Christians have become confused and even misled by the age of the earth. On one hand, some Christians teach the young earth doctrine which tells us, the earth is only 6,000 years old. On the other hand, science tells us the earth is billions of years old.
Quite the contrast, so who do we believe?
We believe God’s Word.
He expects each one of us to read the Bible with understanding. He expects us to rightly divide His Word in order to arrive at Biblically accurate answers that are logical. That is exactly what we are going to do in this Bible study, while applying critical thinking, and some good ol fashioned common sense.
A Young Earth Is Not Biblical
The concept of a 6,000 year old earth is based on the fact there have been roughly 6,000 years since the formation of Adam.
However, that does not account for the 7 days of Genesis, much less the events of Genesis 1:1-2. That means, those teaching the young earth doctrine believe the Seven Days of Genesis are literal days, literal 24-hour periods of time.
As we will learn, this belief creates contradictions in Scripture. Yet, we know the Bible does not contain contradictions, so we must be careful when we study the Bible to ensure it properly aligns. If Scripture does not, we have made an error.
A “Day” Was Not Established Until The Fourth Day Of Genesis
As you read Genesis 1, you will notice the first Six Days of Genesis end with the phrase, “the evening and the morning were the first day”.
When we read the passage, “the evening and the morning were the first day”, we automatically think about the sun rising, and the sun setting. We think about a literal “day”.
However, the sun was not appointed by God to provide light on the earth until the Fourth Day of Genesis.
Before the Fourth Day of Genesis, there was no light from the sun on earth, and a “day” had not even been established.
This means there was no “evening and the morning,” there was no “day” brought about by our sun until the Fourth Day of Genesis.
This means, “the evening and the morning” of the first Six Days of Genesis are not describing the rising and setting of our sun. Rather, “the evening and the morning” of each Day in Genesis describes one of our Father’s Days, His “evening and the morning”.
I will explain further.
Please turn your Bible with me, and pay close attention to what transpires on the Fourth Day of Genesis, (Genesis 1:14-19).
Genesis 1:14
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.
The “lights in the firmament of the heaven” are the sun, moon (reflected light from the sun), and stars that were placed by God to provide light on the earth and illuminate the heavens, (Genesis 1:16-17). These heavenly lights were “to divide the day from the night,” be for “signs and seasons” and track time in the form of “days and years”.
These events took place on the Fourth Day of Genesis.
That means, prior to the Fourth Day of Genesis,
- The sun could not have provided light to cause “the evening and the morning.”
- The sun could not have provided light “to divide the day from the night”, as God just established “days and years” with the appointment of the sun.
Therefore, “the evening and the morning” and the Seven Days of Genesis are not calculated using our sun. They are not calculated using a 24 hour period of time, since time (days and years) and light on the earth did not exist as we think of it, until the Fourth Day of Genesis.
This documents for us, the Seven Days of Genesis are calculated using God’s Days, not our own. Remember, it was His Works that was being explained and established. Mankind had no involvement and was not introduced until the Sixth Day of Genesis.
How Long Is One Of God’s Days?
Turn your Bible with me to,
2 Peter 3:8
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
That is the definition for one of God’s days compared to man’s days.
One of God’s Days is equal to one thousand of man’s years. This means the Seven Days of Genesis, in the very least, each represents a 1,000 year period of time.
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As Genesis 1:3-2:3 will explain, God performed His Work in the heavens and earth for Six Days which accounts for 6,000 years.
On the Seventh Day, our Father rested from His Work which now accounts for 7,000 years. On the Day after the Seventh, naturally, what would be the eighth day, God formed “Adam”. From the time of Adam to our present day we have the passing of an additional 6,000 years of time.
Altogether, this covers a span of at least 13,000-14,000 years from Genesis 1:2 to our present day.
The Beginning
It is important to understand, this 13,000-14,000 years only accounts for the Seven Days of Genesis to our present day. It does not account for the events prior, “The Beginning,” as explained in Genesis 1:1-2.
We should also understand, there is a large gap of time (millions or billions of years) between Genesis 1 verses 1 and 2. The Bible makes it clear, the earth “was” not “without form, and void” when God created it as Genesis 1:2 reads.
However, the earth did become “without form, and void” when properly translated.
God caused the earth to become “without form, and void” due to The Fall Of Satan. This event ended “the world that then was” and ushered in “the heavens and earth which are now”, (2 Peter 3:6-7).
This really should not be a surprise to us…
The Earth Is Old
The earth is filled with geologic mysteries and massive changes that are easily observed.
In the United States;
- Most of the country was under the ocean at one time.
- The fossils of African animals are found all over the country.
- Coal seams are easily observed in the rock layers along highways sandwiched between other rock strata.
These are only a few examples.
Then we have “The Great Unconformity” easily displayed in the Grand Canyon which holds a mystery scientists still cannot account for relating to the scales of time.
Simply stated, Christians should not be disturbed with scientific dating that spans millennia in age. All ancient fossils are from “The Beginning,” in “The World That Was” that was destroyed by our Heavenly Father and re-established during the Seven Days of Genesis.
Why Does The Age Of The Earth Matter?
I have been asked this question numerous times over the years, mainly by Christians who believe in a young earth. They typically tell me, “it does not matter, believing in Jesus is enough”.
I cannot tell you how short sided that statement is.
Did God send you a scrap of paper that said John 3:16 on it, or did He send you a Book to read?
This subject is not just important, but critical for the Christian to comprehend.
If we cannot understand the beginning of the Book, we will never understand the end of it. Placing all Biblical and historical events within the last 6,000 years does not properly mesh with the rest of the Bible or history. It leaves out the Rebellion of Satan and misaligns the rest of Scripture causing errors and confusion. That should be reason enough.
It is doubtful most Christians truly grasp the ramifications of the young earth doctrine. That doctrine introduces evolutionary thought during the time of Adam and Eve, Noah’s flood, and drastic changes to the earth that are not documented in the Bible, or history.
How many people can you help bring to Christ when you tell them the earth is 6,000 years old?
Today, it is common knowledge, earth is old, certainly older than 6,000 years. Do not make a mockery out of God’s Word by telling people Adam and Eve lived with dinosaurs, or Noah’s flood caused major geologic changes to the earth. Do not tell people the earth is only 6,000 years old when the Bible and Creation itself tells us it is far older.
Remember, we all will be judged by our works, by what we teach, (Revelation 20:12). If you do not understand the age of the earth, and are simply going by what someone told you, it is better to remain silent than to mislead someone.