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.

[Diddley]

[96]
... ... ... Thus when Genesis says that the moon and stars were placed "for navigation in the night" he's referring to the earth's tilt aligning precisely with the north star (so people can navigate). It's not that moon and stars were suddenly created, but that the moon and stars were only becoming visible AFTER the plants cleared up the atmosphere so animals could evolve.

You have given me some points to think about.
Thanks.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Look even closer: First, everything (including the earth!) was created. (Check. - Theory tells us (though we don't know for certain) that everything (all matter) was present immediately after the Big Bang.)

With form and void. (Check.) See, if matter itself has not formed as neutrons, protons, and electrons, it has no fornm and is void.

Darkness. (Check.)

Waters moving = fluids moving = plasmas moving (under electromagnetic and gravitational influence.) (Check.)

THEN (after movement of plasmas into stars) -> Then fusion -> then light. (Check.)

Dividing Light into Darkness (creation of hell ?) Or simply light and dark can't be present (night and day) until solid matter (as planets) creates shade from the fusion sources? (Check - either way.)

Creation of earth's atmosphere, land, and near-earth (Van Allen belts) zones as the earth itself formed from collisions. Note: This EMI shielding from exo-atmospheric plasmas (waters above = ionized matter) is required for life to develop later. (Check.)

Sea and land are separated. Starts with only one ocean, one continent. (Check.)

[Dr. Eckleburg]

I let "perpiscatious" slide, since your insights rose above your spelling.

But "perpiscacious" makes two strikes, and I feel a need to write the word on the blackboard 10 times.

It's "perspicacious," my good Markofhumanfeet.

I like your homepage -- there's something wistfully familiar about it. 8~)

[Just mythoughts]

The WORD is WRITTEN without ever telling us who Cain married, Seth married etc.

What we are given are Adam's generations, and Cain's generations.

Genesis 6 tells what was going on, which made the Heavenly Father "repent" for making "flesh". In Genesis 6:2 ..."the daughters of "men" that they were fair;"...... do a little research as to the "HEBREW" word "MEN" as to whom it is specifically refers to. "the man ADAM" so it was his daughters that are spoken to. Genesis 3 is also speaking about the ADAM and how old he was.

Noah is listed as being "perfect" in his generations - His family "pedigree" was without blemish. REASON NOAH was "ELECTED".

What cannot be ignored is the REASON for "the Adam" who "FELL" (sinned), this was the line which was in fact protected for the birth of Christ.

The story tells of "the Adam", his generations and those they came into contact with to the birth of Christ.

So where did Cain and Seth get their wives? Cain was sent away, yet came up with a wife. Seth had children yet it is not written where his wife came from. Since that is not given "people" have put forth their own ideas, and they cannot point to any scripture which says who the parents of these daughters were.

So the very REASON Noah was "elected" you are going to now use and claim that from him came all "races". Big contradiction.

So you answer your own contradiction, with what is WRITTEN.

Genesis 8:1 And God remembered Noah, and "EVERY LIVING" thing.....

Well "EVERY LIVING" thing is not described and "flesh beings" of all races would certainly fit "EVERY LIVING" thing.

The "WHOLE BIBLE" points to CHRIST and not all who lived have their names given.

The Generations of the Sons of Noah are given in Genesis 10, and then follows "the TOWER OF BABEL" very interesting study, from the HEBREW, in that land of "SHINAR".

Then the Generations of SHEM to Abram. What we are given and the information that is there but because of "translations" that "HIDE" much, you might want to get yourself a "clean" translation so you can see actually was we are told in those first 6 books of Genesis.

Now Christ himself did in fact send us back to this Book of the "BEGINNING" many times. Seems he kept asking that question "HAVE YOU NOT READ", or "IT IS WRITTEN".

Much is written about those who take up the role as preacher teacher priest and it is this bunch that are in line for judgment first. THAT IS WRITTEN.

[Elsie]

This is my third reply to this message.

And the THIRD time to NOT answer the question.........

[Elsie]

Look even closer: First, everything (including the earth!) was created. (Check. - Theory tells us (though we don't know for certain) that everything (all matter) was present immediately after the Big Bang.)

I see from your homepage that you have some reservations about Science's Big Miracle too!

 

We're told, today, that Black Holes suck in stuff from around them because they are so dense--so dense that LIGHT cannot even escape.  So dense that NOTHING can ever escape, yet, we are ALSO told that ALL matter was once concentrated into a VERY small volume: smaller than a BH.

 

It seems that this would have been TMOBH: the Mother of Black Holes.

 

So my question is: "Why have the rules changed?"

 

If NOTHING can get out of a BH now, how did EVERYTHING get out of the TMOBH back then??

 

[Elsie]

I guess TRIPOD don't wanna SHARE!!

Go HERE!

