From the genealogies given in Genesis 5 and 11, we noted on page 506 that those in the patriarchal line—from Adam to Joseph—had many children. If
the world’s population at the time of the flood would have exceeded today’s population of about 7 billion people. Therefore, one might expect to find many human fossils. Instead, only a few have been found. [See "Fossil Man" on page 13.] Some preflood, human artifacts and footprints have also been found. [See "Human Artifacts" on page 37 and "Humanlike Footprints" on page 36.] While a few of these can be questioned or debated, the fact remains there are some preflood human fossils, artifacts, and footprints. To explain why there are not more human fossils, we must examine the two bulleted assumptions above.
Did this population growth rate continue until the flood?
Probably not. The Book of Jasher, mentioned twice in the Bible (Joshua 10:13 and II Samuel 1:18), is described on page 490. Jasher contains over 3,000 years of history, from the creation of Adam and Eve, continuing through the flood, and ending with Israel’s entry into Canaan—the promised land. Jasher’s description of conditions before the flood—consistent with Genesis 6:1–13—may explain why and how birth rates dropped sharply.
For in those days the sons of men began to trespass against God, and to transgress the commandments which He had commanded to Adam, to be fruitful and multiply in the earth. And some of the sons of men caused their wives to drink a draught that would render them barren, in order that they might retain their figures and whereby their beautiful appearance might not fade. (Jasher 2:19–20)
This helps us understand why God emphasized—both before and after the flood—to be fruitful and multiply.
Were death rates unusually high before the flood?
Yes. About 120 years before the flood “the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:1,5) Human behavior was so wicked that God grieved and was sorry He had made man. Therefore, God decided to destroy all but Noah (the only blameless person on earth) and his family. We find it difficult to imagine how bad things were, but Jasher reports in some detail on the sensual indulgence and violence that developed before the flood.
And every man made unto himself a god, and they robbed and plundered every man his neighbor as well as his relative, and they corrupted the earth, and the earth was filled with violence. And their judges and rulers went to the daughters of men and took their wives by force from their husbands according to their choice, ... and God saw the whole earth and it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon earth, all men and all animals. (Jasher 4:17–18)
Jasher 4:5–5:5 briefly describe the premature deaths from violence and famine for many of the wicked and all but one of the followers of God—Noah.
Jasher is a family history of the Hebrews. It was probably begun by Joseph, Egypt’s second in command under Pharaoh. Jasher incorporated earlier documents and was updated by later Hebrews. No doubt it contains some errors and embellishments, but it supports many accounts contained in the first five books of the Bible with fascinating details.
For example, according to Jasher 6:14–17, Noah warned people (daily) for 120 years that god would destroy the earth, but it took Noah only five years to build the Ark. After Methuselah died, God told Noah and his family to enter the Ark. Seven days later, “all the fountains of the deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened, and the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.” Jasher explains that when the flood began, the world’s population was at least 700,000. Men and women, exhausted by the falling rain, came to Noah and the Ark pleading to be let in. “And Noah, with a loud voice, answered them from the Ark, saying, ‘Have you not all rebelled against the Lord, and said that he does not exist? Therefore, the Lord brought upon you this evil to destroy and cut you off from the face of the earth.’ ” (Jasher 6:19)
Let us not forget the indescribable violence of the flood, detailed in Part II of this book. God said He would “blot out” (not just kill) “man whom I have created from the face of the land.” (Genesis 6:7) The flood may have done just that—blotted out, erased—human remains from the earth.
Based on the recorded (although not inspired) history in The Book of Jasher, when the flood began, the world’s population may have been one-ten thousandth of what is today. If so, both of the commonly made assumptions listed in the first paragraph are probably incorrect. As Genesis 6:11 states, “the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence.” It should not be surprising that only a few human fossils have been found in the hundreds of millions of cubic miles of flood sediments.