There is evidence all over the biblical narrative of the flood story to indicate that the flood was worldwide and not local. First of all Genesis 6:5 says that the wickedness of man was great in the earth not in the land of Egypt, or in the plains of Ur, but in the earth. This phrase is repeated many times during the story and not once does it imply a local flood. In addition to this common sense tells us that the flood story had to be worldwide and not local. Noah took 120 years to build the ark. If the flood was to be local, why didn't he just move to another part of the earth? When God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah he sent Lot and his family out of the city because the destruction was local. Would he have done the same with Noah if the circumstances were alike? Of course, but He didn't because the flood was not local, it was worldwide. There was nowhere to run to escape the flood; therefore, the only escape would be a boat so massive it would take 120 years to prepare.
I believe it is important for Christians to believe in a literal worldwide flood. The reason why is because the Bible gives no indication of a local flood. Those who hold to the belief of a local flood do so because it conflicts with other previously established non-biblical beliefs. Any Christian who is ready to take God at His word will have no problem accepting the historical validity and accuracy recorded in the book of Genesis. From chapter 6 to chapter 9 of Genesis the word "earth" is used over and over again to emphasize the destruction of an entire planet and not just a small portion of it. One can argue and say that the term earth really just means a piece of land, and that the idea of all the earth doesn't in the Hebrew literally mean all the earth but a portion of it, but in order to support those conclusions one must build a case outside the scriptures and not within. In such an instance sola scriptura is done away with and the Bible becomes a book subject to the interpretations of biased secular science. However, the Bible can only be interpreted by comparing scripture with scripture. Though the understanding of ancient language, culture, and context are essential to a proper interpretation of the biblical text the use of modern ideas, theories, and philosophies should never be injected into the Bible. To do so would mean applying meanings to the text that are neither intended nor implied. As Christians we should always be willing to take God at His word.
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