Where is a "6000 year old earth" found in scripture?

[Rubiks]

For those who believe in it, how are those years calculated according to scripture?

 

[miamited]

Hi rubiks,

Can't speak for how others determine this number, but here's how I have.

Day 1 of the creation of this realm God speaks into existence the earth.
Day 6 of the creation of this realm God forms the first man, Adam, from dirt.
The first man, Adam, lives until he is 130 years and has Seth.
Seth has Enosh when he is 105. (This realm of creation is now 135 years old.)
Enosh has Kenan when he is 90.
Kenan has Mahalalel when he is 70.
Mahalalel has Jared when he is 65. (The realm in which we live is now 360 y/o)
Jared has Enoch when he is 162.
Enoch has Methusalah when he is 65.
Methuselah has Lamech when he is 187.
Lamech has Noah when he is 182. (God's created realm is now 956 y/o)

According to the literal reading of the Scriptures, everything that exists in this realm that God created for man is 956 years old on the day that Noah is born.

Noah was at least 500 years old when he became the father of Shem, and died at the age of 950. However, the flood came when Noah was 600 years old and so we know that there can only be a 100 year discrepancy as to when Shem was born because he was with Noah in the ark. But, if we read carefully Genesis 11 we find that Shem was 100, two years after the flood. So, allowing for some fudge room, the creation is within 2 ears of 1,456 years. (he was born to Noah after Noah was 500. The flood came when Noah was 600. When Noah was 601 the flood waters were dried up) So, depending on whether one decides that 'after the flood' refers to the day it began or the day it was said to be gone, we must allow some wiggle room. Two years after the flood Shem was 100 years old.

When Shem was 100 he had Arphaxad. The creation is 1,558 years old =/- 2.
When Arphaxad was 35 he had Shelah.
When Shelah was 30 he had Eber.
When Eber was 34 he had Peleg.
When Peleg was 30 he had Reu.
When Reu was 32 he had Serug.
When Serug was 30 he had Nahor.
When Nahor was 29 he had Terah. (the creation is now 1,788 y/o +/- 2)


Sometime after Tereh lived 70 years, but before he lived 205 years, he had Abram.

However, we read that by the time Terah died Abram had married and they had begun a journey to Canaan. The family settled in Haran and Terah never made it to Canaan. Therefore, we can shave quite a few years off of that 135 year gap if we logically figure that the marriage of Abram to Sarai probably would have been several years before Terah died. The other option is that Abram, Nahor and Haran were triplets and all born when Terah was 70 years old. Either way, any gap would likely be less than probably 100 years.

So, now the creation of this realm which God made for man is now 1,988 years old +/- 60 years. I added the median number of years (140) and that should put us either up or down 60 years from 1,988 years to the birth of Abram.

Abram (now Abraham) is 100 years old when Isaac is born. (creation age 2,088 +/- 60)
Isaac was 60 when Rebecca had the twins, Jacob and Esau.
Jacob was 130 years old when he went to Egypt. (age of creation 2,118 +/- 60)

Now, there is some disagreement as to exactly how long Israel was in Egypt, but the Scriptures declare it to be 430 years. So, creation to the Exodus, according to the Scriptures, 2,548 +/- 60 years.

40 years Israel wandered in the desert and then we have to research the judges and kings accounts to determine the years, but most biblical studies put the number of years between the exodus and Jesus coming @ 1,450 years, but we do have to allow for some fudge factor there, but, at most only a couple of hundred years.

So, 2,548 years of creation to the exodus + 1,450 years to Jesus + 2014 (today's year count) puts us @ 6,012 years +/- 200 from the day that Adam was created to me sitting at this computer. The secondary support for this total comes from Israel itself. Remember that they are God's witnesses to the world. The Hebrew year, which is fairly carefully calculated from what Israel believes to be the beginning is 5,774, although there are some disagreements there also, but only again, a couple of hundred years.

I hope that this helps. God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[miamited]

Hi rubiks,

6 days from God's first act of creating this realm, commanding the earth to exist and His creating Adam from the dust of the earth that He had created.

plus

years of existence according the genealogies from Adam to Abraham; Abraham to Jacob going into Egypt.

plus

430 years in Egypt and app. 1,450 years from the Exodus to Jesus.

plus

2,014 years as measured by the current calendar

=

6,012 years +/- 200 years.

Confirmation is the Hebrew calendar which marks today as being the year 5,744.

The short answer!

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[ChetSinger]

Hello Rubiks.

Yes, miamited is correct. If you work backward from known historical events through the genealogies in Genesis, you'll reach Adam's creation about 6,000 years ago.

Interestingly, the Epistle of Barnabas is an early Christian work which says that the earth's duration will be 6,000 years because God made it in six days, and one day to Him is as a thousand years.

