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Miracle Storm

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Scripture attributes a morning and an evening to every single of the six days. I am no friend of arguing linguistically what "yom" means, but the morning / evening attribute is very convincing for me that a single, 24 hours day is meant.
I'm not questioning that the Bible says evening and morning and that does seem to imply one day...
I am interested in the original language, of which I do not know so I be stuck there.
The way it is worded though does seem to state one day..there was evening and there was morning the first day.
ClearSky said:
There are other arguments that support a short time period, such as God's omnipotence. He would not need billions of years for creating earth or life.
No argument there. Though would He need to make babies to grow to maturity or could he create them as adults and does He take pleasure in watching His creation grow?

ClearSky said:
Species, yes; genus, no. Evolutionists explain this with the long time period (hundred thousands and millions of years) required for evolution. Even dogs needed many thousand years despite they had high selection pressure and are still genetically almost 100% identical to wolves.
Yes, that's what I wanted to know is if an already known species has ever "evolved" into something else..
none that I'm aware of. Still waiting on the linked evidence that that has occured in the other thread.
ClearSky said:
Had the trees that God planted in the garden Eden tree rings or not? You can bet that they had tree rings, as God didn't plant seeds but full grown trees. Not only in the garden but everywhere on earth. There, you got your rings.
I never really thought about it that way, simple, but true.
ClearSky said:
God made a world that already looked old, not only for a superficial look but even for a detailed scientific examination. That's why scientists think the earth exists since 4.6 billion years. They have to think so because their observations tell them so, but that doesn't mean it is true.
Yes, and to some scientist or to whom ever could not believe that God would do these things even though this Scripture applies to the message of the cross, I think it could apply to God's creation:
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."
20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

The scripture applied literally is medicine for man. As wisdom for living, it is just blessing and better life, not harshness. As a solution for disease and injury, it works. As a message of salvation, nothing else fits the mind and heart of man like Jesus to save. Man is too stupid for anything else, actually. Think about the confession of faith and why man does so little and God so much to make that possible.

Why should creation be taken any differently? If God can overcome expectation to heal and raise the dead, why should we expect that he cannot overcome the limitations of modern science to create?

If one takes all the modern critical methods that lead to "debunking" Jesus as God incarnate and a man who rose from the dead, there is as strong correspondence between what these methods dictate for our view of Jesus and our view of creation. The same principals make Jesus inspired perhaps, but full of error, not God and not risen from the dead.

This same Jesus is the "Word." If God can incarnate as the Word, what would one expect of the Words of Genesis? Particularly where Jesus endorses specifically that Adam was a man and that at the beginning of creation, God made male and female humans, not ameobas.

If any principle has the ability to attack the person of Jesus as the incarnation of God risen from the dead, then one must test it for inconsistency on its own terms. That is the thing about human principles. There is always internal inconsistency. The Word, unlike anything else yields consistency consistently.

Testing the principles of modern man against man's own principles, we find enormous holes in the process of reason. Neither random mutation nor any known process of mutation can solve the problem of creation in 2 billion years, nor in 20. It is statistically absurd. Geology is full of so many errors and anomalies -- single trees that extend through "millions" of years of strata. The process of putting dates to these strata is full of embarrasingly absurd error.

The creation of the universe arises from an enormously unlikely event as a Big Bang. So why would 10 to the 60th such events in six days be less likely than one event starting on 1 day and extending for 15 billion years? Statistically its not less likely. Nobel prize winning physicists put the odds on a successful Big Bang at 1 in 10 to the 120th power. Some estimates are that there are 10 to the 60th atoms in the universe. So, why is biblical creation less likely? It isn't. A likelihood of 1 in 10 to the 50th is defined as statistical absurdity -- it is practically meaningless. Now compare the number of atoms in the universe to the odds that the Big Bang would actually succeed in creating stars and life. The latter number is larger by a factor that is statistically absurd. Could God have created all those particles more or less where they are all at once? That would be just as "easy" or likely as setting off one big bang on one day and taking 15 billion years to finish it.

Further, all of creation is full of anomalies. Between here and the nearest galaxies are trillions upon trillions of virtual particles or areas that share some properties with the Big Bang: we can't look behind them and their potential energy or dynamic force is essentially infinite -- for all we know. In other words, most of what exists is known to be beyond our knowledge by the definitions of science itself. Could God have worked through those things in six days? You bet, for all we know.

