Creation in 6 days...Literally or Language Barrier?

[OrthodoxServant10]

Me and My Christian Friends did a research on some Hebrew words and we found out that a day in Hebrew means a eon which is approximately a billion years. So did God , if interpreted in this way, create the world in literally 6 days or 6 billion years?

 

[OllieFranz]

This does not sound like an ethics problem. Perhaps it should be moved to CvE, which specifically examines Young Earth vs Old Earth along with all the other Creation vs Evolution questions.

 

[lux et lex]

That's a very interesting thing to come upon and study. I never took day as meaning literally 24 hours and now I'm going to take another look at the translation you're talking about. Thanks.

 

[lawtonfogle]

Me and My Christian Friends did a research on some Hebrew words and we found out that a day in Hebrew means a eon which is approximately a billion years. So did God , if interpreted in this way, create the world in literally 6 days or 6 billion years?

It is clearly a language barrier. The word 'day' can mean 24 hours, but these 24 hours are not arbitrary, they are based on (roughly) how long it takes for the earth to make on spin. Yet, the sun was not created till the 3rd/4th day (I forget which one).

But as to the actual word in Hebrew, it is a word which can mean a 24 hour day, and it can mean a really long time. It is like our word right.

Person 1: Up next, turn left.
Person 2: You said left, right?
1: No, I said left, not right?
2: But I didn't say you said right, I said left, right?
...

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

There is just no possible way that the universe was created in 6 days. That is just a parable, and not a very good one in my opinion. The whole Adam and Eve story with the apple and the snake is almost laughable.

I chalk these things up to the fact that the bible was written during a time where man was very primitive and was not able to understand anything else then a very simple scenario.

 

[Archivist]

There is just no possible way that the universe was created in 6 days. That is just a parable, and not a very good one in my opinion. The whole Adam and Eve story with the apple and the snake is almost laughable.

I chalk these things up to the fact that the bible was written during a time where man was very primitive and was not able to understand anything else then a very simple scenario.

Agreed, although there are many on CF who will tell you taht it had to be six 24-hour days.

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

The term "Day" can mean a period of time and not just a single day, but adding this to the fact that the passage includes "And there was evening and there was morning, the n'th day" implies that it was intended to be the traditional understanding of "day" (though there are problems in this in considering that the sun did not exist until the fourth day, and thus could not refer to "evening and morning".

As for the "billion year" concept brought up by the original poster, I don't think that the early Hebrews even had a concept of "billion" - I think they were happy with phrases such as "countless" or "numerous as the stars" instead.

But overall, it is a sound proposition. Not one I necessarily hold to, but it has its adherents. Best wishes,

~ Regards, PA

 

[AlAyeti]

There is just no possible way that the universe was created in 6 days. That is just a parable, and not a very good one in my opinion. The whole Adam and Eve story with the apple and the snake is almost laughable.

It does not say "apple." And a possessed serpent could easily hide among the branches of a tree waiting for Pandora to do what she seems natuarlly made to do.

I chalk these things up to the fact that the bible was written during a time where man was very primitive and was not able to understand anything else then a very simple scenario.

No Adam, no Seth. No Seth, no Jesus.

I chalk up minimalizing the Garden story to 21st century academic elitism.

Of course, we see now how smart the educated intellgent really are in our education system, as they try again and again to support promiscuity in the age of sexual promiscuity cancer . . . and STD rates at "biblical proportions."

Understanding very simple scenarios seem a very difficult thing for a vast number of human beings.

There is metaphor within real reporting:

"That guy was hauling a$$ when he hit the other guy and those other two cars before coming to a stop."

Said the by-stander replying to the reporting officer on the scene.

"The guy was transporting Donkey's?"

Asked the cop.

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

No Adam, no Seth. No Seth, no Jesus.

But what if there was an Adam and a Seth and a Enosh and everyone else from those those genealogies in Genesis 5 and 10? What if these figures actually lived and did form the genealogical basis for Abraham who first was subject to the covenant offered by God - BUT, what if the things attributed to them in the pre-Abrahamic lore were not necessarily 100% accurate accounts but rather theological discourses on the merits of God?

Sorry, it's late at night and my mind's shutting down, so I hope this comment makes sense. Just because an event is not 100% literal does not therefore make it 100% fiction.

Just as I see it. Best wishes,

~ PA

 

[AlAyeti]

But what if there was an Adam and a Seth and a Enosh and everyone else from those those genealogies in Genesis 5 and 10? What if these figures actually lived and did form the genealogical basis for Abraham who first was subject to the covenant offered by God - BUT, what if the things attributed to them in the pre-Abrahamic lore were not necessarily 100% accurate accounts but rather theological discourses on the merits of God?

Sorry, it's late at night and my mind's shutting down, so I hope this comment makes sense. Just because an event is not 100% literal does not therefore make it 100% fiction.

Just as I see it. Best wishes,

~ PA

I'm OK with your views here.

 

[two_commandments]

"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." 2 Peter 3:8

You don't need to do massive amounts of outside research to interpret God's word..the answer is usually in the Bible.

 

[Texas Lynn]

The Creation stories in Genesis 1 and 2 in no way preclude the reality of science including creation over millions of years and evolution.

 

[Jpark]

Never mind.

 

[Johnnz]

Literal interpretation is mandatory. We are to interpret Genesis the way the ancient Israelites interpreted creation history.

Which was ...?

The Genesis account is written in poetic form. That must be taken into account. Days? Actual days of creation? Days of revelation? A literary device to frame the story?

John
NZ

 

[Texas Lynn]

Literal interpretation is mandatory.

Mandatory according to whom, you? You do not get to decide for others. No pope, prince, or potentate has any authority whatsoever over the human mind. Most Christians do not interpret scripture literally and most in history never did. the assertion otherwise was a fiction originated in the 19th century for the purpose of exercising power and control over others. Any assertion something is "mandatory" will be met with the forceful contempt and defiance it deserves.

We are to interpret Genesis the way the ancient Israelites interpreted creation history.

They didn't take it literally either.

 

[Armistead]

Other creation stories, the setting of the Babylonian creation myth, Enûma Elish, has clear parallels with the Genesis narratives. Other poetic and historic writings also follow many of the same parallels of Genesis, some that predate when Gen. was written. As with many of these writings, each seem to take from the other certain myths, styles, etc. and use it as they will in parable form. I think most of these are poetic parables as much was written that way. If we take it literal, we often miss the main points. However, just as Christ told parables, we know a truth of God is being taught.I still have no doubt that the players existed, Adam, Eve, ect..No, they weren't the first humans created, but certainly they lived and had children about 6000 years ago. The world was fairly populated by that time, Cain certainly had no problem finding a mate not mentioned. Where this linage lived and grew was no doubt lush and man was in the farm age. In biblical terms, maybe the first linage written of the jewish tribe.It's an interesting to study other early tribes writings on creations. In many ways they are similar. Take the Hmong people who have a clear geneology going back 15000 years. They have their own views on a "great couple" seeding the earth with their own poetic rendering.