It says that after 6,000 years God will judge the earth and then rest. The implication is that this rest will last 1,000 years, presumably corresponding to both the Sabbath day and to the 1,000-year "millennium" described in the Revelation.

So the belief in a six-day creation and 6,000-year-old earth goes waaaaaay back in our faith. While the epistle is certainly not scripture, it was considered useful enough to be included in the Codex Sinaiticus.

 

[Calminian]

Nice work, Ted!

Jesus said Adam and Eve were made from the beginning of creation, as Peter confirmed.

Mark 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation, God “made them male and female.’

2Pet. 3:4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”​

Modern theories tell us man is just a blip on the vast radar of time from the beginning, which started 14 billions years ago. Jesus said Adam and Eve were from the beginning of creation. I trust Jesus.

 

[miamited]

Hi all,

Just rereading my post and I see that I made a 100 year mistake in my first calculation which should throw everything else off 100 years. The first addition of years of Adam and Seth should have been 235 years. Sorry. However, that should still fall within the 200 year allowance for 'error'.

God bless
In Christ, Ted

 

[SkyWriting]

Hi rubiks,

Can't speak for how others determine this number, but here's how I have.

Day 1 of the creation of this realm God speaks into existence the earth.
Day 6 of the creation of this realm God forms the first man, Adam, from dirt.
The first man, Adam, lives until he is 130 years and has Seth.
Seth has Enosh when he is 105. (This realm of creation is now 135 years old.)
Enosh has Kenan when he is 90.
Kenan has Mahalalel when he is 70.
Mahalalel has Jared when he is 65. (The realm in which we live is now 360 y/o)
Jared has Enoch when he is 162.
Enoch has Methusalah when he is 65.
Methuselah has Lamech when he is 187.
Lamech has Noah when he is 182. (God's created realm is now 956 y/o)

According to the literal reading of the Scriptures, everything that exists in this realm that God created for man is 956 years old on the day that Noah is born.

Noah was at least 500 years old when he became the father of Shem, and died at the age of 950. However, the flood came when Noah was 600 years old and so we know that there can only be a 100 year discrepancy as to when Shem was born because he was with Noah in the ark. But, if we read carefully Genesis 11 we find that Shem was 100, two years after the flood. So, allowing for some fudge room, the creation is within 2 ears of 1,456 years. (he was born to Noah after Noah was 500. The flood came when Noah was 600. When Noah was 601 the flood waters were dried up) So, depending on whether one decides that 'after the flood' refers to the day it began or the day it was said to be gone, we must allow some wiggle room. Two years after the flood Shem was 100 years old.

When Shem was 100 he had Arphaxad. The creation is 1,558 years old =/- 2.
When Arphaxad was 35 he had Shelah.
When Shelah was 30 he had Eber.
When Eber was 34 he had Peleg.
When Peleg was 30 he had Reu.
When Reu was 32 he had Serug.
When Serug was 30 he had Nahor.
When Nahor was 29 he had Terah. (the creation is now 1,788 y/o +/- 2)


Sometime after Tereh lived 70 years, but before he lived 205 years, he had Abram.

However, we read that by the time Terah died Abram had married and they had begun a journey to Canaan. The family settled in Haran and Terah never made it to Canaan. Therefore, we can shave quite a few years off of that 135 year gap if we logically figure that the marriage of Abram to Sarai probably would have been several years before Terah died. The other option is that Abram, Nahor and Haran were triplets and all born when Terah was 70 years old. Either way, any gap would likely be less than probably 100 years.

So, now the creation of this realm which God made for man is now 1,988 years old +/- 60 years. I added the median number of years (140) and that should put us either up or down 60 years from 1,988 years to the birth of Abram.

Abram (now Abraham) is 100 years old when Isaac is born. (creation age 2,088 +/- 60)
Isaac was 60 when Rebecca had the twins, Jacob and Esau.
Jacob was 130 years old when he went to Egypt. (age of creation 2,118 +/- 60)

Now, there is some disagreement as to exactly how long Israel was in Egypt, but the Scriptures declare it to be 430 years. So, creation to the Exodus, according to the Scriptures, 2,548 +/- 60 years.

40 years Israel wandered in the desert and then we have to research the judges and kings accounts to determine the years, but most biblical studies put the number of years between the exodus and Jesus coming @ 1,450 years, but we do have to allow for some fudge factor there, but, at most only a couple of hundred years.

So, 2,548 years of creation to the exodus + 1,450 years to Jesus + 2014 (today's year count) puts us @ 6,012 years +/- 200 from the day that Adam was created to me sitting at this computer. The secondary support for this total comes from Israel itself. Remember that they are God's witnesses to the world. The Hebrew year, which is fairly carefully calculated from what Israel believes to be the beginning is 5,774, although there are some disagreements there also, but only again, a couple of hundred years.

