EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored ninety-two books. Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).
βIn the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.ββGenesis 1:1.
When Was βthe Beginningβ?
The Genesis creation account begins with the simple, powerful statement: βIn the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.β (Genesis 1:1) More and more Bible scholars are agreeing that this statement describes an action, which is separate from the creative days described in Genesis 1:3 onward. The implication is seriously profound. According to the Bibleβs own beginning words, the billions of universes, our universe, as well as our planet, Earth, all of this was in existence for (many billions of years) an explicitly unknown time before the creative days even began.
Many geologists have estimated that the earth itself is 4Β billion years old, and astronomers have calculated that the universe is at least 15Β billion years old. Do these discoveries, or their possible future adjustments, contradict Genesis 1:1? No. The Bible in no way specifies the actual age of βthe heavens and the earth.β Not all modern science is in opposition to the Biblical text. Moreover, the creation days were creation periods.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY SAY?
The Bible tells us thatΒ God createdΒ the heavens(universes) andΒ the earthΒ in some indefinite period of time long ago,Β in the beginning, just asΒ Genesis 1:1Β says. Modern day science has much evidence that is beyond doubt to the rational mind, which shows that our universe had a beginning. Science dates that beginning to be some 14 billion years ago.
The Bible gives us a description of six creationsΒ daysΒ (Heb.Β yΓ΄m). However, there is nothing in the Bible account that would even suggest that these were six literal creation 24-hour days.Β (Genesis 1:31) In fact, the Hebrew term for dayΒ (yΓ΄m) is used for many different lengths of time in the Scriptures. For example, the Bible uses the Hebrew term for day (yΓ΄m) when it is referring to the entire creation period,Β βin the day that Jehovah[4]Β God made earth and heaven.β (Genesis 2:4) Another example would be where the BibleΒ uses the Hebrew term for day (yΓ΄m) when it is referring to the 12 hours of daylight, βAnd God began calling the light Day.β (Genesis 1:5)Β Clearly, these creation βdays,β which were referred to with the word βdayβ lasted many thousands of years.βPsalm 90:4.
DOES IT EVEN REALLY MATTER?
The false ideas ofΒ Young Earth creationists such asΒ Ken HamΒ andΒ Doug Phillips, who believe that the universe(s) was created from specific acts of divine creation in six literal 24-hour days. TheseΒ Young Earth creationists have led to many untold numbers of persons dismissing the Bible altogether, as well as many Christians coming to the conclusion that the Bible contains errors and mistakes, which have led to doubt. On the other hand, if the Genesis creation account contains a credible, historical report or description of creation, we will not only save those who have begun to doubt, pulling them back from the fire but also we will save many unbelievers who possess logical, rational, reasonable minds, who see to possess βsound wisdom.ββProverbs 3:21.
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βAnd God said: βLet the earth bring forth living souls according to their kinds, livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.βββGenesis 1:24.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY SAY?
The Bible and the fossil records inform us that God did not create life in some simple form and then over billions of years he allowed it to evolve into more complex forms. Rather, the Bible states what the physical evidence shows, God created basic βkindsβ of complex plants and animals, which then reproducedΒ βeach according to its kind.β (Genesis 1:11,Β 21,Β 24) From the time that Adam and Eve were removed from the Garden of Eden some six thousand years ago up until today, the earth has been filling with the same βkindsβ of life that God created during those six creation days.βPsalm 89:11.
The Bible is not a science textbook, but when it merely touches on a scientific subject matter, it is correct. If God had taken the time to get down into the details of every aspect of creation, the first two chapters of Genesis would have been thousands of pages that the early servants of God would not have understood. The intent of God was to simply give us a basic creation account that was also scientifically accurate if interpreted correctly. The Bible did not go into details of microevolution (evolutionary change or variation that might occur within a kind [species] over a short period), as animals inbred or adapted to their environments. Some see these micro-changes or variations that come about through adaptation as full-fledged macroevolution, major evolutionary change. The evolution of going from one kind to another kind over long periods of time. No, there has been no new life or kind formed by these adaptations over the past six thousand years. The physical evidence shows that the basic kinds of creation have changed very little over the thousands of years they have existed.
WHY DOES IT EVEN MATTER?
When we think of the Bibleβs authenticity, its credibility, its inspiration, its full inerrancy, its scientific accuracy as it describes the basic βkindsβ of life, we find these things are strengthened, and it lends credibility to other areas as well, such as history and prophecy.
From Where Did the Raw Material of the Universe Come?
12Β I made the earth
and created man upon it;
it was my handsΒ that stretched out the heavens,
andΒ I commanded all their army.βIsaiah 45:12.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY SAY?
The Almighty God is great in power or energy. In fact, he is all-powerful (Job 37:23) This is highly important and would not have been fully appreciated in Bible times but science has discovered thatΒ energy can be converted into matter. Isaiah the prophet was given a basic explanation as to the source of all of the stars.
26Β Lift up your eyes on high and see:
who created these?
He who brings out their army by number,
calling them all by name,
by the greatness of his might,
and because he is strong in power
not one is missing.βIsaiah 40:26.
Almighty God has given us his Word through inspired authors that he would use his infinite power to support and maintain his creation, for the Psalmist has the following to say in regards to the sun, moon, and stars,
3Β Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you stars of light! 4Β Praise him, youΒ highest heavens,
and youΒ waters above the heavens!
5Β Let them praise the name of Jehovah!
ForΒ he commanded and they were created. 6Β And heΒ established them forever and ever;
he gaveΒ a decree, and it will notΒ pass away.βPsalm 148:3-6.
WHY DOES IT EVEN MATTER?
The astronomer, the grand old man of cosmology. Dr. Allan Sandage once said, βScience cannot answer the deepest questions. As soon as you ask why is there something instead of nothing, you have gone beyond science. I find it quite improbable that such order came out of chaos. There has to be some organizing principle. God to me is a mystery but is the explanation for the miracle of existence, why there is something instead of nothing.ββBill McKibben,Β The Age of Missing InformationΒ (New York, NY: Random House, 2014).
Science is in harmony with the Bible if oneβs interpretation is correct as to what the author meant by the words he used. Moreover, the Bible often answers questions that science has yet to discover or is beyond science, such as what is Godβs will and purpose for the heavens and the earth, as well as mankind.
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