Apropos your latest post I would like to make two brief points:
(1) You said "...the scripture says that God would destroy all the
animals in the 'eretz', not all the animals on the earth."
Assuming for the sake of argument that your 'local flood' scenario is
correct, we would expect to find across the globe representatives of all
bird and animal 'kinds' that had escaped the ravages of the Deluge.
What, then, was God's purpose in commanding Noah to build so large a
vessel? Could it have been anything other than to ensure the
preservation of planet Earth's fauna along with man?
Clearly, your initial premise leads us to conclude that Noah and his
family enjoyed the company of animals! - for otherwise, what was the
purpose of them being there?! I suggest that your evolution-induced
interpretation of Gn.6-9 trivialises the whole episode. Only by
believing that all animal life outside the ark was destroyed can we make
sense of it all. It follows that the Flood must have been global.
(2) You appear to be making great play of Gn.6:13 where God refers to
the destruction of the earth. I have already suggested what I believe to
be a reasonable reading of this matter in respect of a global flood, viz
"...in the sense that the terrain was no longer what it was - suggested
by the 'breaking up' of the 'fountains of the great deep' (Gn.7:11) - he
effectively eradicated the old order." What is your understanding of it
in a local sense? Can it be greatly different from mine?
Sincerely,
Vernon
http://homepage.virgin.net/vernon.jenkins/index.htm
http://www.compulink.co.uk/~indexer/miracla1.htm