I hope that this helps. God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

Clearly most readers are not expected by God to compile this information.
So it should not be done.
The descriptions of the earth are of an "old" earth in scripture.

 

[miamited]

Clearly most readers are not expected by God to compile this information.
So it should not be done.
The descriptions of the earth are of an "old" earth in scripture.

Hi skywriting,

I don't understand. The genealogical timeline is fairly clearly given word for word as I posted in the Scriptures. Why would God not expect His children to understand His word?

As far as any descriptions of an "old" earth in Scripture. I'm not quite sure what exact passages of Scripture you might be referring to, but I can assure you that I haven't, after many, many years of study of the Scriptures, been so convinced.

It is true that each of us believes what we have convinced ourselves is the truth. Obviously you and I have convinced ourselves of two separate worldviews.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[mark kennedy]

Hi skywriting,

I don't understand. The genealogical timeline is fairly clearly given word for word as I posted in the Scriptures. Why would God not expect His children to understand His word?

As far as any descriptions of an "old" earth in Scripture. I'm not quite sure what exact passages of Scripture you might be referring to, but I can assure you that I haven't, after many, many years of study of the Scriptures, been so convinced.

It is true that each of us believes what we have convinced ourselves is the truth. Obviously you and I have convinced ourselves of two separate worldviews.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

I have a partial tally:

The age of the earth and the universe are not directly spoken of in Scripture, the time of the creation of life and man is another matter entirely.

 

[Calminian]

Clearly most readers are not expected by God to compile this information.
So it should not be done.
The descriptions of the earth are of an "old" earth in scripture.

Sky, you say "clearly" but where does it clearly say we should not compile this information?

I personally can't think of any other purpose for chronological genealogies, where the father's age is given at the son's birth, than to let us know approximately how long these periods of time were. Why would you ignore this information, even take it a step further and proclaim we should ignore it? What are you basing this on?

 

[miamited]

Sky, you say "clearly" but where does it clearly say we should not compile this information?

I personally can't think of any other purpose for chronological genealogies, where the father's age is given at the son's birth, than to let us know approximately how long these periods of time were. Why would you ignore this information, even take it a step further and proclaim we should ignore it? What are you basing this on?

Hi Cal,

I must agree. As I understand God, He is wiser than we will ever hope to imagine and if He really didn't want us to add the years to determine time periods then He could have left all that out. If God is as wise as I believe Him to be, then He knew that men would add these numbers. Personally I believe that He intended them for just the purpose that they have been used for centuries; that we might always have a record of how long this realm that He has created for man has really been around. However, I also understand that if I believe that science has given me the truth, then I have to find a way to make the Scriptures fit the science.

Adam had a son who had a son who had a son who had a son would have been perfectly valuable if all God wanted to do was tell us who the sons of the first families were. I've come to believe that God doesn't waste a lot of words nor does He give us a lot of information that is unnecessary for us to read.

Of course, that is only my understanding and each one is free to choose what they will believe is 'truth'.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[SkyWriting]

Hi skywriting,

As far as any descriptions of an "old" earth in Scripture. I'm not quite sure what exact passages of Scripture you might be referring to, but I can assure you that I haven't, after many, many years of study of the Scriptures, been so convinced.

It is true that each of us believes what we have convinced ourselves is the truth. Obviously you and I have convinced ourselves of two separate worldviews.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

How old is "Dirt" exactly?
How old is "dust" that man was made from?
How old are fruit trees that Adam ate from?
How old is dirt that fruiting trees produced that Adam ate from?

My "worldview" is that of scripture and Jesus and the prophets.
The gospel message does not include the age of the earth.

What you add is your business.

 

[SkyWriting]

Hi Cal,

I must agree. As I understand God, He is wiser than we will ever hope to imagine and if He really didn't want us to add the years to determine time periods then He could have left all that out. If God is as wise as I believe Him to be, then He knew that men would add these numbers. Personally I believe that He intended them for just the purpose that they have been used for centuries; that we might always have a record of how long this realm that He has created for man has really been around. However, I also understand that if I believe that science has given me the truth, then I have to find a way to make the Scriptures fit the science.

Adam had a son who had a son who had a son who had a son would have been perfectly valuable if all God wanted to do was tell us who the sons of the first families were. I've come to believe that God doesn't waste a lot of words nor does He give us a lot of information that is unnecessary for us to read.

Of course, that is only my understanding and each one is free to choose what they will believe is 'truth'.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

There are a huge number of Plus or minus years.
This tells us the numbers WERE NOT INTENDED to be used
to determine the age of the earth. The new testament
makes no effort to "age" anything. Again, this tells us
we are barking up the wrong tree.

