"THE CASE FOR CREATION"

The Days Of Creation

INTRODUCTION
  1. In this study, we are have briefly considered...
    1. The Biblical Case For Creation
    2. The Philosophical Case For Creation
    3. The Scientific Case For Creation
    4. The Historical Case For Creation
  2. In the remaining lessons, we shall address issues related to both creation and evolution...
    1. The days of creation in Genesis 1 and 2
    2. Difficulties with the theory of evolution

[Some believe creationism and evolution theory can be reconciled by how one defines the word "day" as used in Genesis chapter one. Well, let's take a look at...]

  1. THE DAYS OF CREATION (DEFINITION)
    1. THE HEBREW WORD "YOM"...
      1. A noun meaning day, time, year
      2. It is used to describe:
        1. The period of light (as contrasted with the period of darkness) - Gen 1:5; 1Ki 19:4
        2. The period of twenty-four hours - Deut 16:8; 2Ki 25:30
        3. A generic span of time - Gen 26:8; Num 20:15
        4. A given point of time - Gen 2:17; 47:26
        5. In the plural, a year - Lev 25:29; 1Sa 27:7
        -- The Complete WordStudy Dictionary
    2. "YOM" IN GENESIS 1 AND 2...
      1. The daylight hours from sunrise to sunset - Gen 1:5,14,18 ("the day")
      2. A literal 24 hour cycle - Gen 1:14 ("for days")
      3. A generic span of time - Gen 2:4 ("in the day...")
      -- Moses used the word "yom" at least three different ways

    [Because yom can be diverse in its meaning, there are at least four views as to the days of creation...]

  2. THE DAYS OF CREATION (FOUR VIEWS)
    1. YOUNG EARTH CREATIONISM...
      1. God created all things (heavens and earth) in six 24-hour days - Gen 1:3-2:2; Exo 20:11
      2. The earth is thousands rather than billions of years old
      3. Proponents of this view include:
        1. Henry M. Morris, Duane Gish (Institute For Creation Research)
        2. Ken Ham (Answers In Genesis)
        3. The Creation Research Society
        -- This is the most literal view of the Genesis account
    2. GAP CREATIONISM...
      1. There was a gap of time between the 1st and 2nd verses of Genesis - Gen 1:1-2
      2. There was a pre-Adamic world, which experienced a cataclysmic judgment, leaving the planet in a chaotic state - Gen 1:2
      3. From which God then re-created the world in six literal 24 hour days - Gen 1:2-3
      4. This view attempts to reconcile the apparent age of the earth, the literal days of creation, plus the origin of Satan and evil before the Fall of man
      5. Proponents of this view include:
        1. C. I. Scofield, Harry Rimmer, Arthur Pink, Donald Grey Barnhouse
        2. David Reagan (Learn The Bible), Gaines R. Johnson (Christian Geology Ministry)
        -- This view was once very popular, not so much today
    3. PROGRESSIVE CREATIONISM...
      1. Each "day" is a long period of geological time - cf. "day" in Gen 2:3
      2. God created new forms of life gradually, over a period of hundreds of millions of years
      3. This view generally rejects macro-evolution, believing it to be biologically untenable and not supported by the fossil record
      4. Proponents of this view include:
        1. Bernard Ramm, and many members of American Scientific Affiliation
        2. Hugh Ross (Reasons To Believe)
        3. Answers In Creation
        4. God And Science
        5. John Clayton (Does God Exist?)
        -- This view has become more popular in recent times
    4. LITERARY FRAMEWORK THEORY...
      1. Genesis 1-2 is not a literal or scientific description of the origin of the universe
      2. Rather, an ancient religious text which outlines a theology of creation
      3. The seven day "framework" is therefore not meant to be chronological but a literary or symbolic structure designed to reinforce the purposefulness of God in creation and the Sabbath commandment - Wikipedia, Framework Interpretation (Genesis)
      4. Proponents of this view include:
        1. Many theistic evolutionists and some Progressive Creationists (sample)
        2. The Catholic Church is also supportive of this view (sample)
        -- This view considers the Genesis account completely symbolic or figurative
CONCLUSION
  1. Each of these views has been held by people who...
    1. Believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God
    2. Believe that God is the Creator of all things
  2. Some may have been persuaded to a particular view...
    1. By what they believe to be overwhelming scientific evidence
    2. Without considering the case for six literal 24 hour days

In our next study, we shall consider "The Case For Six Literal 24 Hour Days"...