Curiosity: Does the Bible say anything about age of the creation? Part 1

The early chapter of Genesis has been a matter of debates since a long history. No early church fathers, theologian, apologists or Bible scholars have uniform position in this subject. There are some sects within this debate:

From creationism side: Young Earth (YEC)[i] and Old Earth (OEC)[ii]

From Evolution side: Theistic evolution (TE) and Evolutionary Creationism (EC)[iii]

From a bridging point between YEC and OEC: Intelligent Design (ID)

YEC and OEC also has sub-sects within themselves and often they overlap with one another.

Since there are diversified views, we cannot be certain on creation of universe, earth and humanity. But this diversification doesn’t prove inconsistency of Genesis or failure of the scripture to convey accurate details. This rather shows that our modern mind is reading and giving our inputs from a modern understanding and expecting answers from the scripture that was never intended to satisfy our queries. The theme of Genesis, no matter how we interpret it, is that its God who created everything. It was He who engineered the universe and earth. He created humanity in his own image, special from rest of animal kingdom.

Hence, there are several unsolved debates regarding how and when God created since it depends on how Genesis 1 is interpreted. But there are certain attempts of valid interpretations that has been correlated with scientific data itself.

Exploration:

Creation Views Summary

Note: This has been made on basis of study, observation and analysis of different possible views with only general insight. For details, please go through the resources provided at the end.

