Why Six Days? (Six Days of Creation, Literal Days or Era's.

Koinonia House ^ | 11/15/2003 | Dr. Chuck Missler

[bondserv]

Part One of a Series:
Why Six Days?
by Chuck Missler

The Book of Genesis presents a disturbing problem for many Bible-believing Christians. Did God really create the heaven and the earth in just six 24-hour days? How does a serious student of the Torah - the five books of Moses - reconcile the Genesis account with the "billions of years" encountered in the dictums of astronomy, geology, et al?

Many continue to attempt to circumvent the problem by assuming that the six days represent "geological eras," or that the traditional text is simply a rhetorical "framework" for a literary summary of the creative process. Various forms of "theistic evolution" have been contrived in attempts to reconcile the Biblical text with the various theories and conjectures which dominate our evolution-based society.

However, the sincere student cannot escape the confrontations which result from the straightforward reading of the text with the ostensible declarations of "science." How can we deal with these fundamental issues?

Why Is It So Critical?

There are four basic questions that confront all of us: Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going when I die?

And your eternal destiny will be determined by your "world view" in addressing these issues. And there are really only two world-views: either everything - including you - is the result of some kind of cosmic accident, or this is all the result of a deliberate design by a Designer.

This issue could not be more fundamental to everything. It comes as a shock to many to discover that every major theme and doctrine in the Bible has its roots in this "Book of Beginnings": sovereign election; salvation, justification by faith, believer's security, separation, disciplinary chastisement, the Divine Incarnation, the "rapture" of the church, death and resurrection, the priesthoods (both Aaronic and Melchizedekian), the Antichrist, and even the Palestinian Covenant that is being challenged by the continuing tensions throughout the world today all have their roots in this critical foundational book of the Bible. And each of these issues also has its consummation in the Book of (the) Revelation. (Like every good textbook, the answers are always in the back!)

Who Really Wrote the Torah?

There are those who have suggested the books of Moses were actually compilations by a number of redactors over the years - the common "Documentary Hypothesis" being one of the most prevalent theories. Fortunately, these previously popular notions have been thoroughly shredded by competent scholarship. But allow me to save you many hours of boring library research. I know who wrote the Books of Moses: Moses did. How do I know? Jesus Christ Himself said so! Many times.¹

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? - John 5:45-47

Jesus quotes from each of the books of the Torah and attributes them each to Moses. The New Testament includes 165 direct quotes (and over 200 allusions) to the Book of Genesis, and over 100 of these are from the first 11 chapters. These include the Creator and the creation, ² (and allusions³), creation of man and woman,⁴ the fall of man,⁵ the Flood of Noah,⁶ etc. So if you believe in Jesus Christ, you have no problem as to who wrote the Book of Genesis. (And if you don't believe in Jesus Christ, you have much bigger problems than the authorship of Genesis!)

But "Six Days"?

The account of the creation of the universe in six days still is a "bone in the throat" to many Christians. Many point out that the word for "day" is yom

, and is translated to 54 other words; however, 1181 of 1480 occurrences it is "day," and when used with a number it is always a literal day. But the real problem isn't the account in Genesis. It is in Exodus. In the middle of the Ten Commandments, the Creator Himself wrote it with His own finger in stone!

For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. - Exodus 20:11

It is undeniable that God intended us to understand that it was, indeed, six literal days. So how do we deal with the common understanding that "billions of years" was involved? How do we deal with the astronomical distances of millions of "light years" between the galaxies of the universe? Can anyone familiar with the discoveries of modern science take the Genesis account seriously?

It may come as a pleasant surprise to discover that the more you know about modern science - the real physics, not the mythology and conjectures that masquerade as "science" - the more you can take the Biblical text seriously. The Lord always rewards the diligent. (A recent book includes articles by fifty top scientists - from many different fields of specialization - who declare why they believe in a literal six-day creation. ⁷)

The Nature of Time

One of the many advantages that 20th century science has given us is that, thanks to Dr. Albert Einstein's brilliant discoveries, we now know that time is a physical property and is subject to mass, acceleration, and gravity. We have come to realize that we live in a four-dimensional continuum properly known as "space-time." (This is what Paul seems to imply in his letter to the Ephesians!⁸) It is interesting that when one takes the apparent 10¹² expansion factor involved in the theories of the "expanding universe," that an assumed 16 billion years reduce to six days!

