How Old Is The Earth

[Aaron112]

If you want to know how old the earth is you have to start looking at physical stuff to study.

Or instead of following the most often mistaken ways and thoughts of men,

ask the Creator Himself.

 

[Aaron112]

…2“Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it, the LORD is His name: 3Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

WHY? Because I believe God talks to us though science. We should not put limits on God to say He only does this or that.

I believe Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden 6,000 years ago. Everything in the Bible is a history of the last 6,000 years.

Then we have Genesis chapter one. IF we follow science then the first day was 8 billion years. This means the word "day" means more then a 24 hour day, it means an age or an era. We disagree over the definition of ONE word in the Bible.

Although God created everything in a trillionth of a second. So if you want to say it took Him a whole week to do what HE did in an instant, then I suppose you are free to do what you want.

We have here a mixture and confusion of theology and science.

 

[Diamond7]

We have here a mixture and confusion of theology and science.

There is no confusion. Science and the Bible agree.
There is no contradiction. There are six days in Genesis..
Day 1 light
Day 2 Sky
Day 3 Land
Day 4 Plants
Day 5 Animals
Day 6 Humans
Science and the Bible agree on this.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

There is no confusion. Science and the Bible agree.

Two different things. We must agree to disagree.

 

[Platte]

WHY? Because I believe God talks to us though science. We should not put limits on God to say He only does this or that.

I believe Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden 6,000 years ago. Everything in the Bible is a history of the last 6,000 years.

Then we have Genesis chapter one. IF we follow science then the first day was 8 billion years. This means the word "day" means more then a 24 hour day, it means an age or an era. We disagree over the definition of ONE word in the Bible.

Although God created everything in a trillionth of a second. So if you want to say it took Him a whole week to do what HE did in an instant, then I suppose you are free to do what you want.

So nevermind that God said he created everything 6000 years ago....What does Science have to do with WHEN Creation was....thats a historical question not scientific one....History supports a 6000 year ago creation? Why do you keep noting Science when it comes to the timeline of Creation? Do you not believe Adam was created from dust in an instant?

 

[Platte]

That's not what St. Peter is talking about. Peter is not giving a formula of time for God that converts millennia into days, or days into millennia. Peter is saying time doesn't matter to God, so for us humans for which a single day and a thousand years are vastly different, for God there isn't any difference. So long periods of time matter to us, because we are tiny little mortal men with trivially short lifespans; but God is God--so when God keeps a promise, He keeps His promise, even if from our vantage point it takes a very long time. Peter's underlying point is this: You can trust that Christ will return, this is God's promise and it will happen, even if it is taking a long time from your perspective, nevertheless God will keep His promise: Jesus will return. Trust that.

As far as the age of the earth, don't use the Bible to do geological math. That's not an answer the Bible has, that's like trying to find a recipe for pecan pie in the Bible, it's just not what the Bible is interested in telling us, this is not a question the Bible addresses.

If you want to know how old the earth is you have to start looking at physical stuff to study. If you want to know how old a tree is, you can find that out by counting the tree rings. If you take an ice core sample, you can count the layers of annual melts and freezes to see how long that place has been frozen. You can know what the rate of atomic decay of certain elements are, then study samples of rock or fossils and do the math. Taking various disciplines of study, using a multitude of scientific processes, it is possible to learn how old things are, and work with these to figure out how old our planet is.

Over the last couple centuries, scientists have been learning how to do this, and doing this. And the more we study, the more we learn. At present, given everything we have learned, the scientific consensus is that earth is about 4.5 billion years old. That number might change, as science is always self-correcting, but given current knowledge that is the most accurate information we have available.

-CryptoLutheran

Are you saying Adam wasn’t created from dust in an instant by God? You think Adam evolved over millions of years from a single cell organism?

 

[Diamond7]

So nevermind that God said he created everything 6000 years ago

God did not say that, you said that. I believe God gives us science because HE wants us to know the work He has done. Remember the days of old; consider the years long past. I have told you many times now that EVERYTHING in the Bible happened in the last 6,000 years EXCEPT for Genesis Chapter one. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT??? Because of science. In this state students are tested on that science to qualify for a high school diploma. Even they are tested on evolution.

