Escaping the Cataclysm

by Keith Robinson

  Suddenly, my sons and I were startled as the door of the Ark began to close. Still hoping beyond hope that the Righteous Judge would allow a few to be saved, I cried out for the Him to wait. But it continued to close. My sons pulled me back from the entrance as the door finally came to rest, sealing us inside. Falling to the floor, we held each other and wept.

  It was then that the noise began. It started as a drumming on the roof of the Ark and steadily grew louder until we could barely hear one another. Staggering to our feet, we ran towards the ramp leading to the upper deck. Once there, we climbed up to the observation platform and stared out the window. The water that came out of the ground had begun falling in torrents. Closing the window, we secured it tightly and climbed down.

  The world that we had known was no more.

  21

  The Calm Before the Storm

  Lisa Staley opened the door softly so as not to disturb Dr. Eisenberg. However, as she stepped into the room, she was surprised to find that her concern was unwarranted.

  “Doc, you’re awake,” she said. However, her initial excitement suddenly changed to concern as she saw that he was sitting up in bed, an open scroll on his lap. “What are you doing? You’re supposed to be resting. You’re in no condition to be awake and reading.”

  As she stepped close to the bedside, he looked at her warmly. “I’m fine. In fact, I was even able to get up and walk across the room to get the scroll.”

  “Yeah, well, just don’t push it,” she said with mock seriousness. Pulling up a chair, she sat down beside the bed. “What are you reading? Is this one of the scrolls we borrowed from Noah?”

  “Yes,” he replied. “It’s his diary. I had just finished reading about how Noah and his family offered sacrifices after the Flood. And before that, I was reading Noah’s firsthand description of life aboard the Ark. I must say, it is very sobering reading.”

  “I can imagine,” she said, her face serious.

  “There’s so much about the Flood that I have never even considered before,” the doctor said. “For example, Genesis records that the floodwaters rose to be twenty feet above the mountains.1 But what’s interesting is that Noah comments in his diary about how the mountains were much bigger after the Flood. It never dawned on me that if they weren’t as high before the Flood, then that would greatly reduce the amount of water needed to cover the mountain tops!”2

  “But then, how did our current mountains form?” she asked.

  “Probably by all of the massive upheaval caused by the Flood itself,” he explained. “He describes massive earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis. It is probable that they were formed by the collision of the tectonic plates.3 Come to think of it, most people don’t know this, but the layers of rock at the top of Mt. Everest are made up of fossil-bearing, water-deposited layers.4 Scientists have even found marine fossils on the tops of every major mountain range on earth!”5

  Surprise spread across Lisa’ face. “So…so then where did all of the water go?”

  “Nowhere,” he said. “It’s in our oceans, in the deep sea trenches. After all, three-quarters of the earth’s surface is covered by water.6 If the mountains were flattened out and the ocean basins were raised up, there would easily be enough water to cover all of the land once again.”7

  “But, if there really was a worldwide flood, how come we don’t find evidence of it?” she asked honestly.

  Dr. Eisenberg’s face lit up with excitement. “But we do! The whole world contains evidence for it, but we are so blinded by our preconceptions that we don’t see it or we interpret it wrong! I’m ashamed to say that I was the same way. Only now am I beginning to understand.

  “Let me give you an example,” he said, barely pausing for breath. “If the whole world had once been covered by water, what would you expect to find?”

  Lisa shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “We would expect to millions of dead animals and plants buried in sedimentary rock layers everywhere on earth,” he replied. “And that is exactly what we do find! They are called ‘fossils.’”

  “Really,” she said in a playfully sarcastic tone.

  “Sorry,” he apologized. “Sometimes I get caught up in my teacher mode and forget who I’m talking to.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Doc,” she said with a smile. “I just had to give you a hard time.”

  “Anyway, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted,” he teased, returning her smile, “normally, dead animals and plants decompose quickly. The only way they can become fossils is if they are buried rapidly. And within the fossil record, scientists have found fossils of fish eating each other and animals in the process of giving birth.8 Obviously, those had to have been buried rapidly.”

