Hi to my Forum Friends,
In another discussion, "Evidence For A Young Earth," our Friend, Nash, tells us, "We know that the Earth is much older than 6 thousand years, we've got cave drawings twice as old as that. We can see the light from stars and distant galaxies that has taken longer than 6000 years to get here. The young earth theory is an attempt to directly refute the idea that 6 days may be a metaphor, thus throwing a monkey wrench in the literal interpretation of the Bible.
We also know that there are flaws in evolution. It explains quite a bit and we have evidence to prove much of the theory, but scientists fill in the gaps with chance and coincidence. I don't know of any other scientific field that relies so heavily on random chance. Usually "good fortune" would be considered a cop out answer in science when used repeatedly and in spite of mathematical odds.
Like with politics, the truth is somewhere in the middle. This is unacceptable by those on both sides of the issue because it would mean they would have to change their thinking about God and existence."
While I agree with you that we cannot be adamant about the earth being only 6000 years old; we do know, from the Bible, that the days of Creation were 24 hour days -- which still maintains the integrity of the Biblical account. What we do not know is the time span involved when we are told, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). At this point, God has not started giving us indications of time, i.e., our linear time (in heaven there is no time; time as we know it, linear time) as a part of creation.
In the King James Bible, the word "day" which in Hebrew is the word "yohm" or "yom," is used a total of 2287 times. Of that total, it was used to mean a solar, twenty-four hour, day 2008 times. It was used to mean daily, ever, year, period, and all other forms of time, a total of only 279 times. So, it is very obvious that the most common usage of the word "day" in the Hebrew or Old Testament is to mean a twenty-four hour day. Thus, the days of Creation were normal solar, twenty-four, hour days.
In Genesis, the word "created" is the Hebrew word bara' meaning to create from nothing -- so, we know that God started from scratch when He created the heavens and the earth. How long He took we are not told; for in Genesis 1:2, we are told, "The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters."
There are some who postulate that this indicates that God had created another world and found it not to His liking -- and therefore, He destroyed that world and began again with our world. This is known as the Gap Theory. Their reasoning behind this belief is that the earth was barren and void -- therefore, it must have been created and destroyed before, making it barren. Yet, the word created, bara" -- means to make from nothing. So, when God created the earth as we know it; it was barren. Then, like a master Artist, He began His master work of art: He began His creation of plants, sun, moon, stars, animal life, and human life -- and, He separated the dry lands from the seas -- giving man, animals, and plants a place to reside. Yes, it began barren, like a blank canvas; but, then His remarkable Creation, His work of art, came to life on His canvas, the earth and all the universe.
The Gap Theory I totally refute and for a good reason. In Genesis 6:6-7 we are told, "The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, 'I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.'"
God, in Genesis 6, was so fed up with man that He decided to wipe the slate clean and He brought the great flood to destroy everything on earth except Noah and his family. Yet, He made sure that man had a written record of this event; that we might know the full history of His Creation. Now, doesn't it follow that, if God made sure we have a history of this event, Noah's Flood, where He destroyed the earth -- if this had happened before, He would have given us that history also? Yet, we read nothing in His Written Word, the Bible, which tells us of any previous world created and destroyed. Why would He tell of of one destruction; but, neglect to tell us of another. So, no, the Gap Theory is merely the star-dust speculation of "inquiring minds."
So far, we have been told that God created (bara') the heavens and the earth from nothing; a true act of creation. Then, we are told that the earth was formless, i.e., barren, and void -- and there was only darkness. We are not told how long this period lasted; for, keep in mind that there is no time in heaven. So, I imagine that God felt no urgent pressure, time wise, to hurry and get His pet project finished before Friday.
Then, in Genesis 1:3-5, we read, "Then God said, 'Let there be light;' and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day."
Thus was the creation of linear time: day one.
One argument we get, not only from atheists and evolutionists, but, also from many Christians who are determined to make the Biblical Creation align with the still forming beliefs, theories, and laws of science (we call these folks Progressive Creationists or just another flavor of the Liberal Christians) is: "How could there be light on day one, when the sun, moon, and stars were formed on day four?"
The following excerpts from Pastor David Guzik's (Calvary Chapel) Commentary on Genesis give us a good explanation and answer to this vexing, for some folks, question:
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Excerpt 1:
There was light: Genesis tells us that light, day, and night each existed before the sun and the moon were created on the fourth day (Genesis 1:14-19). This shows us that light is more than a physical substance; it also has a supernatural aspect. In the new heavens and the new earth, there won't be any sun or moon. God Himself will be the light (Revelation 22:5).
