For centuries, Christian scholars have debated lofty topics such as Arminianism vs. Calvinism (choice vs. predestination), faith only vs. works, and even one (communion) cup vs. multiple cups. Yet, no other topic within the congregations that I’ve attended over the past five decades has sparked as much controversy and division as “young earth vs. old earth.” I’ve seen this topic drive a wedge between the members of individual congregations. And even if not openly debated, it is often a point of perplexing concern in the minds of many believers.
I introduced the topic of “old vs. young earth” in earlier documents [see Science: Friend or Foe (Parts 1 and 2)] but we’ve generally danced around the issue. “Time” is often the “elephant in the room,” and we must now address the elephant.
This blog will likely be controversial for some. If so, please don’t leave; rather, follow the Noble Bereans’ example and evaluate the Scripture and supplied references. These are not simply my words, but the words of several respected theologians and scientists.
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There are many avenues we could follow to address “time.” Our format will be the “three-legged stool of Truth” concept introduced in our second blog, Science and Creation: What is “Truth?” (Part 1), as follows:
Jesus Christ is Truth (Jn 14:6), the first leg of our stool. Jesus created “all things for Him and through Him” (e.g. Creation; Col 1:16). He certainly understands the concept of a young vs. old earth; however, Jesus is largely silent on the issue, possibly because the other two legs of the stool effectively address it.
Scripture is Truth (John 17:17), the second leg of the stool. We will thoroughly evaluate “time” as expressed in the Old Testament and throughout Church history. The following points will be considered:
- “Time” – as expressed in the ancient Hebrew language
- “Time” – as expressed in Genesis 1, 2
- “Time” – as expressed throughout the Old Testament
- “Time” – historical views and origin of the controversy
Creation is Truth (Romans 1:18-20), the final leg. Our discussion on “time” concludes with Paul’s exhortation to “see God through His Creation” (Rom. 1:18-23). In other words, what does Creation teach us about this topic? We will consider “time” through each of the following aspects of nature:
- “Time” – as expressed in physics
- “Time” – as expressed in earth science
- “Time” – as expressed in astronomy
Since Jesus remains solidly fixed as the first leg of our stool. We begin by evaluating “time” as expressed by Him through Scripture.
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“Time” in Scripture: The Ancient Hebrew Language
The ancient Hebrew language was primitive. The language word count was many times less than our modern English language and included fewer than 10% of the nouns1. Consequently, many Hebrew nouns possess multiple meanings—the correct translation is established by the context of the surrounding verses.
I firmly believe that the ancient Hebrew text is the absolute Word of God and every word is truth. Our Sovereign God had over 3000 years to correct errors or omissions in the text if He desired. However, our translations of the Hebrew text are the works of men. Given the difficulty of translating the text and the complex technical nature of the “old vs. young Earth” criteria, we must carefully assess the accuracy of the translation. And that’s the intent of these next three sections.
“Time” in Scripture: As Expressed in Genesis 1, 2
A simple read-through of Genesis 1 and 2 seems non-controversial. The following passage from Genesis 1:1-5 provides an example:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters (Genesis 1:1,2). … God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. (Genesis 1:5, NASV)
These passages appear straightforward. You may be pondering, What’s the big deal?
The issue involves the last two words of the text in 1:5, “one day.” The word “day” is a translation of the ancient Hebrew word “yom,” which literally means “a period of time.” The same terminology of “evening,” “morning,” and “day” is also used in the concluding sections of days two through six. As noted above, the interpretation must be determined by the context of the passage. In Genesis 1 and 2 (and throughout the Old Testament) the word yom is translated with three different meanings2,3:
- Sunrise to sunset (12 hours) – “Day”
- Sunrise to sunrise (actually, from midnight to midnight, 24 hours) – “Day”
- Indefinite periods of time exceeding one day (discussed in Part 2)
An example of the challenges in translation is provided above in Genesis 1:5. Notice that two different meanings of “day” are used in this same verse:
- “God called the light day (yom; 12-hour period)”
“…there was evening and there was morning, one day (yom; 24-hour period)”
The context of Genesis 1:5 (and throughout Genesis 1) that is used to interpret “one day… second day… third day, etc.” are the terms “evening” and “morning,” from the Hebrew terms “ereb” and “boqer,” respectively. These Hebrew words are often translated as “sunset” and “sunrise,” respectively, but even these words have multiple meanings. Consequently, Genesis 1:5 could be translated as:
And there was evening and there was morning, one day (NASV); or
Evening and Morning
Multiple interpretations also exist for the Hebrew terms “ereb’” and boqer:
Ereb’ – sunset, night, ending, (chaos – from Hebrew root word)
Boqer – sunrise, coming of light, break of day, dawning, beginning, (order – from Hebrew root word)
And there was an ending and there was a beginning of one period of time.
Another insight on “evening and morning” was provided by Dr. Gary Black4 (personal communication). When asked his opinion on the meaning of these words (ereb’ and boqer)—whether, for example, boqer represents a literal morning, or the beginning of a period of time, he responded, “To the ancient Hebrew, boqer portrayed more than a simple sunrise as we imagine in our Western mindset. Rather, boqer portrayed a complex process—the sky lightens, the birds chirp, night-dwelling creatures return to their burrows, and a slight breeze begins to blow. The term represents an unfolding process leading into a complex “day” of creation (paraphrased by JRC).”
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We will continue our discussion of “Time . . . Truth in Scripture” in the next section of this blog (Part 2). Other examples will be provided in which yom depicts long periods of time.
In summary, the intent of this section is not to resolve the meaning of the term yom in Genesis 1—there have been years of debate and discussion on the topic. Our intent is simply to inform each reader that there are two possible interpretations. Hopefully, these definitions and examples of yom in Genesis 1 and 2 have provided a partial explanation for the confusion and debate that has reigned within the Church for decades.
1Ross, Hugh (2001); The Genesis Question (2nd Edition), Navpress, 237 pp.
2R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, and Bruce K. Waltke (1980), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, vol. 1 (Chicago: Moody), pp30-371.
3William Wilson, Old Testament Word Studies (1978; Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications) p. 109
4Black, Gary (2016); Professor of Theology, Azusa Pacific University; (ancient Hebrew scholar)