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I was just curious about how you are so confident that there is no confusion as to who’s “perspective” this particular time frame was in reference to? This concept of time frames seems to confuse you in Genesis 1 but not in Exodus 14, I’m just wondering why you don’t have this same confusion in Exodus 14?
There are just two things I would like to address here.I am glad you realize this. I believe it is a crucial part of biblical hermeneutics.
I think you mean that it SEEMS to be an overview or summary? Your following comments seem to indicate this and I would not argue with you over this. You gave a summary and then went into some detail supporting this summary.
First of all, these are the details that God wants us to know. All scriptures is given by inspiration and what is given has a specific reason and purpose.
Gen 1:1 is a general statement of God's work of creation. 1:2-2:3 goes into additional detail regarding his work of creation which is focused primarily upon Planet Earth itself. 2:4-25 goes into specifics regarding God's creation of man as well as the physiology of the world he had created.
I am not thinking of the "re-creation" view of the gap theorists. All I am thinking of is that they give a good explanation of where the "light" is coming from that is visible on Planet Earth and how it is used as a measurement of time for the rest of the narrative. There are reasons why I reject the gap theory: the first being that God looked at his creation regarding it as "good" and "very good," and the second being Rom 5:12 which clearly states that "by one man, sin entered into the world..." We also have Exodus 20:11, but I digress...
Why does God require any time at all for the creation of the universe? Heb 11:3 states clearly that through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. God does not go into detail regarding how the stars and galaxies were created, we just have the comically simplistic understatement, "He made the stars also" which almost makes it seem like an afterthought on God's part. There is a great amount of detail in our observable universe with galaxies and stars potentially having planets and solar systems of their own. I am certain many of these planets are habitable or were so when God created them but this is all for another topic.
As with the point you made, the narrative gives us the necessary information focusing upon Planet Earth and God's "Image Bearers" who would ultimately inhabit it.
We can compare this with Job 38:4-7 and can infer that there were some witnesses to God's work of creation. My best guess is that these would be all of the angelic hosts. What I do not see is the necessity a great deal of time such as millions or billions of years in order to create everything. I am guessing perhaps you are an "Old-Earth Creationist?" Men like Hugh Ross make some fascinating observations especially related to how everything in the universe is in exactly the proper place necessary for the existence of life as we know it on Planet Earth.
We can also ask what exactly is meant by these "foundations" that were laid? What foundations? Job 26:7 says he "Hangs the earth upon nothing" and we understand this to be true yet we can also observe that the earth is placed in its proper position by the gravitational force of the sun as well as that of Jupiter and other planets in our solar system. Other stars and galaxies influence the position of our sun in our galaxy and the position of the galaxy in the universe, and so forth. How does such come into being through a series of "processes" and so forth? You cannot have pistons going up and down in a cylinder without also having a crankshaft and connecting rods!
God does give some information regarding how he did it but do we use this as a naturalistic explanation of the parting of the Red Sea? Can we see similar occurrences happening in nature today? Why do we even need a scientific explanation? It was a miraculous event precipitated by divine intervention. One may speak of a seismic event triggering a great tsunami which gives some plausibility but I reject the notion that we have to come up with a scientific explanation for the miraculous events of the Bible.
Same goes with the account of the sun standing still (Jos 10:12-13). Of course any naturalistic explanation would necessitate a catastrophic event of "biblical proportions" but it was a miraculous event nonetheless. Perhaps time was slowed down like what is portrayed in certain "twilight zone" episodes? Who really knows? I do not need a scientific explanation in order to believe that it was true nor do I need fake news about someone from NASA discovering a "Missing Day" or whatever.
Now I am thinking of that old movie "Wholly Moses" where the Herschel's wife Zerelda turns into a pillar of salt and he carts her around for the rest of the movie and his traveling mate scrapes salt off her to season his meal!Been years since I have seen that movie but I still remember that scene! No telling the actual physiology of Lot's wife after God's judgment upon her. As far as Lot was concerned, she was a "pillar of salt" and unlike the movie, he did not stick around to investigate further! It really does not matter for us to understand the rest of the narrative or to understand Jesus's admonition to "remember Lot's wife."
Regarding the fig tree, it is clear that it was not instantaneous but I was not a natural withering either. I think we both agree here. It could have withered instantaneously had God intended but there is something specific here that is for our admonition.
Well, I see that you have put in a good deal of time into your response here and I greatly respect this. I do not have the time right now but perhaps in the next day or two, I can take a look at this.
It simply says that God rested on the seventh day. How exactly did God rest and what was the manner of his rest? God had to be cognizant of his creation, to keep everything in motion and was ever present, all knowing, and all powerful in order to do so. God's resting was mainly for our admonition. We also see the sabbath on the seventh day as the capstone of a seven-day week.
I have heard some of Hugh Ross's explanations during his debates with young-earth creationists which include the time it took for Adam to name all the animals and to realize he did not have a mate as did the other creatures.
