Was creation 6 literal days or an unknown period of time?
By reading scripture, it is perfectly possible to absolutely come to know, how much time is in a ‘day’.
To set the stage of how our God uses ‘Day’ in the proper context, we need to consider some facts.
Outside of Time
- God is outside of Time, Space, and Matter! He is Eternal. Is it not therefore safe to assume ‘time’ is for ‘mankind’? In several instances, we are told the purpose in Time. Usually scripture is speaking of Days or Hours but also covers Seasons, Signs, Years, or other factors involving a literal 24hr period. In at least one place, it is mentioned that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years or a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday. I want to emphasize that the point here is NOT that 1 day to God is 1000 years to man, neither the other way around. This text can often be misinterpreted as a=b (1yr = 1000yr). This is simply not what scripture is saying. Explanation:
- Point 1: Error: Often, the comparisons shown in Second Peter Three and Verse 8 where it is referring to the Psalmist in Ninety and Verse 4, may imply to those who may be unlearned or possibly not reading well — that a ‘Day’ to God can be some obscure time period (thousands, millions, of years). This reading is not correct as we have missed the context.
- Point 2: Truth: The Preceding verses in Peter’s Second Epistle is speaking of scoffers! This would be folks growing impatient because the next move of God is not on man’s schedule – thus doubt may arise.
- Point 3: Context of small words! You will notice below, in the quoted scripture, reads “
asa” or “as one”, in Peter’s message. In contrast, this does not read “is a”, “is equal to”. Using the word ‘as’ allows us to focus on how God is outside of Time! If this had read ‘is’, then there would be some 1 to 1 comparison going on and this simply is not the case.
2Pe 3:8 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.
Psa_90:4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Check out this amazing video by Dr. Kent Hovind. In this video, Kent covers the age of the earth as studied within Scripture. Too, he covers evidence (some you can still purchase on eBay from actual sources), with which the apparent stupidity beyond scripture is blatant and a bit silly. This is not an opinion – but you will need to adequately review 100% of this content and respective resources to see for yourself. For the record — I was once behind the Gap Theory and many more man-made nonsense. So you can know that I too probably once had your view, until I read scripture for myself (outside of those awful church building scenes).
Evidence in Genesis
The first chapter and the ‘first’ day of creation includes ‘light from darkness’. This is one of the very things people use today (OK, on certain earthly latitudes, you may not see such a change). Light and Darkness are the focus after several verses and conclude on the 6th day. We can see this below.
Gen 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Gen 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
Gen 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Gen_1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
Gen 1:15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
Gen 1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
The second chapter of Genesis summarizes the 6 days as creation, 7 day as rest, sanctified this seventh day, then becomes part of the law, later. We must also take notices that God did not bless and sanctify a million years, it was but only Day 7! Even during the flood event, ‘days’ is referred to once more. Now I cannot imagine the Ark was upon the sees for thousands (or more) of years! Can you?
Gen 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Gen 8:3 And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.
Days within Exodus include Law
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exo 23:12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.
Bonus:
Num 13:25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
Time was instant, in Psalms
Psa 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
Psa 33:7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.
Psa 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
Psa 33:9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.
Psa_90:4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Psa 148:2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
Psa 148:3 Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.
Psa 148:4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.
Psa 148:5 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.
New Testament examples (Jews Gospel)
Mat_25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Mrk 9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
Mrk 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
Luk 13:14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
Jhn 12:1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. Joh 5:15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. Joh 5:16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. Joh 5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
Paul omits Sabbath for age of Grace
In this case, Paul, having taught us the new Dispensation, the Mystery, the Secrets, all in how Jesus took the Law away and leaves us with only Salvation via Faith; it is the Grace of GOD!
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
In both Romans and Galatians, Apostle Paul makes it abundantly clear that salvation today comes by faith and not by the law. This is Truth in Christ, his Word is Truth, He is Truth!
Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Rom 3:29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
Rom 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.