The Flood of Noah by Bodie Hodge and Lauren Welch Review

This apologetics book, The Flood of Noah, is designed to show how cultures/countries throughout the world recount a version of the Flood found in the Bible in the book of Genesis. The book starts by describing why the author’s conviction led him to research and find out more about various cultures’ versions of the Flood. Throughout the book, the author references many passages of Scripture specifically from the King James Version and New King James Version. The book contains many images from different cultures and shows the false images that the culture believes in.

The author goes into the secular idea of a mass flood on Mars, and how many people believe this to be true even over the Biblical Flood, even though there is vastly more evidence to prove the truth of the Flood found in Genesis. The book continues into the journey of different regions, with the first being an account from New Guinea. In the middle of the book, the authors support their stance on the ark and truths of Genesis with numerous Scriptural references supporting the Biblical worldview of the account of the Flood.

From here, the author explains how different cultures use varying names for Noah. The book also highlights similarities among the kings who lived before the Flood in various cultural traditions, supporting these parallels with Biblical accounts. The author then examines flood legends from numerous regions, including China, Asia, Fiji, North America, India, Lithuania, Africa, Mexico, Europe, Greece, and Australia. The authors conclude by discussing what many see as modern misinterpretations of Genesis within some churches.

Throughout the book, there are detailed illustrations and accounts from a wide range of cultures to demonstrate that each contains a tradition reflecting a global Flood. The book emphasizes the consistency among these flood legends by highlighting their similarities to the account in Genesis. Many of the stories begin with widespread evil that results in a catastrophic flood from which a chosen individual is saved. Some legends parallel Scripture by also including birds being sent out to determine whether the land is safe. The purpose of the book is not to lead readers away from the Bible but to reinforce its truthfulness and accuracy. Although many cultures and regions have significantly altered or misunderstood the original account, the widespread existence of flood traditions is presented as evidence supporting the accuracy and proof of God’s Word.
The book concludes by discussing the fallacy of interpreting the Flood as a regional rather than a global event. The authors defend the accuracy of Genesis and close the book by presenting the message of salvation.

Reading Level: Ages 7-10
Read Aloud Age: 7+

This book is specifically designed to walk readers through similar-sounding legends that ultimately fall short when compared to the true Word of God. On page 5, the author explains how the secular world often does everything it can to portray the Bible as inaccurate, even though the world itself contains evidence of the global Flood described in Genesis.

I appreciated that the authors consistently incorporated Scripture throughout the book. As a parent, you should be aware that this book presents many detailed legends from different cultures throughout history. It also includes illustrative images of these legends, and in many cases, the author does not immediately defend Scripture after presenting each one. However, the author clearly believes that the Bible is the ultimate source of truth and that it is inerrant.

The purpose of the book is to demonstrate the consistent themes found in myths and legends and how each one proves the true story of the Flood. At the same time, the author argues that the sinfulness and brokenness of humanity have distorted the Biblical account over the years.
This book is an excellent resource for apologetics, although it may contain more information than younger children can easily grasp. I believe it is important that a child reading this book is mature enough to understand that these legends are presented to support the truth of the Bible, not to prove the legends themselves are true. The author does an excellent job of weaving Scripture throughout the book, but parents should consider their child’s maturity before introducing it.

This review is written by Good Book Mom contributor, Heather Clark. To learn more about Heather, click HERE.

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