  Not knowing what to say, Lisa remained silent. Encouraged by the fact that she was listening intently to what he was saying, Dr. Eisenberg continued.

  “Even more, the fossil record contains many examples of ‘fossil graveyards,’ where sometimes hundreds of animals were buried in the same location,9 and what we call polystrate fossils.”

  Lisa frowned, unfamiliar with the term. “What are those?”

  “The horizontal layers of rock are called ‘strata,’ and so a polystrate fossil is one that crosses vertically through more than one layer of rock,” he answered. “For instance, there are many fossilized trees in the coal regions of Kentucky that extend up through several layers of rock, including layers of coal.10 In fact, the Flood can actually explain the origin of coal itself.11 I can’t believe I’ve never seen it before, but now that I understand things differently, it makes more sense to believe that those trees were buried rapidly under flood conditions rather than to believe that they were buried slowly, little by little over thousands or millions of years.”

  Lisa frowned. “But, I was always taught that it took long periods of time to make a fossil.”

  Dr. Eisenberg nodded in sympathy. “Yes. Although I knew that they could form rapidly, I used to believe that they normally formed slowly. And, to my shame, that is what I taught in my classes. I never told students of the instances where scientists found man-made objects, such as a hat or a wooden fence post, that had petrified,”12 he said, his expression falling. “I didn’t mention them because I wanted my students to focus on the general idea that fossils are created over long periods. I never realized how much my own preconceived ideas influenced my teaching. It doesn’t take long periods of time, just the right conditions.”

  “And so now you believe that a literal worldwide flood explains the evidence better?” Lisa asked.

  “To be honest, Lisa, I have much research to do,” he said. “So much of geology is based on interpretation, and now that I have a different starting point, I’m realizing now just how much of what I believed was based on a foundation of evolutionary thinking. I don’t have all of the answers, but I can see that my new understanding is helping me to make sense of things that were always a mystery, such as polystrate fossils.”

  Dr. Eisenberg paused for a second as a new thought occurred to him. “You know, when you think about it, the geologic history of the earth is not uniformitarianism, where everything has always happened at the same slow rate. Instead, it is more like the life of a soldier: long periods of boredom punctuated by short periods of terror.”

  Lisa sat quietly for a moment, her face reflecting the turmoil that raged within her. “But, it’s just…it’s just so hard to believe that one ship could contain all of the animals in the world!” she said finally. “How could just eight people take care of all of those animals?”

  “I imagine we’ll find the answer to those questions when we get a chance to talk to Jeffrey and the others who boarded the Ark. However, I may have at least a portion of the answer,” Dr. Eisenberg said, holding up the scroll in his lap. “It says here that many of the animals were in various stages of hibernation during the voyage. So even though Noah states that they had designed the Ark to make caring for the animals possible under normal con
ditions, their jobs were made that much easier when the animals slept much of the time. Think about it. They would consume less food, drink less water, and produce less waste.”13

  Although the doctor didn’t see it, Lisa’s eyes began to pool with tears.

  “I wish I had been able to be with Jeffrey and the others when they went on the Ark,” he continued. “To be so close and yet not get to see it…” Laughing at himself, he waved his hand in the air in dismissal of his feelings. “You know what they say, ‘if wishes were fishes we’d all have some fried!’”

  Lisa couldn’t help but laugh at the silliness of Dr. Eisenberg’s quote. Her countenance relaxed for a moment, before turning serious once more. “It’s…it’s all really true, isn’t it, Doc?” Lisa asked as she lowered her head, tears forming in her eyes once again.

  Reaching out, he took her hand in his own. “Look at me, Lisa,” he said gently. “Yes, it’s all true. If your struggle is anything like mine was, your pride may not want to admit that you have been wrong for all of these years. And even more than that, you know that if the Deluge was a real event, then it points to the fact that there is a God, and He does judge sin.”