S.N.	Creation View	Description
1	The Gap Theory (Ruin-Reconstruction Theory)	Genesis 1:1 was an initial creation. Later, the pre-Adamic race rebelled against God and was destroyed under His judgment. Gen. 1:2 was aftermath condition of the earth. Gen. 1:3 was then new beginning of reconstruction. One reason for this theory is simply that the Lord makes everything beautiful and perfect (Eccl. 3:11). It is inconsistent with the Lord’s character and nature to create something that is without form and empty. Why, therefore, was the earth without form and void? The reason is that there had been a previous civilization here on earth, which had rebelled with Satan against the Majesty on high. The earth had been corrupted. Now we find God bringing into existence a restoration of the earth from Genesis 1:2b to 2:3.
		Strength	ü Unknown vast time period between Gen. 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 allows for scientific dating of billion years old earth and universe. ü Its intention is to interpret 6 days as 24 hours days.
		Weakness	Ø No scriptural support for any initial creation of Pre-Adamic race. Ø Though there might be unknown time gap between 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 as Hebrew scholars and linguistic suggest, billion years of age cannot be just confined within those few verse since scientific data covers till appearance of human beings on the earth. Ø 6 days description are parallel to origin of the earth in billions of years
2	Literal 24 hours day view	The universe was created in 6 literal days some six thousand years ago. 6 days has been believed to be literal 24 hours day on basis of Exodus 20:11 and not Genesis account itself. The conclusion of the world being merely few thousand years old is based on literal sum of genealogies and ages of people, kingdoms and so on. This consequently puts date of creation on 4004 BC.
		Strength	ü Best fits for plain text reading with mention of ‘morning and evening’ and chronology as of normal days.
		Weakness	Ø The description of activities mentioned within those six days occurred billion years to complete as per scientific discovery. Ø Exodus 20:11 has a valid interpretation of a pattern set for human workweek rather than literal comparison. The focus is on Sabbath and not 6 days as 24 hours. Ø Some verses in Genesis 1 itself indicates that even by literally understanding, some days cannot be taken into account as 24 hours. E.g. the Third day, the Forth day and the Fifth day. Ø The genealogies are only adequate and not complete to arrive on exact date of creation of Adam. There are gaps in generation and terms such as sons or daughters are also used for descendants rather than literal purpose. Ø Rejects major area of scientific discoveries and conclusion.
3	Day-Age View	The six days were indeed long epochs rather than 24 hours. The time gap between verses 1, 2 and 3 are permissible.
		Strength	ü The six days now fits with scientific data of geological periods. ü Some use Psalms 90:4 as supportive verse that can be tenable as many Bible scholars agree with this. ü Hebrew word for day ‘Yom’ can also be used to refer long period of time. ü 7^th day has irregular pattern with no ending i.e. we are still in the seventh day. Hence, rest of other days might be also possibly longer.
		Weakness	Ø Although Hebrew word for day ‘Yom’ can also mean long period of time, it is not guaranteed if ancient Hebrew understood days as long epochs. Ø It is not certain whether Psalms 90:4 fits in the context of Genesis 1. E.g. Dr. Ross who holds Progressive creationism disagrees with use of Psalms 90:4.
4	Alternative Day-Age View	A view that 6 days were literal days but there were unknown time period between each successive days.
		Strength	ü 6 days can be interpreted as literal days and geological discoveries of fossils can be supported by time gap between each days. ü This is a mixture of Day-Age, literal 24 hours and Framework view interpretation.
		Weakness	It is yet a mere assumption for reading gaps into the text unless confirmed by careful examination of Hebrew scholars, grammar and linguistics.
5	Appearance of Age/Ideal Time	God created the universe in such a way that it seemed to be very ancient i.e. the whole universe had been created in their maturity.
		Strength	ü Advocates bring argument that Adam would have been measured very young or adult under medical test yet he was not even a day older. ü This makes possibility for universe to be created in 6 literal days some thousand years ago with appearance of age.
		Weakness	Ø This makes God a deceiver and this universe an illusion. Ø No satisfactory reason for intention of God behind such creation. Ø God can create anyway he wishes is again God of gaps argument. Ø This makes long history of human studies on geology, archaeology, paleontology, etc. meaningless. Ø This puts great objection on Romans 1:20 and General Revelation becomes flawed.
6	Space-Time Relativity	Dr. Gerald Schroeder uses a fascinating approach based on Einstein’s Law of Relativity. Time is relative and measurement depends on perspective. Biblically, he applies Psalms 90:4.
		Strength	ü He has claimed his work done by studying both ancient commentaries and the available peer reviewed scientific research and journals independently. ü Psalms 90:4 indicates God’s time not the same as human time or God is beyond the bound of time. ü 6 days from space (totality of the universe) perspective were 24 hours looking forward into the time but billion years from earth’s perspective looking backward into the time. ü This is related with Time Dilation. ü 6 days were from God’s perspective and had all ages of the universe. ü No relationship between events and passage of time until appearance of human beings. ü The universe is simultaneously young and old depending upon perspective.
		Weakness	Ø Psalms 90:4 is a theological and not a scientific law. Ø Ancient Jewish understanding of Genesis 1 and their commentaries along with science should confirm this independently. Ø Many learnt scientists both Christian and non-Christian have criticized this approach. Ø This numerology is based on Jewish mysticism Kabbalah. Ø Dr. Ross mentions the problem with time dilation in his book ‘A Matter of Days’. Ø Cannot be precisely testified from the scripture.
7	Revelatory Day View	6 days were literal days of revelation and has nothing to do with time duration of actual creation. It’s just like recap of past accomplished events revealed within six days to either Adam or Moses by God.
		Strength	ü There remains no tension to take 6 days literally. ü No relationship with actual creation time duration.
		Weakness	Ø Genesis 1 reads as chronological creation events and not as revelatory days. Ø Exodus 20:11 doesn’t allow this understanding though some use argument that ‘made’ word can also refer to revealed.
8	Literary Framework	6 days was literary work, a kind of artistic understanding rather than scientific. The days are in logical order rather than chronological. There is connection of first three days with the next three days where former describes creation of places and later describes filling of those places. 6 days understood as non-chronological.
		Strength	Days and Evening-Morning were literary device of ancient days in order to frame periods of creation.
		Weakness	Ø This reduces 6 days to 3 days understanding which doesn’t fit with Exodus 20:11. Ø The parallel among first and second triads are rather not persuading.
9	Cosmic Temple/Functional Creation	Genesis 1 was a description of functional origin rather than material origin. The text deals with inauguration of Cosmos as God’s temple. 6 days are not given as period of time over which the material cosmos came into being, but the period of time devoted to the inauguration of the functions of the Cosmic temple.
		Strength	ü Six days, although 24 hours, has nothing to do with age of the earth since material origin was never emphasized. ü Genesis 1:1 is an introductory statement for whole seven days of creation. ü Genesis was an anthropocentric view.
		Weakness	Ø There are several grammatical and hermeneutics issues with this understanding as claimed by theologians. Ø Genesis 1:1 cannot be an introductory opening as per Hebrew linguistic and grammatical evaluation suggests.
10	A Polemic to Ancient Near East Paganism	God revealed Moses a different theology of One God as creator of all creation in midst of the then pagan beliefs of pantheon of gods and goddesses. The text shows ancient near east cosmology with physical picture of the world.
		Strength	There is no purpose of dealing with age of the universe.
		Weakness	This narrows down rational explanation of six days.
11	A Poetic Work	Number and ordering of days serve poetic purpose and thematic reasons.
		Strength	ü No need of scientific understanding. ü Many Hebrew scholars and theologian also admit that Genesis 1 account is of poetic genre of historical events.
		Weakness	Ø Exodus 20:11 is yet inconsistent with this approach. Ø There is risk of understanding Genesis 1 as allegory, metaphor, myth, legend or symbolic.
12	Universal affect after the fall including time	After the fall of humanity, everything in this universe got distorted including time itself.
		Strength	The impact on time can be held responsible for such ancient measuring universe.
		Weakness	Ø The fall did not affect universe but purely humanistic. Ø Otherwise, cosmological argument, teleological argument, and anthropic principle fails. Romans 1:20 fails. Ø This mysteriously puts the universe as an illusion than reality.
13	7000 years allotted to man	The Seven days of creation are prophetic of seven thousand years of man. Psalms 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8. There were 4000 years (or 4 days) from Adam to Christ’s first coming. There are 2000 years (or 2 days) from the time of Christ’s first coming to His second coming. This is a total of 6000 years, or six days. Then follows a day of rest which is the 1000 year reign of Christ upon the earth. Satan and all the evil spirits will be bound, and there will be peace on earth. Also the Bride of Christ (the Church) will enter into rest with her Heavenly Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ.
		Strength	This theory has no issue with ancient earth and the universe.
		Weakness	Ø The account of six days creation is not supposed to be prophetic of seven thousand years of man. Ø The six days can be understood in theological way to link with human life, Christ and God’s interaction with us but it is a historic account of creation even if not detailed. Ø 7^th day is still ongoing according to Hebrew 4:4-11.
14	Analogical days view	The six days can be analogical days but with its original meaning. Just as we use terms such as ‘arm of God’ etc. where ‘arm’ has its usual meaning but as a whole we aren’t saying God has literal arm.
		Strength	Six days can be 24 hours but analogical days to human workweek whereas actual creation process maybe a matter of different subject.
		Weakness	Genesis creation account doesn’t seem to be analogical days unless verified with Hebrew linguistic, grammar, and hermeneutics.

[i] They believe 6 days were literal 24 hours consecutive days and the universe was created around 6000 years ago. They reject evolution.

[ii] They believe the creation is billions of years ancient just as scientific data conveys. They give space for both Special and General revelation. They also reject evolution of living creatures.

[iii] Refer https://biologos.org/common-questions/what-is-evolutionary-creation