This is all man's science evaluated on its own terms.

For all we know. That is the key. Because we don't. Thus, the Word of God.
Well I know that God can do anything He wants. He could have created all within 6 literal days, but He also could have put everything into motion.
My question is which one was it?
Could it have been a little of both?

How are hobbits and other such fossils that evolutionist say have been found explained? I don't even know what a hobbit is I just seen them post it...guess I should get to looking that up before I'm asking questions..:sorry:

I have yet to ask this question here, but from my understanding dinosoars were around in Biblical times, evolutionist say no, what say you?
 
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Miracle Storm

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God – The Creator of Time

The Genesis seven day creation may not be simply 1000 of our years equal a day for God, as most bible scholars believe, but a timed schedule of God’s actions. God, the creator of time, is not limited by time as we are so could move feely through it for His day’s work, that could be over as many time period locations as He so chooses for that day of work. A thousand year timed day could be the actual working time He spent in the many different eons doing His work.
That's what I'm saying. Are you a creationist?
 
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Miracle Storm

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The point of Peter's thought is that God is not limited by time. Since He is eternal, time looks different to Him than it does to us. Peter's comment does not refer to Creation week, especially because of Exodus 20 that tells us God wants us to work 6 days and rest 1 day, in imitation of Him during Creation week.

It is wisest to take into consideration the whole counsel of God, not just bits and pieces.
But we are limited by time and so our imitation of Him could never be fully like Him.
So does that mean that us imitating a day means that our day is as many hours as His day or just an imitation of what He done?
 
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busterdog

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Well I know that God can do anything He wants. He could have created all within 6 literal days, but He also could have put everything into motion.
My question is which one was it?
Could it have been a little of both?

How are hobbits and other such fossils that evolutionist say have been found explained? I don't even know what a hobbit is I just seen them post it...guess I should get to looking that up before I'm asking questions..:sorry:

I have yet to ask this question here, but from my understanding dinosoars were around in Biblical times, evolutionist say no, what say you?

Its not just that God can do anything he wants. It is that God doing practically anything is no less likely or feasible that the so-called evolution of our planet in 15 billion years.

If we compare the two different types of witness, which is a better witness: 1. what man says; or 2. what God says. How many times do we face that exact question on a daily basis. Constantly. In my practical life, the wisdom of man is less helpful than that Word and seeking God.

In our origings, the witness of science is manifestly corrupt. It claims to have "probabibilities" for how things happened, but those probabilities are demonstrable no more probable than "miracles."
 
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Miracle Storm

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Its not just that God can do anything he wants. It is that God doing practically anything is no less likely or feasible that the so-called evolution of our planet in 15 billion years.

If we compare the two different types of witness, which is a better witness: 1. what man says; or 2. what God says. How many times do we face that exact question on a daily basis. Constantly. In my practical life, the wisdom of man is less helpful than that Word and seeking God.

In our origings, the witness of science is manifestly corrupt. It claims to have "probabibilities" for how things happened, but those probabilities are demonstrable no more probable than "miracles."
I am not saying one is more probable than the other. I am saying that it seems both would be possible and both could in fact fit with Scripture, what I am trying to determine is if in fact a day is literal or as I understand God not to be limited to the boundries of gravity or time it could be an unspecified amount until He was done with the first part of His creation and called it "the first day" these are my questions in my head, well and typed here to..
I do not seek the "wisdom of man" but the truth of God and most people think they know it, even when they are babes in Christ.
These are why I am asking these questions, I'm not interested in a lecture, but answers from whoever has them to give. Then those thoughts and understandings will be compared by me to the Word of God and prayed over..
That is why I have started these two threads. Seek...
 
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busterdog

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I am saying that it seems both would be possible and both could in fact fit with Scripture, ....

***

I'm not interested in a lecture, but answers from whoever has them to give.

Is it possible that they could both be right? One issue to look at is death. Paul says that death and sin entered with Adam. If there was no Adam, was there ever and will there ever again be "paradise" as God says?

Eeek! I certainly didn't mean to lecure you . :blush:
 
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FallingWaters

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I'm not questioning that the Bible says evening and morning and that does seem to imply one day...
I am interested in the original language, of which I do not know so I be stuck there.
I answered this question earlier in this thread, but I'm reposting it here.

