Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Ron Snider <sarasotapt AT comcast.net>]

Unlike some others, who may have more discretion than I do, I will 
venture to speak on this issue.  The earth, as many in the scientific 
community have already recognized, was likely one single continent in 
the beginning.  Pangea is the favored term.  At the flood, the earth was 
certainly impacted by an icy visitor for space.  This is based on the 
following.

Science confirms sudden mass extinction, and there are still remnants of 
wooly mammoths in Siberia with remnants of undigested food in their 
stomach.  This suggests flash freezing as opposed to slow onset cold.

Genesis indicates that the waters above were precipitated out over a 
period of 40 days, which would be what we would expect if extremely warm 
vapor surrounding the earth was suddenly met with cold on the order of 
absolute zero.  Gen. 7:4,12

Further, it is evident that large quantities of subterranean waters were 
suddenly released, as seen in the phrase "the fountains of the great 
deep burst open", which employs a Niphal perfect of BQY, indicating an 
outside agent.  It is my contention, and I am not alone in this, that 
the pre-flood earth was the reverse of what we see now.  By that I mean 
approximately 2/3 land visible and 1/3 water, as now we have 2/3 water 
and 1/3 land. 

The icy visitor crashed with such force, as we would expect with an 
extra-terrestrial collision, that it shattered and the remnants were 
attracted to the earth's magnetic poles, thus explaining the present 
condition of the north and south poles. 

A careful study of the Bible, both OT and NT, indicates that prophetic 
years are 360 days, such as in Daniel, time, times and half a time=3.5 
years=42 months=1260 days.  I personally think this is due to the fact 
that before the flood, the earth was upright, and the length of a year 
was 360 days.  At the impact, the earth was knocked off its axis and 
that accounts for the present length of year and the known tilt.

This impact would  appear to have stuck the one land mass, and began the 
division of the earth, which became visible in Peleg's day, and accounts 
for the known reality of continental drift.  Thus, as the continents 
were moving apart at a more significant rate (visible?) the force pushed 
up the mountain ranges we now see.

In conjunction with the tower of Babel, where the languages were 
supernaturally confused, the continental separation accounts for the 
current division of the earth.  The land bridges that were formed 
eventually were stretched so thin, they collapsed, but the evidence for 
their existence is still seen in the Aleutian Islands, which would have 
reached to Russia at one time.

This is all based on faith of course, since none of us were there.  
However, given the current state of the earth, this model fits what we 
are told in the Bible and what we see today.

FWIW, my study of Genesis suggested that this all occurred in about 
2302-2301 B.C. with a date for Adam at 3958 B.C.

This all indicates that mankind as been on the earth for approximately 
6000 years, which is most of the Divine week.  I believe Messiah will 
return and establish the Millennial Kingdom shortly, with 1000 years of 
peace and prosperity, the evidence for which is rampant in the Prophets 
and clearly articulated in the book of Revelation, which is obviously 
outside the parameters of B-Hebrew.

Shalom and Eirene,

Ron Snider,
Pastor-teacher,
Makarios Bible Church
Makarios-online.org