 describes a year-long event that not only had a catastrophic impact on the earth, but also on the life on the earth. Regarding the catastrophic impact on the earth, we read that the fountains of the deep were broken up and the windows of heaven were opened (Genesis 7:11). The waters increased greatly on the earth for 150 days, covering the highest mountains by approximately 22.5 feet. The impact on the living creatures on the earth was also catastrophic; “all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive (Genesis 7:21-23).

In recent weeks, there has been flooding associated with Hurricane Henri and also in Tennessee. When you look at pictures of those flood events you can see evidence of the flood: sand deposited on roads, great erosion of soil, trees uprooted and sadly, even the loss of life. If small local floods leave evidence behind, we ought to expect to find evidence of a worldwide flood even though it happened approximately 5,000 years ago.

The scope of the evidence for the Genesis flood is too large for this article, so I will focus on just a few pieces of evidence that I was able to observe last month as I spent a few days on the Colorado River. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to discover that most of the visible rock layers that make up the Grand Canyon are sedimentary rock layers. In case you forgot from Earth Science days, sedimentary rock is rock that has formed through the deposition and solidification of sediment, especially sediment transported by water. The walls of the Grand Canyon contain up to a mile high deposit of sedimentary rock. While it is true that sedimentary rock can be deposited by other means such as wind, the layers of the Grand Canyon including the angles that are found in the various rock layers are consistent with rock that has been laid down by water. Many secular scientists now agree that the rock layers seen in the Grand Canyon were laid down by water. Of course if there really was a worldwide flood that destroyed the earth, we would expect to find sedimentary rock layers all over this earth!

Another interesting observation that can be seen throughout the canyon is that the sedimentary rock layers are not the deepest rock layers observed. In other words, there is a different type of rock layer below the sedimentary rock layers. This rock layer is commonly identified as PreCambrian rocks. The boundary between these two rock layers shows evidence of a great erosion event. Where these two different types of rock meet and this erosion event takes place is called the Great Unconformity. Ironically, it can be found all across this globe. For those that hold to a literal interpretation of Genesis 6-8, we would expect to find a “great unconformity” distinguishing the rock layers that were left intact from before the flood and those that were laid down by the prevailing and receding waters during the year long flood event.

Furthermore in the Cambrian layers or the Sedimentary rocks is where all sorts of fossils “suddenly” appear. In other words, the fossil record is abundant and prolific above the Great Unconformity. Again if there was a catastrophic event that not only destroyed the earth but at the same time destroyed every living creature we would expect to find a significant fossil record in the sedimentary rock.

Because God’s Word is true, believers can be confident that what we see in the geological record of the earth will be consistent with the truth of Scripture. God’s Word is true and the geological and fossil records provide evidence of its trustworthiness. True science will never conflict with the truth of God’s Word. However, beware as God’s Word warns us of scoffers that will reject the Word of God and replace it with empty deception, so-called “scientific” theories, and blatant lies that attempt to explain reality without allowing for the supernatural work and judgment of God (Colossians 2:8; 2 Peter 3:1-10; Romans 1:18-24). Even though what one would expect to find is consistent with the Scriptures, they cannot accept it because their heart is opposed to the truth of God and His Word.