Furthermore, the astronomical timetables now seem to be entirely overturned with the reluctant acknowledgments that the speed of light is not longer regarded as the constant that the high priests of physics had been previously convinced of.

The Nature of Light

Not only have recent scientific articles highlighted the discoveries that the speed of light has changed over the centuries (something that Barry Setterfield has been declaring for decades) the very nature of light has ripped open the entire world of quantum physics that has shattered our concepts of reality itself.

The changes in the velocity of light not only impacts our understanding of the astronomical distances and properties, it affects the atomic behavior involved in the red shift of spectra, the reliability of radiological dating, etc. It is the peculiar properties of photons themselves that continue to astonish the quantum physicists wrestling with the very nature of our physical existence. It is now recognized that subatomic particles lack a property known as "locality." All subatomic particles are now understood to be immediately connected. There is a simultaneity - a "non-locality" - among all photons that has been confirmed in the laboratory. It now appears that our entire universe may actually be a gigantic hologram of some kind. ⁹

The Fabric of Space

Most of us assume that space is simply an empty vacuum with nothing "in it." However, it is increasingly evident that even empty space has astonishing properties that have yet to be fully understood. We now know that this "firmament,"(raqia) which the Scripture presents, possesses electromagnetic properties including dielectric permittivity, magnetic permeability, an intrinsic impedance,¹⁰ and has an astonishing "zero-point" energy sufficient to keep all the electrons in the entire universe in their orbits.¹¹ The term "stretching the heavens" appears at least 17 times in the Scriptures.¹²

According to the Scriptures, the heavens can be "torn,"¹³ "worn out" like a garment,¹⁴ "shaken,"¹⁵ "burnt up,"¹⁶ "split apart" like a scroll,¹⁷ rolled up" like a mantle ¹⁸ or a scroll.¹⁹

The concept of being "rolled up" carries some additional insights. There must be some dimension in which space is "thin." If space can be "bent," there must be a direction it can be bent toward. Thus, this tells us that there must be additional dimensions beyond those of space itself. It is now understood that we live in even more than four dimensions: ten dimensions is the current estimate (which is precisely what Nachmonides concluded in his commentary on Genesis back in the 13th century!) The more we understand from the current perspectives of modern physics, the more comfortable we are with the chronicle in Genesis One.

The Architecture of the Solar System

The more we study our solar system, the more questions get raised. Here, too, the prevailing assumptions that are broadly taught are totally specious. The "Nebular Hypothesis," that the planets were somehow thrown off by the sun, is mathematically untenable. There is no plausible explanation that would support a solar origin of the planets. The sun contains 99.86% of all the mass of the solar system, and yet contains only 1.9% of the angular momentum. The nine planets contain 98.1%. Furthermore, the outer planets are far larger than the inner ones. (Jupiter is 5,750 times as massive as mercury, 2,958 times as massive as Mars, etc.)

There are many other provocative enigmas concerning our planetary history:

o There are three pairs of rapid-spin rates among our planets: Mars and Earth, Jupiter and Saturn, and Neptune and Uranus, are each within 3% of each other. Why?

o Earth and Mars have virtually identical spin axis tilts (about 23.5°). Why? (From angular momentum and orbital calculations, it would seem that the three pairs of these planets may have been brought here from elsewhere.)

o Why does Mars have 93% of its craters in one hemisphere and only 7% in the other? It would appear that over 80% occurred within a single half-hour!

It's almost as if God designed it to challenge any naturalistic hypotheses!

"Evening" and "Morning"?

The Hebrew terms, Erev,and Boker, now refer to "evening" and "morning" but their origins remain obscure. Erev

designates obscuration, mixture (increasing entropy). The time when encroaching darkness begins to deny the ability to discern forms, shapes, and identities; thus, it becomes a term for twilight or evening.²⁰ This also marks the duration of impurity, when a ceremonially unclean person became clean again,²¹ and thus, the beginning of the Hebrew day.

Boker is a designation for becoming discernible, distinguishable, visible; perception of order; relief of obscurity (decreasing entropy). It thus is associated with being able to begin to discern forms, shapes, and distinct identities; breaking forth of light; revealing; hence, denotatively, dawn, morning. (As traditional designations for the Hebrew day, technically it would seem to only designate the nighttime hours, but it is used connotatively for the entire calendar day.)

