Expert: Brian Ray - 1/27/2007

Question
If God flooded the earth and only Noah and his family survived, then how did the earth become replenished again.?

Answer
That's a great question, Jenniffer!

It is true that Noah and his family were preserved as the sole survivors of the Great Flood recorded about Genesis 10. Noah and his family surviving the Flood included: Noah and his wife as well as their three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. Each of these sons is reported to already be married, so their wives make up a total of eight Ark occupants. Obviously, there was intermarriage among cousins as there was intermarriage among Adam and Eve's children.

People lived much longer in those days - about 7- 10 times longer than people today. This is understood to be the result of what was believed to be a canopy that protected earth's inhabitants from the effects of the sun. The earth was certainly a different place after the Great Flood. The environmental changes could well account for the extinction of many of the dinosaurs that once roamed the earth.

There is impressive evidence that supports the claims of the Bible regarding this period of ancient history. It is well accepted that the earth was once completely covered by a Great Flood - overwhelming archeological evidence.

Since Noah was about 500 years old at the time of the flood and since there is no mention of additional children, Adam's three son's and their wives have populated the earth to its present 6.5 billion population.

I hope that has answered your questions. The ancient earth is a very interesting topic - there were, by some accounts only about 1650 years between the Creation of Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden and the Great Flood.

Follow-up questions are encouraged.

Brian Ray