  Tears began spilling unrestrained down her cheeks at his words.

  “Dearest Lisa,” he said as he wiped her tears away with the thumb of his right hand, “I know you’ve done things that you regret. If you only knew everything about me, you might be shocked at some of the things I’ve done in my life. I’m definitely no saint. All of my life I lived under the condemnation of the laws of God from the Torah. I knew that I was a criminal in His eyes, and that knowledge was like a crushing weight upon me. For no matter how many good deeds I did, they would never erase my crimes.”

  As he continued to share his personal story with her, he relived the joy and release he had felt when he had first believed. “When Rebecca urged us to accept Jesus while we were standing outside the Tower of Babel, I don’t know why, but for the first time in my life I understood what Christianity meant. It’s like a legal transaction! Even though we were found guilty in God’s courtroom and were given the death penalty, Jesus paid that penalty for us with His own blood! Our case has been thrown out and we are free!”

  Lisa’s shoulders shook as she fought against her emotions. Then, like the bursting of a dam, she began to weep uncontrollably as she buried her face in the mattress of the bed. Placing his hand on her back, Dr. Eisenberg comforted her like a father to his daughter. “Turn away from your sins and put your trust in Jesus. If you do, He will give you a clean slate.”

  Her eyes red and swollen, she raised her head and looked up at him. “But Doc, how could He forgive me after what I did to Becky? She was my best friend! Yet I…I…” Another bout of sobs shook her body, preventing her from finishing her sentence.

  His own eyes full of tears, the doctor looked at her with a pained expression. “Although my own faith in Jesus is still new, I can tell you that from what I do know, I don’t believe there is any sin that is so great that God would not forgive you. Look at Saul of Tarsis. He murdered Christians, yet God still forgave him. And I think I know Rebecca enough to tell you that even though there have been times lately when she has lashed out at you in her pain, I can guarantee you that in the big picture, she would want you to accept Jesus’ forgiveness.”

  “But, how could I ever face her again after what I’ve done?” she said through her tears. “And what do I do about Jeffrey? I love him.”

  “You may have to give Rebecca some time, but I believe in the long run she will forgive you,” he said gently. “As for Jeffrey, that is between you and God. However, I think in your heart you already know what He would want you to do.”

  Placing his hand under her chin, he lifted her head to look at her. “Would you like me to pray with you?” She nodded, and he smiled brightly as tears of joy spilled down his cheeks. Bowing their heads, they prayed together. When they had finished, she stood and embraced him, her guilt washed away as she was reborn as a new creation.

  “Dis is not good,” Akwen said in alarm as she studied the screen in front of her. Reaching over, she grabbed her commlink and flicked it on. “Lisa, Doc, we’ve got company.”

  A moment later, Lisa replied, her voice sounding oddly weak and hoarse, as if she had been crying. “What do you mean? What kind of company?”

  “Dere are eight giant men heading right for us,” Akwen said in concern. “And somehow I don’t tink dey are part of da local welcoming committee.”

  “I’m on my way,” she replied tersely, and the commlink went dead.

  A minute later, Lisa bounded up the stairs and entered the control room. Moving over to stand next to Akwen, she studied the screen intently.

  Noticing the redness of Lisa’s eyes, the dark-skinned Cameroonian woman frowned. “What’s wrong wit you?”

  Uncomfortable under the other woman’s critical stare, Lisa shook her head. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it. So, what are we gonna do?”

  Still frowning, Akwen decided to let the subject drop and focused instead on Lisa’s question. “I don’t tink dere’s much we can do. Dey will probably jest come and inspect da pyramid. Den, once dey realize dey can’t enter it, dey will probably turn around and leave.”

  “And hopefully not come back with a jackhammer,” Lisa added, her concern clearly written on her face.