Bill Gray Insertion: In John 1:4-5, we read,[i] "In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." Yes, Light is definitely supernatural.
In John 1:8, we read concerning John the Baptist, "He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light."
We all know that John came to testify of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.
And, in John 1:9, we read, "There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man."
What, or Who, is this Light? It is none other than Jesus Christ -- who has come to light the way for all mankind. The same Light which we read about in Revelation 22:5, "And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever."
Yes, most certainly, light, or Light, most certainly has a supernatural aspect.
The darkness God sent upon the Egyptians (Exodus 10:21) had a tangible quality to it, far beyond what we usually think of as being associated with darkness; it could be felt. This demonstrates a certain supernatural element, which can be related to light and darkness.
So the evening and the morning were the first day: Many wonder if this was a literal day (in the sense we think of a day) or if it was a geological age. Some say that God created the world in six days, and others say He created it in six vast geological ages. Though there is disagreement among Christians on this, the most plain and simple meaning of the text is that He created in six days as we think of days.
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Excerpt 2:
Let the earth bring forth grass: All this happened before the creation of the Sun (the fourth day of creation, Genesis 1:14-19). This means the plants must have had sufficient nourishment because of the light God had created before the sun and the moon.
Those who propose these days of creation were not literal days, but successive “ages” of slow, evolutionary development have a real problem here. It is hard to explain "how plants and all vegetation could grow and thrive eons before their was a sun and a moon." No modern evolutionist would argue plant life is older than the sun or the moon, but this is what the Genesis record tells us.
Many wonder how the sun, moon, and stars were created on the fourth day when light (including day and night) was created on the first day. Many have suggested the problem is solved by saying these heavenly bodies were created on the first day, but were not specifically visible, or not finally formed, until the fourth. But Revelation tells us of a coming day when we won't need the sun, moon, and stars any longer (Revelation 21:23). There's no reason why God couldn’t have started creation in the same way He will end it.
And it was so: This is the beginning of life on planet earth, directly created by God, not slowly evolving over millions of years.
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Nash, when you say, "Like with politics, the truth is somewhere in the middle" -- I agree with this to some extent; however, to compromise Biblical teaching just to make it fit scientific theories it wrong. We have to see science as a part of the Creation, not a cause of the Creation; where the laws governing all fields of science were created by God -- during that six days of creation.
Once again, while we cannot be adamant about the time period between Genesis 1:1 and "Day One" -- we can be sure that all mankind was begun on Day Six when God "created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (Genesis 1:27). Therefore, any cave drawings created by man had to be within this time restraint.
And, on Day Four, "God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also" (Genesis 1:16).
I know that you, and all who want to agree with our atheist and secular Friends will say, "But, the stars are light years (millions, billions, of miles) from earth. That light would have had to start traveling toward earth millions of years ago for us to see it now."
Under normal circumstances, that would be true -- by the laws of physics, etc. However, we must keep in mind that there is a higher law at work, the law of God -- and, He did create Adam and Eve as mature adults -- so, why should the star lights be so difficult for Him? Am I saying this is the way it has happened? No. I am just asking -- would it be impossible for God?
So, let me restate my position; for I know "inquiring minds" i.e., Deep, Skeptik, Miami, et al, will be eagerly squirming in their chairs waiting to pounce: I do not know how long a time period existed between Genesis 1:1 and Day One. However, I do not accept, in any form, the Gap Theory -- and, I seriously doubt that God began creation -- then, in a senile moment, forget what He was doing for a few million or billion years -- and, then, suddenly, "Oh, yes, I was in the process of creating. I must get back to it!"
No, I do not believe it happened that way. God began creation, which He could have done in the blink of an eye; and He created the heavens and the earth. The earth was barren and void for some period of time, possibly. We know that Darwinian Evolutionist need this time period to be billions of years -- otherwise, their theory of evolution is out the window. Yet, I seriously doubt that it was that extended period of time; if any time at all.
However, when God began His creation of the earth and all the things involved in making earth a habitable place for man to live; one of the first things He created was linear time; for the sake of man.
From that time, when God began His creation of man, his time, and his habitat; I believe that time period to be in the neighborhood of 6000 years -- give or take a couple thousand.
And, that, my Friend, is history -- or, as we often say: "His Story" -- the Bible. And, that you can take to the bank, the Bank of Eternity.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
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