Mind if I respond to this?

The Hebrew word for "day" in Genesis is Yom. Yom appears about 900 times in the Old Testament. Whenever it is accompanied with a number, it ALWAYS means an ordinary 24 hour period of time.

In Genesis, the writer went out of his way to make sure we understood that he was referring to an ordinary 24 hour period because he not only used a number to describe Yom, but also added the descriptor: evening and morning, in addition to the word Yom.

Hebrew scholars who don't even believe in YEC will concede that the author of Genesis certainly intended to convey the meaning that the days were ordinary 24 hour periods of time.

As Calminian already pointed out, it is made crystal clear in Exodus:
"(Exo 20:11 ESV) For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."

You seem to be a little like me. Sometimes, when I want to know something, I want to know now, lol! I don't want it to take 3 months to come to a conclusion.

I think it's going to take some time on your part, of reading and studying and looking at all the different points of view. You will come to realize that this isn't a matter of "fact" but rather of opinion.

You have to choose who you believe.
You have to decide who you trust to teach you.
 
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FallingWaters

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But we are limited by time and so our imitation of Him could never be fully like Him.
So does that mean that us imitating a day means that our day is as many hours as His day or just an imitation of what He done?
"Imitate" was my own word. It's not in the text.

In Exodus 20:11, God tells us to do like He did. He worked for 6 days and rested on the 7th, and He wants US to work for 6 days and rest on the 7th.
That's why we have 7 days in a week.

God's "day" in Genesis - "yom" - was an ordinary 24 hour period of time.
 
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Miracle Storm

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Is it possible that they could both be right? One issue to look at is death. Paul says that death and sin entered with Adam. If there was no Adam, was there ever and will there ever again be "paradise" as God says?

Eeek! I certainly didn't mean to lecure you . :blush:
I believe there was a literal Adam and Eve.
I'm sorry I even said that about lecuring, I was just frustrated.
 
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BreadAlone

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I believe there was a literal Adam and Eve.
I'm sorry I even said that about lecuring, I was just frustrated.
So are you considering the possibility that God created everything by evolution EXCEPT Adam and Eve, whom he created specially?

I think the most obvious reason to believe they are 24 hour days is the fact that it says "morning and evening" each day, and also that other parts of the Bible talk about the six days.
 
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Miracle Storm

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So are you considering the possibility that God created everything by evolution EXCEPT Adam and Eve, whom he created specially?

I think the most obvious reason to believe they are 24 hour days is the fact that it says "morning and evening" each day, and also that other parts of the Bible talk about the six days.
I'm not sure what I am considering, I am just questioning things at this point. It's not something I have ever really given much thought to and now I am..
 
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Sunrise78

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I am not saying one is more probable than the other. I am saying that it seems both would be possible and both could in fact fit with Scripture, what I am trying to determine is if in fact a day is literal or as I understand God not to be limited to the boundries of gravity or time it could be an unspecified amount until He was done with the first part of His creation and called it "the first day" these are my questions in my head, well and typed here to..
I do not seek the "wisdom of man" but the truth of God and most people think they know it, even when they are babes in Christ.
These are why I am asking these questions, I'm not interested in a lecture, but answers from whoever has them to give. Then those thoughts and understandings will be compared by me to the Word of God and prayed over..
That is why I have started these two threads. Seek...

It seems to me as though the issue of whether the creation days were literal days was not really an issue in the church until scientists in the late 1700s - early 1800s began to say that the earth was millions of years old (based on dubious assumptions that sedimentation rates throughout history were the same as they are now).

The creation days were generally taken straightforwardly until that time, when some Christians tried to reinterpret them to include the millions of years (which they accepted as fact). If God had wanted to say that the earth was created over millions of years, there are much clearer ways He could have said it than what is said in Genesis.

I think it's not so much a matter of what God could have done, but what He says He did do, in His Word. All our attempts to reinterpret Genesis to fit millions of years is imposing outside ideas on the Bible, not allowing the Bible to speak to us.
 
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FallingWaters

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It seems to me as though the issue of whether the creation days were literal days was not really an issue in the church until scientists in the late 1700s - early 1800s began to say that the earth was millions of years old (based on dubious assumptions that sedimentation rates throughout history were the same as they are now).

