Posted on 07/14/2014 8:10:13 AM PDT by fishtank
Did Adam Really Live 930 Years?
by Brian Thomas, M.S. *
Genesis 5:5 says Adam lived for 930 years. Judging by today’s standards, this sounds impossible. Many contemporary readers of Genesis balk at such numbers and some end up rejecting the whole Bible. But a few researchers have found reasons to believe it.
Plant geneticist Dr. John Sanford and his colleagues plotted the ages of the biblical patriarchs listed in Genesis. The result shows a systematic drop-off in lifespans after 950-year-old Noah, “in a way that could never happen by chance,” according to an online post showing their results.1
(Excerpt) Read more at icr.org ...
I get your point, although I would suggest a couple of things. First, I assume you would agree that there must have been a good reason why the Old Testament contains concrete stories and histories about individuals and nations,instead of just giving a list of rules or medititaions on morality in the abstract? Second, maybe you didn’t intend it this way, but by speaking of the “morals of the stories” you sound a bit like those who think Scriptural details are not important as long as we understand the “main points”. Even if not to be taken purely literally, I think the details are crucial as signs, guideposts or symbolic representations of the teaching, and that the “main points” cannot be fully grasped until the details are fully grasped.
maybe something in that forbidden fruit altered their perfect DNA - there was a reason it was forbidden. Lots of questions I’ll find out the answers to one day, for sure ! beyond what I can surmise with my limited information. I know I will probably be surprised by the “rest of the story” as it relates to the ideas I’ve hung on to so closely.
As others have said, where does one draw the line? If the Bible is false in Genesis, it’s also false in all the Books of the Bible that quote Genesis, including Revelation:
Rev 10:6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
So we can either believe these Scriptural things, or call God a liar, because Creation is repeatedly discussed as fact throughout the Old and New Testaments, including discussion by Christ Himself.
Mar 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
Another factor to consider is that the Flood was a dramatic reduction in the gene pool, and a single mutation there would spread to the whole human race.
Another thought is that people may have aged far more slowly. Adam was created with an apparent adult age, but it may have been that men didn’t grow to manhood until 65-100 years old. Most pre-Flood patriarchs didn’t marry until after they were at least 100 years old. None married before age 65.
Finally, there’s the possible meetings that would’ve made “oral tradition” before writing VERY accurate. Abraham (born 1946 years after creation) could’ve met Noah (died 2006 years after creation), an overlap of 60 years, and Noah could’ve told him how his father Lamech (born 874 years after creation) could’ve met Adam (died 930 years after creation), an overlap of 56 years. There’s no mention of such meetings, but because of this overlapping of lives, such meetings could’ve taken place.
I’ve always thought something was lost in translation. Most likely a confusion between years and months. 930 months would equal a more resonable 77 years.
I see nothing wrong with using science to better understand some of the facts laid out in Scripture. Asking “why?” or “how?” is not heresy, it’s curiosity. If we can’t find the answer using those methods, that doesn’t disprove anything, it just means “we don’t know.”
I think you make two distinct points:
1. There are challenges to the superficial (my word, not your) interpretations of parts of Scripture (eg the Flood) by scientists and ICR pushes back on these attacks; and
2. There are serious metaphysical challenges posed by (and to) physicists and their Atheistic dogma, and they are increasingly becoming aware of those challenges.
I guess my poiint is that the second point is the more important one, and the most effective way to witness to them. The first point is more problematic, for the reasons I have given.
Using the shorter jewish calendar and the faster spin of the Earth....
Perhaps, but not from the Great Flood. His name means 'when he dies, it shall come' or 'his death brings judgement'. His name was prophetic and his death an harbinger for the flood.
Those who study aging are convinced that age is just the process a body goes through as it breaks down. You slow down the break,down, you slow down aging. In theory, they believe aging could eventually be stopped altogether through rehabilitative, nutritional, and preventative methods.
I follow the same line of thinking. And while the fruit was in the body, it underwent some fundamental change so that when it passed from the body, it corrupted, the soil, which corrupted the plants, which in turn corrupted every living thing, leading to death. Mere forbidden fruit falling to the ground caused no such problem.
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin...
Romans 8:21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
Just to clarify, the preceding explanation the DNA mechanism of corruption and death is pure conjecture.
There is no reason to believe that the ages of the patriarchs were not meant to be taken literally. Those who study aging believe that there really is no reason why we are limited to living no longer than 120 years, other than the fact that we are.
The Jewish lunar calendar still works perfectly. No leap years necessary. Our calander is not an improvement.
well if he exercised and watched his diet...on the other hand maybe it only felt like 930 years.
If you read the Bible literally, man was cast out of Eden and denied access to the Tree of Life.
Something about the fruit of that tree, extended the life of humans. IMO, it probably took a few generation for the residual effects of that fruit to wear off.
Undoubtedly gene mutation along the way didn’t help.
Perhaps the fruit prevented that sort of thing. Who knows...
Here is my personal “scientific” answer:
When God created Adam and Eve, their DNA was PERFECT. 100% perfect....
I agree with your thoughts. God created Adam & Eve perfect. When they sinned God’s perfect creation was disrupted.
It is interesting to note that the first recorded death in the Bible is that of an animal that God slayed for the skins to cover for their sinfulness (Genesis 3:21). Ken Ham speculates that this animal could have been a lamb, a foreshadowing of the slaying of Jesus, the perfect Lamb whose sacrifice is totally sufficient to cover for ALL of our sins.
Ever since sin entered in, God’s creation has been deteriorating - both our DNA and every aspect of our environment. So while man continues to accumulate knowledge we perceive mankind as becoming more intelligent. Obviously accumulated knowledge is not the same as “more intelligent”, in fact, I believe that mankind is becoming less intelligent over time with the accumulation of DNA flaws. Evolution theists believe just the opposite is happening and that mankind is continuing to evolve to a higher level. Where is the evidence?
It’s also interesting to note that the first recorded cloning was of Dolly (again, a sheep). Dolly was cloned from existing DNA, developed arthritis at 4 years old and subsequently died of “old age” at 6.5 years old, about half the normal life expectancy of sheep. It might appear that there is some sort of limit on the lifespan of DNA itself based upon the deteriorated condition of DNA.
Dwardu Cardona “God Star”. Part of a series of 7 books on ancient mythology and ancient astronomy
I agree with you. My favorite passage regarding our knowledge of God’s creation is Job 38 which begins:
The Lord Speaks
38 Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
2 “Who is this that obscures my plans
with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels[a] shouted for joy?
Whenever creationists or evolutionists are confident in their understanding of how they think the world was and is, I recall God’s questions to Job and reflect on the arrogance we have to believe we understand anything about this world. Yes, we attempt to fathom some of what we can perceive but the above passage makes it clear to me that man is not capable of fully understanding the creation.
Genesis 6:321st Century King James Version (KJ21)
3 And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for he also is flesh; yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.”
good point... as more and more “relations” are born, the direct link to a “patriarch” is less and less, so the dynasty identifier changes over time.
makes sense.
but little laughter.
t
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