Moses uses plain language that a day is 1,000 years in Psalms. This lays the foundation for dispensationalism. The Bible does use the term ancient days. In 32:7 Deuteronomy Moses tells us: "Remember the days of old; consider the years long past." So we have a reference to old days, days that are long past, ancient days. The phrase “days that are long past” emphasizes the ancient origins of God’s work.

If you really want to understand the first chapter in Genesis study science. Hundreds of thousands of science books talk about in detail about what we read in Genesis chapter one. If you were really interested that is exactly what you would be doing is presenting real evidence. Even tree rings go back over 6,000 years and ice cores go back millions of years. How can you ignore the evidence when it is so abundant. Look at the grand canyon and all the lays. The rocks are crying out to be heard and their story is the age of this earth.

There is an abundance of evidence that does not take a lot of time or effort to study where you can see beyond any doubt that the world is a lot older than 6,000 years. Why you want to ignore abundant and overwhelming evidence from God I can not understand.

 

[Platte]

God did not say that, you said that. I believe God gives us science because HE wants us to know the work He has done. Remember the days of old; consider the years long past. I have told you many times now that EVERYTHING in the Bible happened in the last 6,000 years EXCEPT for Genesis Chapter one. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT??? Because of science. In this state students are tested on that science to qualify for a high school diploma. Even they are tested on evolution.

Moses uses plain language that a day is 1,000 years in Psalms. This lays the foundation for dispensationalism. The Bible does use the term ancient days. In 32:7 Deuteronomy Moses tells us: "Remember the days of old; consider the years long past." So we have a reference to old days, days that are long past, ancient days. The phrase “days that are long past” emphasizes the ancient origins of God’s work.

If you really want to understand the first chapter in Genesis study science. Hundreds of thousands of science books talk about in detail about what we read in Genesis chapter one. If you were really interested that is exactly what you would be doing is presenting real evidence. Even tree rings go back over 6,000 years and ice cores go back millions of years. How can you ignore the evidence when it is so abundant. Look at the grand canyon and all the lays. The rocks are crying out to be heard and their story is the age of this earth.

There is an abundance of evidence that does not take a lot of time or effort to study where you can see beyond any doubt that the world is a lot older than 6,000 years. Why you want to ignore abundant and overwhelming evidence from God I can not understand.

God gave us a detailed chronology that tells us 6000 years. I assume you don’t think Adam was created from dust in an instant. You believe Adam evolved over millions or billions of year from a single cell organism? I’m not sure you even believe Adam was the first man. either way I don’t think you believe Adam was created from dust in an instant.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

I don't understand why for some people, faith in Christ is contingent upon literal interpretation of Genesis 1 & 2.
I don't want to challenge such a faith. It seems so fragile. But I do not agree with it.

 

[Diamond7]

God gave us a detailed chronology that tells us 6000 years. I assume you don’t think Adam was created from dust in an instant. You believe Adam evolved over millions or billions of year from a single cell organism? I’m not sure you even believe Adam was the first man. either way I don’t think you believe Adam was created from dust in an instant.

If you understand this much then you know I have science and I have the bible. Science is constantly being revised as new evidence and information becomes available. That effects our understanding of the Bible. We do the best we can with what we have to work with. I am always seeking to understand more and I am always seeking God to help me understand more. Maybe God works different in your life but for me He works though BOTH science and the Bible.

Actually if Science had all the solutions I might not even be a christian. The miracle power of God goes beyond what Science can do for us. I tend to have faith, trust and believe in God to show me what I need to know. We are told we do not need man to teach us. It is amazing what God gives us so we can better understand Creation and if we understand Creation we better understand God.

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Clearly we are to study creation to have a better understanding of God. So people who do not do that are without excuse.

I know the Bible better than you do. Do you know Science better than me? I do believe things happen in a instant, just in a different way at a different time than you do. I should not even be alive and I think God keeps me alive because this is what He wants to me show people. Even though I am not worthy.

 

[Platte]

I know the Bible better than you do. I should not even be alive and I think God keeps me alive because this is what He wants to me show people. Even though I am not worthy.

Well then we are on the same side. My knowledge and understanding of the Bible is at minimum at your level. 10 years of Christian school and 4 years of Liberty University plus 45 years of reading and studying the Bible with the same thankfulness to God that you have.

