I actually like the author’s recognition of the language and the multiple definitions of the word. The word used for God creating the “heavens and the Earth” is a form of stretched-out; and if Einstein’s special theory of relativity holds then if that stretching was fast enough then some really weird things happen to time (and how does one explain that to a people who don’t have the concepts).
Also, both the 12-hour and 24-hour days are defined by the Earth’s position [rotationally] in relation to the sun; if there was no sun until day 4 then how can we be sure that the ‘day’ in 1 through 3 were 24-hour? It is an assumption.
Furthermore, if God exists outside of time how could he relay that sort of experience to creatures whose only experience is within time? {Just as God defines morality, so God defines time.}
Very interesting, OneWingedShark. I immediately thought of Psalm 104:
[1] Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD my God, thou art very great!
Thou art clothed with honor and majesty,
[2] who coverest thyself with light as with a garment,
who hast stretched out the heavens like a tent
Thanks for giving me some food for thought! :)