It is noteworthy that neither of these are recorded on the seventh day, and thus their original significance may have been to designate the increments of creation.

Other Issues

There are other questions that arise from the Genesis narrative. When was the earth created? It seems to have preceded the rest of the universe. Surprisingly, there are some cosmologists that are (again) beginning to suspect that the universe may be geocentric after all! How did plants (3rd day) flourish without the sun's photosynthesis (4th day)? When were the angels created? (They apparently witnessed the events of Genesis 1.) ²² When did Satan fall? He had apparently already fallen by Chapter 3.

As we explore these, and other, enigmas that emerge from the Biblical text, let us not confuse the precision of the text with conjectures and mythology that pervades our pagan culture and uninformed classrooms. (It's tragic that we can't insist on evidence-based education for our children rather than the foolishness and dogma that continues to strip them of their God-fearing heritage.)

But the more acquainted you become with the amazing discoveries and insights from the frontiers of science - and are able to dismiss the nonsense that prevails among the uninformed - the more comfortable the Genesis text becomes! We plan to continue this series of articles in the unmitigated aspiration of stimulating you to dig ever deeper into God's inerrant Word!

Notes:      

1. Matthew 8:4; 19:7,8; 23:2; Mark 1:44; 10:3,4; 7:10; Luke 5:14; 16:19, 31; 20:37; 24:27,44; John 3:14; 5:39,45,46; 6:32; 7:19, 22,23.
2. Matthew 13:35; Mark 13:19; John 1:3; Acts 4:24; 14:15; Romans 1:20; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:10; 11:3.
3. Romans 1:25; 16:25; Ephesians 3:9; 1 Timothy 4:4; Hebrews 2:10; 4:10; 9:26; James 3:9; Revelation 3:14; 4:11; 10:6; 14:7.
4. Matthew 19:4-6, 8; Mark 10:6; Acts 17:26; 1 Corinthians 6:16; 11:8,9; Ephesians 5:31; 1 Timothy 2:13, 14; Revelation 2:7; 22:2, 14.
5. Romans 5:11, 14, 17, 19; 8:19-20; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 20:2.
6. Matthew 24:37; Luke 17:26; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5; 3:5-61.
7. John F. Ashton, In Six Days , Master Books, Green Forest AR, 2001.
8. Ephesians 3:18.
9. Cf. "Information in the Holographic Universe," Scientific American , August 2003.
10. Any radio ham that has had to tune an antenna array knows about the 377 ohms.
11. It has been estimated at a staggering 1.071 x 10117 kilowatts per square meter!
12. 2 Samuel 22:10; Job 9:8; 26:7; 37:18; Psalm 18:9; 104:2; 144:5; Isaiah 40:22; 42:5; 44:24; 45:12; 48:13; 51:13; Jeremiah 10:12; 51:15; Ezekiel 1:22; Zechariah 12:1.
13. Isaiah 64:1.
14. Psalm 102:25.
15. Hebrews 12:26, Haggai 2:6, Isaiah 13:13.
16. 2 Peter 3:12.
17. Revelation 6:14.
18. Hebrews 1:12.
19. Isaiah 34:4.
20. Proverbs 7:9; Jeremiah 6:4.
21. Leviticus 15.
22. Job 4:7.

[bondserv]

Gotcha!!!

OUCH!!

[bondserv]

What about all the OTHER things that are listed to be in the City of God?

You have reminded me of the blueprints in Exodus 25 & 26 that God gave to Moses for building the tabernacle that represents the temple in heaven.

Good point.

[bondserv]

The earth was created millions, maybe billions of years (take your pick) before. It "became" void and without form (bohu and tohu) and was "re-created" for man in six days.

We don't have a cogent description of the Gap Theory yet, if you want to take the time.

[RaceBannon]

So What if you are???

You prove my point, you do not believe what the Bible says, that is so what.

You claim that all that matters is faith in Jesus. So what? If you can pick and choose what to believe, why should you believe that you need faith in Jesus?

Why? Cant you just pick and choose what to believe? How do you know to believe even that?

Are you catching on yet?

you said:"However, I don't actually believe that the Sun was created before the plants."

Well, there it is. What does the Bible say? You are calling God a liar, and that is your words, you do not believe that plants came before the sun, but the Bible clearly says it came after the plants.

