When is the Third Day literally the Third Day?
Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 1:41 am
When is the third day literally the third day? Progressive creationism states that the third day was the point in God's creative process when the waters began to separate forming the clouds, oceans, and a translucent atmosphere. Regardless those that adhere to the progressive stance state that the third day in the Genesis creation account is not actually the third literal 24 hour day. This point appears to be further supported and reemphasized when one looks at the new creation account given in the Gospel of John.
The first several chapters of John are a midrash on the creation account and give a deeper insight into it's understanding. Some of the more obvious parallels between these two accounts are the greater light and the lesser light. The Genesis account states that God made two lights, “God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night.” The greater light refers to the sun and the lesser light refers to the moon. The Gospel of John alludes to there being two great lights. The lesser light being John The Baptist, “There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.” And there is the greater light being Jesus Christ, “There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.” We know that the moon has no light of it's own, but only reflects the true source of light being the sun. So John the Baptist, the lesser light, having no light of his own, reflects the true Light that is Jesus Christ. Side note: This is a great defense against those that claim the bible ignorant of basic scientific principles. The argument is that the bible states in several places that “the moon will not give it's light”, scripture being ignorant of the fact that the moon does not generate any light of it's own. Maybe the writers of the bible were ignorant of this fact, but it is clear from the book of John that God understands this basic principle.
Progressive Creationism adheres to the fact that the third day is not literally the third day in the Genesis account, but what of the book of John and what does it state regarding the third day. The first day of John's gospel, being a midrash narrative of the creation, seems to begin with John 1:19 “This is the testimony of John”. Further along in the chapter we find day two, though it is only stated as the next day, John 1:29 “the next day he saw Jesus coming to him.” The third day can be found in John 1:35 “Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples.” And then concluding with John 1:43, which would bring us to the fourth day “The next day He purposed to go into Galilee.” But then we come to the beginning of chapter two, which is already five days into the new creation account. And what we find is not the next day or the fifth day, but the third day, “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee.” So what did God do on the third day of the Genesis account, He performed a miracle with water. Likewise Jesus, in the new creation account, performs a miracle with water John 2:7-9 “Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." So they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter." So they took it to him. When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine...”
It is clear that John, using midrash to help illuminate the creation accounts, does not take the third day as being literally the third day in his gospel. There is also the issue of John skipping the whole forty days of Christ's wanderings after Jesus was baptized. It gives me reason to ponder then if God is showing us that in either creation account that the third day is not really the third day. It seems that the only third day that is actually the third day is when Christ was resurrected literally.
The first several chapters of John are a midrash on the creation account and give a deeper insight into it's understanding. Some of the more obvious parallels between these two accounts are the greater light and the lesser light. The Genesis account states that God made two lights, “God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night.” The greater light refers to the sun and the lesser light refers to the moon. The Gospel of John alludes to there being two great lights. The lesser light being John The Baptist, “There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.” And there is the greater light being Jesus Christ, “There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.” We know that the moon has no light of it's own, but only reflects the true source of light being the sun. So John the Baptist, the lesser light, having no light of his own, reflects the true Light that is Jesus Christ. Side note: This is a great defense against those that claim the bible ignorant of basic scientific principles. The argument is that the bible states in several places that “the moon will not give it's light”, scripture being ignorant of the fact that the moon does not generate any light of it's own. Maybe the writers of the bible were ignorant of this fact, but it is clear from the book of John that God understands this basic principle.
Progressive Creationism adheres to the fact that the third day is not literally the third day in the Genesis account, but what of the book of John and what does it state regarding the third day. The first day of John's gospel, being a midrash narrative of the creation, seems to begin with John 1:19 “This is the testimony of John”. Further along in the chapter we find day two, though it is only stated as the next day, John 1:29 “the next day he saw Jesus coming to him.” The third day can be found in John 1:35 “Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples.” And then concluding with John 1:43, which would bring us to the fourth day “The next day He purposed to go into Galilee.” But then we come to the beginning of chapter two, which is already five days into the new creation account. And what we find is not the next day or the fifth day, but the third day, “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee.” So what did God do on the third day of the Genesis account, He performed a miracle with water. Likewise Jesus, in the new creation account, performs a miracle with water John 2:7-9 “Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." So they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter." So they took it to him. When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine...”
It is clear that John, using midrash to help illuminate the creation accounts, does not take the third day as being literally the third day in his gospel. There is also the issue of John skipping the whole forty days of Christ's wanderings after Jesus was baptized. It gives me reason to ponder then if God is showing us that in either creation account that the third day is not really the third day. It seems that the only third day that is actually the third day is when Christ was resurrected literally.
