Re: Do YECs accept "ordinary days"?
Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2015 10:40 am
All creation account theories are theories. The Gap was long held in vogue. Clarence Larken chartered it out during its heyday of acceptance. Then there is the YEC and OEC theories.abelcainsbrother wrote:...Thanks for the explanation. I shall consider it but I have never thought of it this way. I've never thought Genesis chapter 2 tells us what all happened in the 6th day. I've always thought it just explains a little more about God creating Adam and Eve and then placing them in the garden of Eden,it seems speculative to know how long it took God to place Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. I guess it could have been right after however it does not say,it could have been after the 6th day. Plus we have the "and the evening and the morning"problem also.
Now when I think about science and the Big Bang Theory the bible seems to describe not only the Big Bang but both the 1st and 2nd laws of Thermodynamics too, still for some reason when I read Genesis I'm not sure how it would fit into it, but I like Hugh Ross and highly respect his knowledge of science and I loved it when he defeated atheist scientist Victor Stingor in the debate they had.Hugh Ross had Stingor bringing up unsubstantiated scientific ideas trying to make it substantiated science. I really believe had Hugh Ross came to the Lord with the Gap Theory?
The theory of Evolution would have been defeated long ago and Hugh Ross rejects evolution too. I wonder if some knowledgable Gap Theorists could change Hugh Ross's mind to accept the Gap Theory? I doubt it. There were some Gap Theorists joking about several of them going to Ross to try to convince him to change his mind,but I said I doubt it would change his mind,but its worth a try.
The main point of the Creation account is that God created, period. With that we can all agree.
Like Rick pointed out, in ancient Hebrew, Yom, was used to denote time several ways. God created during His creation Day time frame, not ours. His ways are not our ways and his time is not our time. God acts in our time as well as outside of it. God is timeless, eternal. Since he is, his sense of time contains that part of himself.
It was not until the 4th Creation day that there was ever a 24 hour earth day created. Our time is not his. We cannot demand that he adhere to our timetable as he knows when best to act and answer our prayers.
Why do we demand that God must be YEC or else? I don't know?
After looking into his these many years as a Christian, first a YEC, then thought of GAP, then after careful study of the Hebrew text in Genesis and grammar, word, meanings and symbols, and logic I am OEC for the fact that it does not matter how old or young the earth is, just that God made it all, and in that, I am content.
What caught my attention to OEC on a progression scale was coming to understand how the Hebrew's thought through a problem to solve it. They allowed free flowing exchange of ideas and from these one found truth. One reason for my own OEC position is that God's time is not ours. No one can measure his days. The idiom expression, one day to God is as a thousand years and a thousandth year is as one day, gives clue to this found in 2 Pet 3:8.
Add to this that His creation Days are not the same time duration is found during the 4th day of creation when earth time was clearly established. God's narrative of creation uses his time zone, not ours. Another thing that struck me is the use of backtracking in ancient text writers employed. Gen 2:4 shows this clearly.
Gen chapter one makes it clear it was on God's sixth day of creation he made human beings and ends in Gen 1:31 declaring all was good by the end of the sixth day, so good in fact God rested on the seventh creation era. Chapter two backtracks and then adds more details on the Sixth creation day era of time giving details. No other time could Genesis chapter two happen especially if it it was really a 24 hour day.
If this was merely a 24 hour earth day, then a lot happened. Way too much to be possible. If it is the case of a earth day period of 24 hours, then Adam and Eve lost paradise within a 48 hour period. That is a pretty hectic schedule. Now if God's creation days are based on his own eternal time, then His 6th creation day lasted many-many earth 24 hour periods, long enough for Adam and Eve to carry out the task of the Garden God had them do. Then God declares it is good and moves into His own next creation day - a day of rest.
During that day, it is picked up in Genesis chapter 3. Adam and Eve were not working. Must have been resting when the serpent came and they fell away from God and removed from Eden. The earth day seventh day commentates our resting in God, his word, his provision, and our falling away from this, and our regaining entering his rest through what Jesus Christ did for us by Grace.
In all appearances, we are still living in God's seventh day Rest period so we can honor it by taking one day out of the week to recall what happened and how our reconciliation. This day is not Saturday or one particular solar calendar day but rather under the grace of the NT it is any day we deem to take.
OEC progression allows for God to be God, the GAP as well does so too to act in any manner for however long he wants his creation days to be. How long they are is only known to him and in that, I am content and humbled.
The logic of the ancient Hebrew language does not suggest God's creation's days are equal to a 24 hour earth day. God's evening, morning, and sundown is quite different than our earth day. God lives in Heaven's dimension and time, not ours.
I recall how a Messianic Jewish Rabbi once asked me, "You think Adam lived 930 years total or would that rather be after the fall. After all God did say, in the day you eat - you will die/die!"
I think that one comment turned me to realize OEC is at least humble enough to say, "God, however long or short your creations days were does not matter - only you do - You created it all, amen."
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