The creation days were generally taken straightforwardly until that time, when some Christians tried to reinterpret them to include the millions of years (which they accepted as fact). If God had wanted to say that the earth was created over millions of years, there are much clearer ways He could have said it than what is said in Genesis.

I think it's not so much a matter of what God could have done, but what He says He did do, in His Word. All our attempts to reinterpret Genesis to fit millions of years is imposing outside ideas on the Bible, not allowing the Bible to speak to us.
Exactly!
 
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JosephThePoet

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I believe God created the universe. And when God created the universe He put forth laws governing it. God would therefore use the laws He created to assist in working the universe to His desires. This would confound the learned immensely.

But God is always above the laws that restrict us in our universe, even time. So He could add to the universe that which He wanted at any time He wanted. To claim categorically that God remained constrained to our restriction under time for His 24 hour day is arrogant.

Would you use the language of advanced science to communicate to the common people of old to explain time as it applies to God? Or would you simplify the explanation that a day for God could be like our day or like a thousand years of our time?

I do not say beyond doubt that I am right in this matter. I am only putting forth an interesting thought. Discussing the semantics about something can help us learn, provided we do not become obsessed with our theory. There are more important matters to address.
 
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FallingWaters

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But God is always above the laws that restrict us in our universe, even time. So He could add to the universe that which He wanted at any time He wanted. To claim categorically that God remained constrained to our restriction under time for His 24 hour day is arrogant.

Would you use the language of advanced science to communicate to the common people of old to explain time as it applies to God? Or would you simplify the explanation that a day for God could be like our day or like a thousand years of our time?
...
I think it's more arrogant to insist that God did not mean what He said.
 
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ClearSky

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The creation days were generally taken straightforwardly until that time, when some Christians tried to reinterpret them to include the millions of years (which they accepted as fact). If God had wanted to say that the earth was created over millions of years, there are much clearer ways He could have said it than what is said in Genesis.

I think it's not so much a matter of what God could have done, but what He says He did do, in His Word. All our attempts to reinterpret Genesis to fit millions of years is imposing outside ideas on the Bible, not allowing the Bible to speak to us.
I basically agree, although I see the matter a little more complicated.

We are using two filters for our understanding of Scripture. The first filter is the language and mindset of the authors who wrote down their inspirations that they received from God. The second filter is our own interpretation of what they've written.

They could not have written something that they didn't understand themselves. They would not understand the scientific world view of the 21st century, that's why the Bible can not be interpreted to contain scientific content in the sense of today's science.

They would also not have understood extremely large time periods like a billion years, but certainly they did understand time periods like "day and night". So while one could argue about many words of the first Genesis creation story, it is clear that the author wanted to describe a creation in six literal days. Could he have misunderstood God? Hardly. "Day and night" is a clear concept and I can not imagine how the author would misrepresent this concept that he received from God. So, even with the two possibilities of human error in Scripture writing and Scripture interpretation, it is still six days.

Now we have the problem that this contradicts thousands of observations that all were made in the last two centuries, starting with the speed of star light and ending with the varves in river beds and lakes. One can attempt to ignore or explain away all those observations, but this leads to nothing. You should not close your eyes to a clear message that God obviously wants you to see.

So, either God created a world that initially looked old, or if He intentionally pre-aged the already existing world at some time between 6000 BC and 1700 AC. Both is possible, however for the reasons we can only speculate.
 
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busterdog

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Now we have the problem that this contradicts thousands of observations that all were made in the last two centuries, starting with the speed of star light and ending with the varves in river beds and lakes. One can attempt to ignore or explain away all those observations, but this leads to nothing. You should not close your eyes to a clear message that God obviously wants you to see.

So, either God created a world that initially looked old, or if He intentionally pre-aged the already existing world at some time between 6000 BC and 1700 AC. Both is possible, however for the reasons we can only speculate.

Is this so?

One thing of interest is the circularity of dating fossils by radiocarbon or other isotope dating and then using the index fossils to confirm that validity of radiocarbon dating. This is a simplification for sure, but you really need to look at the process to see what allegedly appears to be so perfectly obvious.

A similar process of reason is used to validate ideas about the inflation of the universe in a big bang model. Its sort of like how they validated the assets in the hedge fund before the bloody thing has to be written down by 500 bn.
 
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