You said it yourself. You are NOT a Bible believer.

[RaceBannon]

But you can say you know, because it does say so.

That is what people need to remember, maybe even believe for the first time!

It is TRUE! It is accurate, and it is God's word.

[Markofhumanfeet]

Six days of Creation. And so, Bondserv, what exactly does "six" signify? I knowest, thou knowest, and some enlightened others, knowest. The rest sleepeth. Adieu, literally:)

[azhenfud]

Maybe you missed it.

Genesis Ch. 9 Vv. 18&19 And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.

I'll let you answer the question - if ALL flesh was destroyed from the face of the Earth as is accounted in the Bible, and the sons and daughters-in-law were the only ones who "went forth from the ark", from whom else would those "races" descend?

If not at THIS point in time, then when? Chapter 10 is a list of those descendants. Racially diverse peoples are listed there - the nations of peoples, all descendants of Noah. Ch.10 Vv. 5, 20, & 32.

[bondserv]

Six days of Creation. And so, Bondserv, what exactly does "six" signify? I knowest, thou knowest, and some enlightened others, knowest. The rest sleepeth. Adieu, literally:)

He started His Creative work on "And the evening and the morning were the first day."

Then He continued His work on "And the evening and the morning were the second day."

Then He continued His work on "And the evening and the morning were the third day."

Then He continued His work on "And the evening and the morning were the fourth day."

Then He continued His work on "And the evening and the morning were the fifth day."

Then He finished His work on "And the evening and the morning were the sixth day."

The Holy Spirit leaves no room for wiggling.

I need a rest.

[agrace]

placemarker :)

[billbears]

It is TRUE! It is accurate, and it is God's word.

I know that it's true. But we're talking about the definition of a day, not whether or not it happened. For you to say that it had to be done in 'six days' as we understand days is to limit God to our understanding. What if the six days was six minutes to Him? Does that make the verses any less true?

[Markofhumanfeet]

The Holy Spirit leaves no room for wiggling. I need a rest.

Thus saith The Lord. And He created the 7th day.

So Bondserv, what day is this?

[Markofhumanfeet]

What day is it Eckleburg? Is it Day 1, or Day 8 or something else.? One so perpiscacious surely has an opinion?

[Elsie]

According to your homepage, I should have found something more than THIS in my search for the Scripture that you allude to.

NIV Job 13:27
27. You fasten my feet in shackles; you keep close watch on all my paths by putting marks on the soles of my feet.

Could you point it out for me please?

Thanks.....

[bondserv]

Well, I happen to be a dispensationalist in my orientation.;-)

Be watchful for the sounding of the Last Trump of God, (as opposed to one of the seven trumpets of the Book of Revelation) which will usher the bride of Christ (The Church) into heaven for the marriage supper of the Lamb. Shortly the fullness of the gentiles will come in, the baton will be handed back to the Israelis for the seven years of Jacob's trouble (As opposed to the Body of Christ's trouble).

The sixth day is coming to a close. After the Tribulation period we will be enjoying the rest of the seventh day, where the King of Kings will rule for the final 1000 years, then a new Heaven and a new Earth and we live happily ever after.

So Bondserv, what day is this?

The sixth day.

P.S. The First Trump of God:

Exo 19:19-20
19And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.

The Last Trump of God:

1 Cor 15:53-57
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thes 4:16-18
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Notice the similarities. God comes down and the people of God are called up.

[Robert A Cook PE]

No, "everything" was created without form.

Only after everything was created was THEN (later) the earth formed out of what was already present.... After light.

(We're merely innocently discussing/arguing how much later "later" really was, as we measure time today....)

[bondserv]

The fashioning of the earthly version's of the First and Last Trumps of God.

Num 10:1-2
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.

[Diddley]

[216]
Maybe the light God is referring to isn't the sun, but rather the light of the big bang. He separated the light (galaxy's, suns, planets, life) from the dark (dark matter, death). Just a thought

I tend to agree with that.

[Diddley]

[131]
Thanks for the pointer.

[bondserv]

Similarly, I always thought "the earth was without form, and void;" indicated it was entirely covered with water and had no mountains or dry land. If the earth was completely covered with water it would be without form, and void.

Gen 1:1-10

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

[bondserv]

I meant to ping you to the above post.