The scientific establishment has adopted the view of an old earth. This old earth is the result of the Big Bang Story. According to this story, a massive explosion far greater than comprehension caused the expansion of the universe.
This view is favored among secularists because it doesn’t include God creating the universe. Instead, over billions of years the universe expanded and cooled to the point that the earth could support life. Then, through evolution, life began and resulted in the diversity of organisms. This also took billions of years.
In recent times, Christians have become more accepting of the Big Bang Story. This is due to several factors. One reason is that the Big Bang Story is taught by almost every academic establishment and scientific institution. Everyone has seen the sign at a national park or science exhibit that describes events in millions of years. This has led Christians feeling forced to adopt it. Another reason is that an explosion that expanded the universe doesn’t seem to contradict with the creation story in Genesis.
Genesis Chapter 1: The Creation Story
V1 → “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
The first four words, “In the beginning God”, is the premise that all of Scripture is built upon. If we accept that God is the omnipotent and eternal being, we have our source for truth and nothing is greater than him. Nothing has greater influence in our life than this.
The entire first verse can serve as a prepositional phrase for the creation story. Other than God, nothing existed prior to his act, this was the beginning of creation. At the beginning of creation, God made heaven (shamayim; the space above the earth) and the earth.
V2 → “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit
of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
After God created the earth it was (hawah; it came to be or it was) without form and void. The earth was unfit for life, it had no shape or form. Darkness covered the expanse (or waters) of the earth. Then, the Spirit (ruah; the wind or breath) of God moved (rakhaf; shook) the surface of the water.
It is interesting to note that without movement, matter does not have any energy. It is through the energy of matter that it is able to form atoms and bonds. Perhaps God energized the earth.
V3 → “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
God commanded “let there be” (hayah; to come to be, come to pass) light. It is also interesting to note that without energy light cannot be produced. Electrons emit photons when they jump from one energy level to another. In creating a light source, perhaps God energized the whole universe as well.
V4 → “And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.”
God then divided (elohim badal bayin; God separated between) the light and darkness. Once again it is interesting to note the parts of our universe that are a vacuum and void of matter and energy.
V5 → “And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were
the first day.”
God called the light Day (yom; to be hot or the light portion, sunrise to sunrise or sunrise to sunset). Then came the evening (ehreb; dusk or dark) and then the morning (boker; dawn) the first day (yom). The Hebrew word for day (yom) can either mean a literal day or it can refer to a period of time, such as in the day of the Lord. At times if it appears in a preposition, it can be figurative (but not always, see Gen 2:17). In this case, it is given a numerical and chronological value; this is the first day.
The text of Genesis chapter one follows the pattern of an historical narrative as opposed to poetry. The use of the “waw consecutive” (and God/the evening) are orderly events displaying chronological acts of creation. This chapter is akin to narrative accounts, not figurative passages containing poetry.
Moses, who is credited as the author, intended for chapter one to be considered historical.
If the creation story is literal and the Bible is correct that God created the heaven and the earth…
God created heaven, earth, and light were created on day one.
The Big Bang Story states that the earth came billions of years after the Big Bang.
God separated the water and sky on day two.
God separated the water and dry land and also created vegetation on day three.
The plant life was described as already mature and bearing fruit, this was not a slow process.
God created the Sun, Moon, and stars on the fourth day.
Yes, the Sun came after light and plants were created. The Big Bang says the Sun came first.
God created aquatic animals and birds on day five.
According to evolution, aquatic life came before birds. Birds were said to be from dinosaurs.
God created animals and man on day six.
This would mean that the Sun is only two days older than Adam.
The Big Bang Story and evolution completely go against the Bible!
What does current, true science actually tell us?
Evidence for a worldwide flood.
Evolution is unproven and even contradictory to observed laws of biology.
Radiometric dating is built upon many assumptions and the data is cherry picked to support the premise of the scientific establishment.
Christians should not allow those who hold a secular world view influence how we interpret the Bible!
If the creation story is called into question by science…
What other parts of Scripture are called into question by science?
Jonah? → Jesus referenced Jonah and used him as a sign.
Missing books of the New Testament? → This implies that God’s word is incomplete.
Colossians 2:8 → “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
