Creation Science Book Review

The Beginnings Under Attack

Chapter 8: Beginning Again

First Published 27 August 2005

What were conditions like after the Flood? Sheffield addresses these issues in this chapter from the young earth creation science perspective.

A New World (Page 146)

Still clinging to the Canopy Theory, Sheffield begins to explain how the world is different. However...he fails to address the topic of "A New World." He gets off on a tangent, discussing other issues. Therefore, we will cover it here.

What was the land like that Noah found after the flood? By the young-earth creation science model, it would have been a wasteland, with no plants growing anywhere on the planet. Do you recall the work of young earth creationists Baumgardner and Barnette. They did the study on patterns of ocean circulation during the Flood.¹ This study was done so that the forces for eroding massive quantities of rocks, to make the new rock layers we see today, could be demonstrated. With ocean currents topping off at 194 miles per hour over the continental masses, all previously existing vegetation would have been killed. When Noah landed, the earth would have been a complete wasteland. Noah apparently waited in the ark for several weeks before leaving. This would have been because the mud would have been impassible.

Speaking of vegetation, what about the olive leaf that the dove brought back to Noah? If there were no plants, where did it come from? The young earth creation science model, with the earth stripped of vegetation, has no explanation for this. However, for an old earth, the dove merely flew far enough to where the flood did not affect the land, and got the leaf there.

All the vegetation would have to grow anew from seeds. Provided the seeds floated and survived the turmoil of the oceans, it would take many years for plants to repopulate the globe. If there were no plants when Noah left the ark, then the animals that were on the ark would need Noah to feed them for a few more years. However, ark studies do not account for this extra volume of food!

Another point to consider is carnivorous activity. After the flood, according to young earth theory animals became carnivorous. Also, they claim that there were dinosaurs on the ark. With no food, and hungry T-rex’s and raptors prowling around, all animal life, including man, would probably be extinct within a few months after the ark landed.

According to the young earth creation science model, the earth after the Flood would have been an inhospitable ball of mud. Where does this leave young earth creationism...stuck in the mud!

A New Diet and the Blood (Page 148)

Sheffield briefly discusses the addition of meat to mankind's diet. No ideas relative to the age of the earth are presented.

A New Diet and a Rainbow (Page 149)

The only issue here is the rainbow. God makes a new covenant, with the rainbow as the symbol of that covenant. Sheffield is arguing from the position that there was no rain prior to the Flood, therefore there could be no rainbows before the Flood. However, God could use the rainbow as a sign of his covenant, even though the rainbow was previously existing. As stated before, no rain before the flood is on the Answers in Genesis list of arguments that young earth creationists should not use.

The Shame of Drunkenness (Page 151)

Nothing of significance for the age of the earth is presented.

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¹ Patterns of Ocean Circulation Over the Continents During Noah's Flood

If you are not a Christian, and you have been holding out on making a decision for Christ because the Church always preached a message that was contrary to what you saw in the scientific world, then rest assured that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, and you can believe in Christ and receive salvation, while still believing in an old earth. Click here for more.

Are you a Christian who believes in young earth creationism? Now that we have shown the many difficulties of the young earth creation science model in this and many other articles, how does this impact your Christian life? If you are a young earth creationism believer, click here.

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To learn more about old earth creationism, see Old Earth Belief, or check out the article Can You Be A Christian and Believe in an Old Earth?

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