God created the universe and all that is in it in six 24 hours days, approx 6000 years ago. History supports that timeline. It is what the Bible says. It is so clearly what the Bible says that your response is that I take a literal reading of Genesis and you don’t.

Adam was created in an instance from the dust of the earth. That is where humanity began. Once you understand Adam and his creation, the rest of creation will fall nicely into place for you.

 

[Diamond7]

It is so clearly what the Bible says

• Approximately 6,000 years ago, there was an abrupt change in how terrestrial plant and animal species coexisted.
• Human populations were growing, and agriculture was spreading globally.
• This period marked a tipping point where human activities, such as hunting and farming, began to significantly impact the natural environment in irreversible ways1.

There was clearly a literal week before we find Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

What is clear is that the first letter in the word "day" is a little that holds a lot. This is a very powerful letter. This represents an infinite God that creates a finite world. This represents contraction. God told me about contraction in a dream over 60 years ago.

Yud represents 10 and God created 10 things on the first day. There are 10 commandments all of the 613 laws of the Hebrew people are contained within the 10 commandments. All of creation is contained in a unit of time less than 1 trillionth of a second. Smaller than the period at the end of a sentence. Everything began in an instant when the contraction began to expand. For infinity to create what is temporal requires a contraction.

• Yud (י): Represents a seminal drop, the concentrated power of G‑d.
• Vav (ו): Signifies a descent, allowing blessings to flow downward from G‑d to our world.
• Dalet (ד): Represents the physical world, where G‑d’s blessings manifest in every aspect of nature.

 

[Platte]

• Approximately 6,000 years ago, there was an abrupt change in how terrestrial plant and animal species coexisted.
• Human populations were growing, and agriculture was spreading globally.
• This period marked a tipping point where human activities, such as hunting and farming, began to significantly impact the natural environment in irreversible ways1.

There was clearly a literal week before we find Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

What is clear is that the first letter in the word "day" is a little that holds a lot. This is a very powerful letter. This represents an infinite God that creates a finite world. This represents contraction. God told me about contraction in a dream over 60 years ago.

Yud represents 10 and God created 10 things on the first day. There are 10 commandments all of the 613 laws of the Hebrew people are contained within the 10 commandments. All of creation is contained in a unit of time less than 1 trillionth of a second. Smaller than the period at the end of a sentence. Everything began in an instant when the contraction began to expand. For infinity to create what is temporal requires a contraction.

• Yud (י): Represents a seminal drop, the concentrated power of G‑d.
• Vav (ו): Signifies a descent, allowing blessings to flow downward from G‑d to our world.
• Dalet (ד): Represents the physical world, where G‑d’s blessings manifest in every aspect of nature.

*** Important for all to read ***

The KJV translation of the Bible was completed over many years by over 40 scholars and clergyman. They considered all those details you presented and provided us with a good and proper translation of the Bible. Every one of the scholars and clergyman I can say with a high degree of certainty knew the Bible significantly better than you and understood the native language of the source text with much higher profeciency than you. If it is important to God that a clear translation of the Bible was provided to anyone, I doubt you'd be the one over those 40 scholars and clergyman. Their translation is far superior to anything you can come up with. We can accept the KJV as a true and proper translation of the Bible. They represent Creation as 24 hour days. I accept their translation - not yours. You arguing against it is futile. Anyone else reading this I hope will accept the KJV as a true representation of the meaning and intent of the source text and not the interpetation from an unknown source who clearly is trying to change the meaning to fit their narrative. I've read at least 30 other professional translations of the Bible (NIV, ESB, etc) and all of them also translate Creation as 24 hours days.

Now I'm not saying God can't disclose information to you but not in the way of a NEW translation....He may provide you insight such as God saying "and the earth was without form..." what does that mean....an earth without form would be an earth with no valleys or hills....thus a smooth surface earth...which explains why it was covered with water. That could be an insight God would give you....not a new and different interpretation that contradicts what the Bible says.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Are you saying Adam wasn’t created from dust in an instant by God? You think Adam evolved over millions of years from a single cell organism?

Human beings are definitely a result of biological evolution that has taken place on this planet over the last couple billion years. And the ancestor to all life on this planet, including you and me, was a single cell organism.