  Akwen tilted her head to the side and pursed her lips in agreement. Together the two women watched as the group drew closer. “Oh my…” Lisa said in a mixture of awe and fear. “They’re huge! Look at them! They must be at least eleven or twelve feet tall! Do you think those are the Nephilim that Noah was referring to?”

  Akwen refrained from replying, but the tightness of her mouth and jaw betrayed her otherwise calm exterior. Suddenly, both women started as the giants sprang into action.

  “They look like they are going to attack!” Lisa said in panic as the giants sprinted toward the pyramid and began to climb the outer steps toward the closed entrance at the pinnacle.

  “But, dat doesn’t make any sense,” Akwen said in confusion. “Dey don’t show any sign dat dey are surprised by da sight of the pyramid. It’s almost as if dey know—”

  Akwen never completed her sentence, for at that moment, the hatch in the ceiling behind them opened. Whirling around in shock, the women watched in horror as dark shapes slipped through the hole, their massive frames backlit by the sunlight that streamed in through the opening.

  Lisa screamed, then dove toward the stairs, knocking over the stool that stood next to the console and sending it crashing to the floor. Akwen, eyes wide in fear, started to run in the opposite direction around the central shaft of the pyramid, but was quickly intercepted by the massive arms of one of the attackers. Despite their best efforts, the two women were quickly overpowered, their final panicked cries muffled as the giants rendered them unconscious…

  A scream and accompanying crash startled Dr. Eisenberg, causing him to sit bolt upright in the bed. The rapid movement sent sharp stabs of pain through his torso, forcing him to lie back down. However, the heavy sounds of booted feet on the stairs made him fight through his soreness to sit up once more. Although he was recovering quickly from his wound, the pounding of his heart and the speed of his movements nearly doubled him over with pain. Clenching his jaw tightly to keep from crying out, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, preparing to stand.

  Suddenly, the door at the foot of his bed swung open and two enormous forms entered the room. At the sight of them, the doctor yelled in surprise, sending yet another aching jolt through his body. Approaching the bed, the giant snarled wickedly. The last thing the doctor saw was the meaty hand of the giant as it swung toward his head.

  Genesis 7:20

  Ham, Ken, ed. The New Answers Book. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2006, p. 137.

  Ibid p. 137.

  Ibid p. 137.

  Walt Brown, Ph.D. In the Beginning: Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood. Phoenix, AZ: Cen
ter for Scientific Creation, 2001, p. 41.

  Ham, Ken, ed. The New Answers Book. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2006, p. 135.

  Walt Brown, Ph.D. In the Beginning: Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood. Phoenix, AZ: Center for Scientific Creation, 2001, p. 40.

  Ham, Ken, ed. The New Answers Book 3. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2009, p. 93–94.

  Snelling, Andrew A. “The World's a Graveyard.” Answers Magazine, April–June 2008: 76–79.

  Ham, Ken, ed. The New Answers Book 3. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2009, p. 95–96.

  Morris, John. The Young Earth: The Real History of the Earth—Past, Present, and Future. Revised and expanded edition. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2007, p. 106.

  John D. Morris, “Are Human Artifacts Ever Petrified?” Institute for Creation Research, http://www.icr.org/article/are-human-artifacts-ever-petrified/ (accessed December 16, 2010).

  Woodmorappe, John. Noah’s Ark: A Feasibility Study. Santee, California: Institute for Creation Research, 2003, p. 127–135.

  22

  The Dungeon

  The metal door of the cell creaked open, sending a loud grating sound echoing down the tunnels of the dungeon. A moment later, Lisa and Akwen were shoved into the room toward one of the corners. The two women instinctively threw out their hands in front of them to stop their momentum against the opposite wall. Turning her head to look over her shoulder, she saw the Nephilim that had been carrying Dr. Eisenberg’s limp body enter the small room, the dim light filtering in from the hallway reflecting off of his armor. The giant laid the doctor on the stone floor, then, after casting Lisa a lustful look that made her skin crawl in disgust, he turned and exited, the door slamming shut behind him.