Before the Flood.

[BeforeTheFoundation]

Verbal Plenary Inspiration:

Some Evangelicals have sought to characterize the conservative or traditional view as verbal, plenary inspiration in the original manuscripts, by which they mean that every word (not just the overarching ideas or concepts) is meaningfully chosen under the superintendence of God.

Now, if this is not what you meant then it might change things.

 

[AV1611VET]

Who are you talking about living to 1,365,360,472,899,566 year old? The devil? I wouldn't trust him no matter how old you think he is.

Obviously you won't answer the question, either --- you're a smart man.

 

[BeforeTheFoundation]

Obviously you won't answer the question, either --- you're a smart man.

I don't think that Assyrian is avoiding the question, I don't think that he understood it. I am not sure that I do either for that matter.

 

[AV1611VET]

I don't think that Assyrian is avoiding the question, I don't think that he understood it. I am not sure that I do either for that matter.

Who is more qualified to say a generation is 70 years?

a) A 60-year-old man.
b) A 200-year-old man.
​

 

[juvenissun]

I think in addition to all your excellent theological arguments, we should also think about the Biblical longevity description from scientific point of view:

What are the necessary conditions with that a human could indeed live much longer? Genetic scientists ARE investigating that and seems proclaimed some possibilities. Of course, I believe it must not just limited to genetic factors. The living environment must also play a role. I guess if scientists put most favorable conditions all together, a person may be able to live a normal age of a few hundreds of years. And we also need to speculate on some other unknown factors such as the astronomical conditions.

Also, when read the description on the shortening of age, it shows a trend of gradual decrease with a maximum of nearly 1000. If the use of all these numbers is simply for a purpose of illustration but has no realistic meaning, then the curve of decreasing age could have different values and different rates of change.

Or, even consider another possibility: Could Moses simply use a different number system in Genesis? For example, how do we write 70 in a binary format?

 

[IndyPirate]

I remember reading somewhere that the lifespans in Genesis were actually number of "Moons" and not "years". Thus Methuselah was 80 at his death and not 969. Adam was 77.5, not 930. Noah was 79, not 950. Etc.

 

[theFijian]

I like this description:

SOURCE

So would that be the writers of the original manuscripts or the translators of the KJV who were inspired?

 

[Assyrian]

edit

 

[Assyrian]

Who is more qualified to say a generation is 70 years?

a) A 60-year-old man.
b) A 200-year-old man.
​

You would have to make sure you have a 200 year old man first, but that is a bit of a circular argument.

Who is more qualified to say how long people really lived back then?

a) A character in a book who is described as 969 years old.
b) The person who composed the book and knew what the figures meant?
​

a) You.
b) Moses
​

 

[AV1611VET]

I remember reading somewhere that the lifespans in Genesis were actually number of "Moons" and not "years". Thus Methuselah was 80 at his death and not 969. Adam was 77.5, not 930. Noah was 79, not 950. Etc.

Hey, neat --- then the earth has only been in existence for what, 4200 years, instead of 6100 years?

 

[AV1611VET]

You would have to make sure you have a 200 year old man first, but that is a bit of a circular argument.

Who is more qualified to say how long people really lived back then?

a) A character in a book who is described as 969 years old.
b) The person who composed the book and knew what the figures meant?
​

a) You.
b) Moses
​

I didn't say anything about a book, let alone either Moses or I --- but you're too smart to answer the question, so I guess it's rhetorical - (but still effective).

 

[Assyrian]

Hey, neat --- then the earth has only been in existence for what, 4200 years, instead of 6100 years?

No still 4.55 billion years, unless you can figure out how an 80 year old Methuselah could change all the radiometric clocks.

 

[AV1611VET]

Hey, neat --- then the earth has only been in existence for what, 4200 years, instead of 6100 years?

No still 4.55 billion years, unless you can figure out how an 80 year old Methuselah could change all the radiometric clocks.

I said "been in existence" --- as in ---

Hey, neat --- then the 4.55 billion-year-old earth has only been in existence for what, 4200 years, instead of 6100 years?

 

[Assyrian]

I didn't say anything about a book, let alone either Moses or I --- but you're too smart to answer the question, so I guess it's rhetorical - (but still effective).

I did give you an answer to your rhetorical question.

 

[Assyrian]

I said "been in existence" --- as in ---

Hey, neat --- then the 4.55 billion-year-old earth has only been in existence for what, 4200 years, instead of 6100 years?

You may find this hard to understand but 4.55 billion years old means has been in existence for 4.55 billion years.

If someone tries to sell you a 200 year old watch that has only been in existence for 1 year, don't buy it, even if it says genuine Rolex.

 

[AV1611VET]

I did give you an answer to your rhetorical question.

Well, I'll admit, I can't deny that.

 

[AV1611VET]

If someone tries to sell you a 200 year old watch that has only been in existence for 1 year, don't buy it, even if it says genuine Rolex.

Or a brand new 30-year-old bicycle --- as this thread demonstrates?

 

[juvenissun]

I remember reading somewhere that the lifespans in Genesis were actually number of "Moons" and not "years". Thus Methuselah was 80 at his death and not 969. Adam was 77.5, not 930. Noah was 79, not 950. Etc.

However, the numbers still show a trend of decrease. I think this must mean something important.

 

[BeforeTheFoundation]

But Hebrew has a word for 'month' or 'moon' and that is not the word used in these passages. The word is Shenah or 'year'.

Why should we understand the word that means 'year' as actually meaning 'month'?

(this sounds reminiscent of the people that claim that yom or 'day' should be understood as many many years in Genesis 1)

 

[shernren]

I did give you an answer to your rhetorical question.

Didn't you know you're not supposed to?