The great flood of Noah, a worldwide cataclysmic event although described in the book of Genesis in simplistic language also provides important clues as to the veracity of the account. Sceptics often baulk at such biblical claims citing “lack of any evidence” without taking efforts to put together jigsaw pieces of available scientific facts and internal evidence of the genesis story itself.

A look at an abundance of flood legends coming from different cultures corroborating such an mega-event, the common factors such as eight survivors in a boat along with pairs of animals and birds, landing on a high mountaintop, emerge to provide an uncanny internal proof of singular worldwide event in our ancient past. This is true even despite different languages among various cultures, suggesting again that the story was recounted before the division of languages took place as mentioned in the story (Genesis 11).

Even the geological event of Pangea breaking up fits the description of Genesis 10:25: “Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided.” This could refer to when the earth, which was once single land mass divided and drifted into continents after the flood.

One does not come across differences in neuroanatomy in different races as the human brain has a remarkable consistent anatomy and cytoarchitecture over all ethnic groups. In the human eye, the visual optic nerve fibers splitting with medial half crisscrossing to opposite visual cortex hemisphere, is an important piece of evidence of programmed sensory organization, based on physics of light inverting as it passes through the lens (intelligently designed). As organisms do not have prior advanced knowledge of light physics or of inversion image on retina, this does not support a slow evolutionary development of a complex but efficient visual sensory system.

Genetic studies have shown mitochondrial DNA in present day human females (mitochondrial DNA is in the cytoplasm of the egg and not in the nucleus) passed down from mother to daughters originated from a single female ancestor: mitochondrial Eve. This fulfills prophecy the of Genesis 3:20: “That Eve is to be mother of all living.” Scientists have not found evidence in any females of any different type of mitochondrial DNA.

From male sex chromosome studies, the Y chromosome was found to have no variation, pointing to a bottleneck origin from a single male ancestor of male humans. (Dorit, R.L., Akashi, H. and Gilbert, W. 1995. “Absence of polymorphism at the ZFY locus on the human Y chromosome.”Science 268:1183–1185).

These genetic bottlenecks on both female and male sides seem to point to a singular origin of mankind. Human organ transplantation is feasible and successful precisely because of these common biological features between donors and recipients not related to each other’s!

Noah, a man of righteousness, was mocked and laughed at by the wicked generation of his age, for building an Ark as a witness against them and in obedience to God. Although God gave 120 years extension for mankind to repent and turn from wicked ways: “So the LORD said, ‘My spirit will not remain in humankind indefinitely, since they are mortal. They will remain for 120 more years’” (Genesis 6:3), the world continued in lawlessness, having ignored the grace of God, till the flood destroyed them.

So too today, there are a rising number of populist writers, scientists, philosophers, media personalities and religious leaders who despite the evidence before them, blatantly oppose Genesis account of Noah’s flood, in a veiled bid to discredit the Torah of God and mock those who follow it.

A timely reminder describing dangerous attitudes in Isaiah 5:20-21: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”

The new testament (brit chadasah in Hebrew) also identifies rebellious nature of mankind, in 2 Peter 2:5-7:

“For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.”

Noah’s flood judgement will be paled in comparison to end time scenario, as the prophet Isaiah described long before, of the coming wrath of God,

“See, the day of the LORD is coming –a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger– to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.” (Isaiah 13:10-12)

The escalating global turmoil in economic, social, environmental and religious spheres are a sobering wake up call for a self absorbed world. Careful consideration of God’s word, instead of a cold complacency, is the need of the hour. His timeless Word, shows the way of peace, but also warns of the grave dangers of repeating the same attitudes towards God, as those who did before the flood.