[Elsie]

They STILL don't play nice!!!



http://ssscott.tripod.com/bang.jpg


do it yourself!

[Elsie]

ARRRGH!!!!!!!!

Copy and paste the data into the URL address box in your browser then........

Sheesh!

[RadioAstronomer]

I have a bit of analysis I willl provide tonight. FR is really slow this morning and I am due in the lab before 6am. Here are two links you may find interesting. I have posted them before so I hope it's not old hat:

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/dave_matson/young-earth/additional_topics/supernova.html

http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/cosmolog.htm

[RadioAstronomer]

"The Big Bang is really nothing like a black hole. The Big Bang is a singularity extending through all space at a single instant, while a black hole is a singularity extending through all time at a single point"

Taken from The second link I posted in my previous post.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Added the bckground reference links page (from the ucla page) to my favorites group. Thank you.

[azhenfud]

If I'm understanding what you're saying, you're claiming each race was an individual creation of man by God. Am I correct in understanding that?

If so, here's the fallacy of that thought. If each race was created independently of Adam, they would not have been subject to the same curse of sin as Adam. If that had been the case, death would have had no authority over the living of other races (which we know is false). This is how Jesus obtained rightfull ownership of the keys to hell and death and how He can now offer life to those whom He will.

Your question of Cain's taking a wife is disingenious, as we don't know the span of time between Cain's leaving Eden and his taking a wife. Many daughters' births were never recorded because lineage was transferred by the male, not the female.

Addressing Noah's pedigree, Noah's being "perfect" in his generations had nothing to do with the pedigree of his sons' wives.

So, are you saying Genesis 9:19 is wrong? Are you saying Chapter 10's account of the forming of nations is wrong?

Please clarify your position....

[bluejay]

And the THIRD time to NOT answer the question.........

The first two were 108 and 247 (not 250, as I wrote in a previous post - sorry, my mistake). Your original question was:

Well then: since even the great Roman Empire was drawn into His influence, just what DO you believe has caused the obviously illogical following of so many people (in the first century --dang! I can't even get away from Him there...) to worship and adore a blatent fabrication?

I interpret you argument as: since there are a lot of Christian, Christianity must be more correct. I do not agree with that premise. My reply #108 stated:

How do you explain 1.3 billion followers of Mohamed? How about billions (do not know the actual count) of various types of Buddhists?

When Lord ordered Abraham to begin the practice of circumcision, Abraham objection was that he would loose many followers. To this Lord replied that there would be enough. The meaning of the reply is disputed. The clear implication, however, is that the numbers matter less then the faith.

Post #247 clarified:

I already replied to this - post 108. The gist of the reply was that there are two other religions with billion+ followers. So, the number of follows is not, necessarily, proof of correctness.

You posted replies to both 108 and 247. In fact, you posted two replies to 108. None of the replies offered refuting arguments. In replying to 108 you requested information about the source of the Biblical quote. Your reply to 247 stated that followers of Christianity are better then followers of Buddhism and Islam. In my responses I offered information on how to double check on Genesis Rabbah and I did not reply to your comment about the relative quality of Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.

[Doctor Stochastic]

I would like to add that were the radioactive decay rates changing, things like the polonium tracks in crystals would be fogs rather than have sharply delimited edges. The same for other decay tracks. One could then deconvolve the track density with the R**2 volume element and get measurable indications of how much and when the rates changed.

[agrace]

Genesis Ch.2 V.17 "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

Clearly the use of "DAY" does not refer to a 24 hour span of time - from our perspective, nor does it mean that in any of the other instances where "in the day that" is used.

He meant spiritual death, which did in fact occur that very day.

[agrace]

So seems when instructing to our 24 hour "time" the night gets mentioned with it.

Isn't that precisely what God does in Genesis with His specific mention of evening and morning for each day?

[safisoft]

So you are going to prove me wrong. Well let's go then, start at Genesis 1:1 and go from there.

Try reading the rest of the Bible as well. God FINISHED creation on the 6th day. There was no "eighth day". God presented a model of 6 days of work followed by one of rest.

Again, you may think that you know better, but maybe a little insight into Hebraic writing is helpful. In Hebrew you often tell the whole story in overview, then return and fill in the details. Even without that in mind, you will find not a single instance in all of Scripture where there was an "eighth day" to follow the seventh of rest.

Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed." Exodus 31:15-17

[agrace]

How long did it take you? I just started, literally, I am half a dozen pages into a Hebrew primer recommended by another Freeper and I have about 2/3 of the alphabet down so far.

I assume it helped your biblical comprehension/perspective. That's exciting for me to imagine.

No doubt with 3 kids and homeschooling it'll take me a few years to get very far. :)

[azhenfud]

"He meant spiritual death, which did in fact occur that very day."

No, the spiritual death didn't occur until after God pronounced judgement and removed them both from the garden. Until the curse, there was no death. Genesis 3:19