Like millions of Christians before me, going back to the days of the ancient Church, I interpret the creation stories of Genesis non-literally.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ViaCrucis]

*** Important for all to read ***

The KJV translation of the Bible was completed over many years by over 40 scholars and clergyman. They considered all those details you presented and provided us with a good and proper translation of the Bible. Every one of the scholars and clergyman I can say with a high degree of certainty knew the Bible significantly better than you and understood the native language of the source text with much higher profeciency than you. If it is important to God that a clear translation of the Bible was provided to anyone, I doubt you'd be the one over those 40 scholars and clergyman. Their translation is far superior to anything you can come up with. We can accept the KJV as a true and proper translation of the Bible. They represent Creation as 24 hour days. I accept their translation - not yours. You arguing against it is futile. Anyone else reading this I hope will accept the KJV as a true representation of the meaning and intent of the source text and not the interpetation from an unknown source who clearly is trying to change the meaning to fit their narrative. I've read at least 30 other professional translations of the Bible (NIV, ESB, etc) and all of them also translate Creation as 24 hours days.

Now I'm not saying God can't disclose information to you but not in the way of a NEW translation....He may provide you insight such as God saying "and the earth was without form..." what does that mean....an earth without form would be an earth with no valleys or hills....thus a smooth surface earth...which explains why it was covered with water. That could be an insight God would give you....not a new and different interpretation that contradicts what the Bible says.

That's not what "the earth was without form" means, not in the actual Hebrew of the divinely inspired text. You also need to remember that in Hebrew the word we translate as "earth" is eretz, and means "land". "The heavens and the earth" literally means sky and land. Which is why on the third day, when God separates the waters, He causes the dry earth to appear, giving the earth its shape. Prior to the work of creation which begins on the first day, the earth was formless, and all that existed as the primordial waters which, in the ancient near east, represented disordered chaos. God is bringing order out from chaos, form from formlessness, vesting the universe with meaning and purpose, and is the God who made everything--which was a direct subversion and attack against pagan beliefs which viewed the cosmic forces of the world as divine. Rather than worshiping the sun as a god, the sun is the creation of God, who is Lord over the sun, the moon, and infinitely greater than the skies above and all that they contain.

That's what the text is actually talking about.

The KJV isn't authoritative, at least it's no more authoritative than any other translation. If you want to understand the Bible you have to do the legwork to actually read, and consider the context, and try and read it as the original audience and authors would have understood it. You can't read the Bible like a 21st century westerner reading a newspaper. Biblical literacy requires work.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Platte]

That's not what "the earth was without form" means, not in the actual Hebrew of the divinely inspired text. You also need to remember that in Hebrew the word we translate as "earth" is eretz, and means "land". "The heavens and the earth" literally means sky and land. Which is why on the third day, when God separates the waters, He causes the dry earth to appear, giving the earth its shape. Prior to the work of creation which begins on the first day, the earth was formless, and all that existed as the primordial waters which, in the ancient near east, represented disordered chaos. God is bringing order out from chaos, form from formlessness, vesting the universe with meaning and purpose, and is the God who made everything--which was a direct subversion and attack against pagan beliefs which viewed the cosmic forces of the world as divine. Rather than worshiping the sun as a god, the sun is the creation of God, who is Lord over the sun, the moon, and infinitely greater than the skies above and all that they contain.

That's what the text is actually talking about.

The KJV isn't authoritative, at least it's no more authoritative than any other translation. If you want to understand the Bible you have to do the legwork to actually read, and consider the context, and try and read it as the original audience and authors would have understood it. You can't read the Bible like a 21st century westerner reading a newspaper. Biblical literacy requires work.

-CryptoLutheran

Silly

 

[Platte]

Human beings are definitely a result of biological evolution that has taken place on this planet over the last couple billion years. And the ancestor to all life on this planet, including you and me, was a single cell organism.

Like millions of Christians before me, going back to the days of the ancient Church, I interpret the creation stories of Genesis non-literally.

-CryptoLutheran

So if you took Creation as written in the Bible literally you'd agree with me.

 

[ViaCrucis]

So if you took Creation as written in the Bible literally you'd agree with me.

Probably not. Young Earth Creationism doesn't really take the creation stories in Genesis 1 & 2 literally. They treat it literally, but make certain assumptions and add things to the text that aren't in the text.

