WAS THE EARTH MADE IN THIUSANDS, MILLIONS, or BILLIONS OF YEARS?-Ground Zero For Our Youth’s Faith
I’m a post titled “CREATION”, Answers In Genesis gives an account of God’s creation of the heavens and the earth is given in Genesis chapters 1 and 2, which cover the six days of creation.
According to Scripture, God created “the heavens and the earth” fully formed and functioning in six days, about 6,000 years ago (around 4000 BC). The context of Genesis 1, as well as other places in the Bible, make it clear that these days were ordinary, 24-hour days. God’s original creation was perfect, with no death or suffering. Creation stands in stark contrast to evolution and unbelieving thought. In addition, biblical creation supports many vital concepts in Christian theology.
Biblical creation is based on the Bible where God created the universe and everything in it as described in Genesis (Genesis 1:1-2:3 is the specific creation week though commonly creation means Genesis 1-11). The Creator did not need matter, large amounts of time, energy, or anything else. He created out of nothing in six literal normal-length days about six thousand years ago.
Biblical creation is not compatible with the belief that the world just happened through an extended, naturalistic, and chance process over many billions of years. Biblical creation upholds the Bible as God’s eyewitness account of actual creation events since God was the only one there to observe what happened at the very beginning.
In addition, biblical creationists do not view the Bible or the book of Genesis as a mythological or allegorical document. Instead, the Bible is rightly considered a historical document that records what actually happened and is the only true and real history.
Basic Assumptions of Biblical Creation
Biblical creation is based on the Bible being the absolute authority. Several biblical presuppositions are diametrically opposed to evolutionary and naturalistic beliefs, the competing religious origins narrative. Biblical creation entails:
The Creator God of the Bible exists.
The entire universe, heaven, created spiritual beings, and all life on earth originated at creation.
God created all things in six normal-length days of approximately 24 hours.
God began creating without the use of any previously existing matter.
God’s creative activities cannot be explained merely in terms of natural laws; neither are they subject to the above limits.
The Bible indicates that life has a purpose.
The Bible reveals that the God of the Bible is the Designer of all things.
There is a definite beginning point of time, per Genesis 1:1.
The past is the key to the present.
Death is the result of the sin of the first human couple.
Creation was adversely affected by man’s sin.
The present geological structures of the earth’s crust cannot be properly explained without recourse to Noah’s flood.
Life does not come from nonlife.
The creation of living organisms (original kinds) was completed during creation week. Speciation and variations within created kinds have been ongoing since creation.
Creation in Six Days in Genesis
God created the whole universe, including the original plants, animals, and first two people (Adam and Eve) in six literal 24-hour days—not over billions of years. In the context of the six days of Genesis 1, the word day in Genesis 1 refers to 24-hour days. Every time the word day appears with “evening and morning” or with a number like “sixth day,” it refers to a 24-hour day.
There is no biblical or scientific reason to be ashamed of believing in a recent six-day creation. God has spoken clearly and truthfully.
Creation Science
Evolutionists and some old-earth creationists (those who mix their Christianity with the pagan evolutionary story of a big bang, millions of years, and other evolutionary ideas) frequently charge that scientists who believe in a young earth don't have real degrees and don't do real scientific research that can be published in peer-reviewed secular scientific journals. This is a false charge.
Most fields of science were actually developed by Bible-believing Christians.
Creation researchers have been studying the biblical record and the world around us to understand the history that God’s Word records. While some of their models have been discarded as new data came to light—which is to be expected in the world of science, other predictions have been powerfully confirmed. Here are a few such confirmed predictions:
Confirmed Prediction 1: Strength of the Planets’ Magnetic Fields
Confirmed Prediction 2: Decay and Helium Release (RATE)
Confirmed Prediction 3: Radiohalos in Metamorphosed Sandstones
Confirmed Prediction 4: Cold Material near the Earth’s Core
Confirmed Prediction 5: Reversal of Earth’s Magnetic Field
Conclusion: Why Biblical Creation Is Important
Biblical creation is important because of everything it entails. If someone denies biblical creation, they actually reject some vital theological points at the same time. The opening chapters of Genesis and related creation passages teach several important biblical truths including
God’s power to create everything in the universe (Genesis 1:1)
The creation of all astronomical bodies including the sun and stars (Genesis 1:14-19)
The goodness of God in declaring everything he made as “very good” (Genesis 1:31)
God’s order in creating in a logical sequence in six days (Genesis 1:3-31)
The origin of all the animals on earth (Genesis 1:20-25)
God created mankind in his image (Genesis 1:26-27)
The origin of death through sin (Romans 5:12)
Suffering in the world because of sin (Romans 8:20-22)
The foreshadowing of God’s plan to save humanity through his Son (Genesis 3:15)
Most importantly, a biblical creation mattered to the Lord Jesus: "But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female’” (Mark 10:6).
Jesus taught that Adam and Eve were made at the “beginning of creation,” not billions of years after the beginning. If the universe is billions of years old, Jesus’ statement was a lie. But Jesus did not lie. He affirmed creation, reasoned from creation, and taught the truth of a biblical creation.
Personally, I agree with Answers In Genesis (“Young Earth). I may be called ignorant by some, but that’s OK. Each person needs to read for themselves and decide. Most most important is that we prepare our young people and students to be able to simply defend “Creation” as God tells it in Genesis to a world hungry to destroy their faith…starting-IN THE BEGINNING