When it comes down to it, I cannot think of a reason NOT to believe that God created the heavens and earth in six literal 24-hour days. The main reason I believe it is because I believe the Bible. I also believe that when God performed his work of creation, it was a mature and complete creation having a semblance of age. Adam was a fully grown and mature man (appearing around 30-years-old?) on the day he was created. When God created all of the trees and vegetation, I believe there were mature sequoias standing along saplings and so forth. Same with the light appearing from stars that are millions and billions of light-years away.
I may disagree but I would not break fellowship over this matter so long as one agrees that all of mankind comes from Adam and that through Adam, mankind is dead in his trespasses and sin. This is foundational to everything that follows in scripture.
I think I have given my explanation anyway. As I have stated elsewhere, there may be some variance in minutes or hours but not years, centuries, or millennia. Perhaps the length of a day was longer prior to the great flood?
Just my personal thoughts on the matter and the only thing I have "borrowed" from the gap theorists model of creation. There are likely those who disagree and I reserve the right to change my mind at a later time.
Regarding wild and domestic animals, were there really any "wild" animals prior to the fall? Don't you find it interesting that Eve was not surprised when she ran into a "talking snake?"
According to my understanding, animals did not become truly "wild" until after the flood when God said that the "fear and dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and every fowl of the air (Gen 9:2). The following verse (vs. 3) seems to be the first mention of a carnivorous diet and many believe that prior to this point, the entire animal kingdom was herbivorous.
I am simply saying that a "day" is clearly and carefully defined from the beginning - "and evening and morning were the first day." This is repeated throughout the narrative which interestingly, is not included with the "seventh day" in Gen 2:1-3 for whatever this is worth.
Show me a verse where יוֹם (Yovm) is used in reference to a period of time other than a 24 hour period. I don’t have access to a Brown, Driver & Briggs lexicon but I do know that Strong’s Concordance makes the same mistake of applying multiple definitions to the Hebrew word Yovm and uses the word Yovm for every variation of the word instead of applying each definition to each variation. For example when Yamim, Yemei, or Beyovm is used it shows the word Yovm instead of the actual word that is used in the Hebrew text. If you use Biblehub.com it will show you exactly which Hebrew variation of Yovm is being used in the sentence. Yovm is never used in reference to a period of time other than a 24 hour day. Now, it is used in reference to daytime as opposed to night time, but it’s never used in reference to a period of time like in Genesis 2:4 or Genesis 2:17. Neither of these two use the word Yovm. Does your BDB lexicon show the word Yovm for these two verses? If it does then it’s incorrect because Yovm is not the word that is used in the Hebrew text. Beyovm is used in these two verses because the prefix “Be” means “in the” which translates to the term “in the day”.
“And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” Then Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now.” The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?” And he said, “No.””
There are multiple instances of God describing the time frame as a normal 24 hour day. It’s amazing that He covered that fact in multiple ways, in multiple scriptures.
Now that is a great question!!!! Those who think it took billions of years and not 6 days should really pay attention to this and ask themself this question. Maybe then they would shed the silliness of trying to twist what a day is.
The bible doesn't say that God began a new creation of mankind after the flood. It says that He commanded Noah to build the ark, to keep his family and the animals safe during the flood.
Yes I agree it is a very odd term to add, it was definitely added for a specific reason because if it wasn’t intended to indicate a 24 hour day there would’ve been no need to include it into the passage. I don’t recall that term being used anywhere else in scripture.
Hi David
The Hebrew word yovm is never used figuratively?
The specific time frame is not 24 hours, but specifically a day in God's view - God's creative day of his 6 creative days. Would you agree?
Can you describe the heavens created at Genesis 1:1, please?
The sun and moon.
Yes.
I do not see any point in this.
No need to get personal.
I'm not referring to a need. I am referring to the fact that those reading the Genesis account as 6 literal 24 hour days, are saying that God rested for 24 hours, which is really applying man's imperfect thinking, to the supreme creator.
No. How do you figure that I am only looking at Genesis 1 by itself, and Genesis 1:1 does not have to be an overview, but is part of a sequence of events from Genesis 1:1 to Genesis 1:31?
I'm sorry you read the Bible so literally.
The day of the Lord is judgement day. There’s nothing about any of these verses that indicate a period of time that is more than 24 hours.
Yes I would agree because the Hebrew word Beyovm is used just like in verse 17.
No I can’t because no description is given about the creation of the heavens.
Unless maybe that person had to name all of the animals in 24 hours and really didn’t care what they were called. I often play a game called Ark Survival where I tame animals and have to name them and I usually just name them the first thing that pops into my head because it really doesn’t matter.
I would say that Adam possessed some intelligence but he was certainly no genius. I mean according to historians the wheel was only invented 5500 years ago which means that according to the genealogy records in the Bible that was around 500 years after creation.