Reading the creation stories literally would mean there's no creation ex nihilo in Genesis 1. A literal reading of Genesis 1 has God taking pre-existing unformed stuff and giving it form and shape.

Genesis 1, read literally, doesn't answer the question (for example) of where the waters came from. We read that, later on, God divided the waters, but there is already the waters of the great deep when God begins the work of creation. I'm talking about reading it literally.

"In the beginning, God created the skies and the land. The land was formless and empty, and darkness was over the face of the abyss. And God's Spirit moved upon the face of the waters." - Genesis 1:1-2

When God began the work of creation the earth was formless and empty and there was darkness over the great primordial waters. The first creative act is in verse 3,

"And God said 'let there be light'" this results in an interruption in the darkness which was over the primordial waters, there is now not only darkness but light and darkness; God called the light day and the darkness night.

What is this light? We aren't told what this light is, because the physical sources of light aren't mentioned until the 4th day. It's also unclear how there can be evening and morning without the sun, which is probably a good indication that the author isn't trying to be overly literal here.

But, being literal, that means God took unformed matter and gave it form, which is in keeping with the Hebrew word used here, bara, "to give shape".

So if I took the biblical account literally, like actually literally, then I still wouldn't agree with you. In order to agree with you I'd have to hold the same extra- and non-biblical assumptions and presuppositions which you hold.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Platte]

Probably not. Young Earth Creationism doesn't really take the creation stories in Genesis 1 & 2 literally. They treat it literally, but make certain assumptions and add things to the text that aren't in the text.

Reading the creation stories literally would mean there's no creation ex nihilo in Genesis 1. A literal reading of Genesis 1 has God taking pre-existing unformed stuff and giving it form and shape.

Genesis 1, read literally, doesn't answer the question (for example) of where the waters came from. We read that, later on, God divided the waters, but there is already the waters of the great deep when God begins the work of creation. I'm talking about reading it literally.

"In the beginning, God created the skies and the land. The land was formless and empty, and darkness was over the face of the abyss. And God's Spirit moved upon the face of the waters." - Genesis 1:1-2

When God began the work of creation the earth was formless and empty and there was darkness over the great primordial waters. The first creative act is in verse 3,

"And God said 'let there be light'" this results in an interruption in the darkness which was over the primordial waters, there is now not only darkness but light and darkness; God called the light day and the darkness night.

What is this light? We aren't told what this light is, because the physical sources of light aren't mentioned until the 4th day. It's also unclear how there can be evening and morning without the sun, which is probably a good indication that the author isn't trying to be overly literal here.

But, being literal, that means God took unformed matter and gave it form, which is in keeping with the Hebrew word used here, bara, "to give shape".

So if I took the biblical account literally, like actually literally, then I still wouldn't agree with you. In order to agree with you I'd have to hold the same extra- and non-biblical assumptions and presuppositions which you hold.

-CryptoLutheran

I'm not a YEC...but I do believe the earth was created 6000 years ago and in 6 days as the Bible says.
Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

It doesnt say he created the skies and the land - I checked over 50 versions - they all say heaven and the earth. Water, like every other mineral and material on earth is part of the earth. The earth has water...it has land...it has many many minerals and elements.

When God created the earth it was without form - no peaks and valleys - that is why the water covered the whole earth. By creating form (peaks and valleys), the water gathered together and the dry land appeared. Its not complicated.

What was the light source? - we don't know...but we do know there was one. Any single major light source, whether its the sun or not, with a revolving earth would create an evening and a morning on the earth.

God said "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is," I take that literally. That is what the Bible says...what God said.

One of my favorite movies is History of Violence - ok yeah maybe not appropriate for most...but the very ending scene the bodyguards are positioned perfectly to kill the nemesis...I mean its a sure and easy kill...but they fail and the boss says how do you mess that up 2 times.

God has been so clear that the earth was created in 6 days (even gives you a description of it by saying an evening and a morning) - yet you cant even get it right...I mean how do you mess that up? Unbelievable to me that you can't get this simple statement from God correct - how do you mess that up - You (and others) make up all sorts of reasoning for it too...even change the meaning of the word "day" LOL. How do you mess that up?!!!!