The age of ANYTHING is not part of the gospel message.
Never has been. Cults use stuff like that. Study them and see.

 

[SkyWriting]

Sky, you say "clearly" but where does it clearly say we should not compile this information?

The gospel message should have nothing added to it or taken away.

Did you get this idea from the WATCHTOWER MAGAZINE?

 

[miamited]

Hi skywriting,

To post #12:

It is my understanding of the Scriptures that everything in the realm in which we live, which would be from the farthest star to the smallest atomic structure, is only about 6,000 years old. God made the man from the dirt of the earth that He had created about 5 days earlier. The plants and animals, just like the first man, were created fully formed and flourishing with their respective fruit.

To post #13:

You write that there is a 'huge' number of plus or minus years. It's good of you to say so, but perhaps you could provide some evidence to that statement. After all, I can say of myself that I am the queen of England, but I'd be hard pressed to provide any evidence to support that self-professed claim.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[Calminian]

The gospel message should have nothing added to it or taken away.

Did you get this idea from the WATCHTOWER MAGAZINE?

I know you meant that in a snide way, but it's interesting you bring up the Watchtower. For JW's basically believe what you believe about Genesis. They are firm creationists, but also accept the billions of years. They do this by compromising on the length of each day.

Now I agree with you that the gospel should have nothing added, but when I share the gospel with JW's and Mormons (who also compromise on Genesis), I start at the beginning, with the origin of death. I ask them where the death and suffering in the world came from. They always talk about Adam's sin. Then I ask them about all the suffering we see in the fossil record—cancer, cannibalism, predation, etc., which they believe happened before Adam. "Is that how God intended the world to be? Does that sound very good to you? Where does your church teach that this suffering came from?" When they shrug their shoulders, I take them from the Fall (the true Fall), to the Cross.

Just the other day, a couple mormons told me they'd never heard the gospel presented like that. The conversation went very deep after that. They even asked if I thought they were saved. I was very candid in answering and they didn't seem to take offense. They even seemed a little concerned.

But I believe in explaining the gospel, more so than just sharing it. I need to take into consideration my audience, and make sure my terms are understood clearly—God, creation, sin, death, Jesus, forgiveness, justification, etc. I personally have come to the conclusion that just about everyone in America (cultists, secularists, etc.) needs to hear the gospel from the beginning (Genesis) to the end (Revelation).

 

[mark kennedy]

How old is "Dirt" exactly?
How old is "dust" that man was made from?
How old are fruit trees that Adam ate from?
How old is dirt that fruiting trees produced that Adam ate from?

That's easy, unknown. Here's one for you, what does the word Adam mean in the New Testament?

My "worldview" is that of scripture and Jesus and the prophets.
The gospel message does not include the age of the earth.

Couldn't agree more.

What you add is your business.

I'd say irrelevant.

 

[SkyWriting]

That's easy, unknown.

For the exact same reasons, the age of the earth is unknown
and not 6-10,000 years.

 

[Lollerskates]

For those who believe in it, how are those years calculated according to scripture?

I don't know.

"In the beginning, God created the Heaven(s) and the earth. Period."

In the beginning.

Before light.

Before trees.

Before separation of light and darkness.

Before man.

In the beginning.

The earth was here before it all.

 

[SkyWriting]

I know you meant that in a snide way, but it's interesting you bring up the Watchtower. For JW's basically believe what you believe about Genesis. They are firm creationists, but also accept the billions of years. They do this by compromising on the length of each day.

My experience witnessing and doing bible studies with Jehovahs Witnesses in their homes has been similar with yours.

Now I agree with you that the gospel should have nothing added, but when I share the gospel with JW's and Mormons (who also compromise on Genesis), I start at the beginning, with the origin of death. I ask them where the death and suffering in the world came from. They always talk about Adam's sin. Then I ask them about all the suffering we see in the fossil record—cancer, cannibalism, predation, etc., which they believe happened before Adam. "Is that how God intended the world to be? Does that sound very good to you? Where does your church teach that this suffering came from?" When they shrug their shoulders, I take them from the Fall (the true Fall), to the Cross.

Just the other day, a couple mormons told me they'd never heard the gospel presented like that. The conversation went very deep after that. They even asked if I thought they were saved. I was very candid in answering and they didn't seem to take offense. They even seemed a little concerned.

But I believe in explaining the gospel, more so than just sharing it. I need to take into consideration my audience, and make sure my terms are understood clearly—God, creation, sin, death, Jesus, forgiveness, justification, etc. I personally have come to the conclusion that just about everyone in America (cultists, secularists, etc.) needs to hear the gospel from the beginning (Genesis) to the end (Revelation).

Agreed.