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Topic 4


Course : 13 The Bible And Science: Why They Are Not In Conflict
Topic : 4 The Days Of Genesis 1: What Do They Represent

Question 1

How Shall We Approach The Issue Of The Meaning Of The Word “Day” In Genesis 1?

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Answer

One of the most basic questions about the biblical account of creation concerns our understanding of the word “day” in the first chapter of the Book of Genesis. Genesis speaks of God creating the heavens and the earth in “six days” and then resting upon the seventh. The question arises as to what the word “day” refers to and how it relates to the age of the earth and universe. In what sense, if any, does Genesis help us determine the age of the earth and the universe?  

Throughout history there have been a number of answers given to this question by Bible-believing scholars. Indeed, this issue continues to be debated by Christians. While everyone agrees that the God of the Bible is the sole Creator of the universe and that the creation is entirely dependent upon Him, there is no agreement on the meaning of the days in Genesis or the time in which He took to accomplish His creative work. Since this is the current state of the discussion it is important that we take time to investigate the various positions which are held by those who believe the Bible to be God’s divinely inspired Word.
 
Before evaluating the most popular responses to this question we will first make some preliminary observations.  
 
1.       This Question Is Not A
 Test Of One’s Faith
 
We must emphasize that one’s view on the meaning of the days in Genesis, or the time involved in creation, should not be made a test of fellowship among Bible-believers. There is certainly room for charity and grace in this discussion.
 
Unfortunately, there are some churches and Christian organizations that have made a particular view regarding the days of creation, and the age of the universe, as a test of membership or leadership. In other words, only those people who hold their particular view of these questions are worthy of membership in the group or have the qualifications to lead.
 
Yet we will not find this “test” in Scripture. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible do we find a person’s view of the age of the earth, or their understanding of the days in Genesis, used as a test of their spirituality or qualifications for leadership. Thus, we must not place our restrictions, restrictions that the Bible does not place, upon people who wish to become involved in Christian work. Let us not elevate this issue to a place beyond where the Bible itself places it.
 
2.       The Central Issue - What Did God Do?
 
If creation of the earth and universe took place longer than six days of twenty-four hours each then the character of God is not maligned. Time certainly does not diminish the miracle of creation. God could have created the universe in six seconds if He wished. The issue is not what God could have done; the issue is what God did do.
 
On the other hand, if the evidence leads us to believe that the six days were twenty-four hours in length, and that God recently created the universe, we should not shy away from that because modern science opts for an old universe. The key is to find out, as best as we can, what the text of Scripture says.
 
3.       The Rise Of Modern Science Caused Changes
 In The Interpretation Of Genesis
 
This brings us to an undeniable fact. For the past one hundred and fifty to two hundred years the understanding of the biblical account of creation account has been shifting due to the changing views of science. Modern science now uniformly says that the universe is ancient. Indeed, no longer is the earth considered to be relatively young. This assumption of the ancient age of the earth is found in every secular textbook. There are no exceptions. Consequently, we have seen a change in interpretations of the Book of Genesis from many Bible-believers to fit the conclusions of modern science.
 
Because of some of the conclusions of modern science, as well as the desire to keep the Bible from contradicting the scientific evidence, some interpreters have sought to place nature on an equal footing with Scripture in determining Bible/science issues. They claim that God has given us two infallible revelations, one in the Bible and one in nature, and these are of equal authority. The “Book of Nature” and the Word of God are both considered to be “Divine Records.” They are put on an equal level, so that one Divine Record is not to be preferred or advanced beyond the other Divine Record. When the latest finds of science and Scripture are seemingly in conflict the usual response is to reinterpret the Bible to fit the latest finds of science.
 
This attitude has obvious dangers. First, it fails to appreciate the difference between Scripture, which is an explanation of God’s plan for humanity, and nature which is a silent testimony to God’s creative hand. Nature tells us about God’s power and majesty, but it does not tell us any specifics about His plan.
 
Furthermore, this idea denies what the Bible says about the inability of fallen humans to accurately comprehend the ‘book of nature’ The Bible speaks of the world as presently being in a fallen condition resulting from the influence of sin. This should make us cautious about any final conclusions from science.
 
Therefore, we should be careful when we attempt to equate Genesis with the latest discoveries of science.  
 
In addition, modern thought about the origin of things is still in its usual state of flux. In fact, there is nothing that can become out-of-date so quickly as an up-to-date scientific explanation of the first chapter of Genesis. Indeed, this narrative has often been ‘harmonized’ with modern scientific theories, only to find that scientists have changed their position, leaving the scientific explanation now out-of-date.  
 
The opinions of modern science may cause us to consider whether we have correctly interpreted the Bible. There is nothing wrong with this. It is possible that we have to do a careful restudy of the passage. However, modern science cannot be allowed to tell us whether or not our understanding of the Bible is true. That understanding must be based on honest interpretation of the Bible alone.  We must adopt the theory on what the text actually teaches; not what theory may be the most convenient or the most current.
 
4.       Scripture Must Be Our Guide
 
This brings us to our main point: any determination of the meaning of the days of Genesis must come from Scripture alone. Indeed, we must first decide if the Scripture gives us a clear answer to this issue. If it does, then we must accept the answer and only then attempt to harmonize it with the findings of science. We are not to begin with science and let it tell us how to interpret Scripture, neither are we to try to make the Bible fit with science. The Bible is God’s explanation of who He is as well as what He has done. Consequently, it is the first place that we should go to discover ultimate answers to our questions.
 
5.       Several Interpretations
 Are Biblically Possible
 
The final point we wish to make cannot be overemphasized. Within Bible-believing Christianity there are several views of the days of Genesis that can be consistent with the evidence as we now have it. This means that no one particular interpretation needs to be accepted as the only interpretation.
 
A Fair Presentation Of
The Facts Is Necessary
 
It is our intent to give a fair and objective presentation of each of the major views on this subject using the best arguments that are put forward. It should also be noted that within each major view there are those who differ in the various details. We will, therefore, attempt to offer only the main points of each view so that they are accurately represented.
 
Each Theory Has Its Strengths
And Weaknesses
 
At the end of each theory, we will bring up difficulties that others have raised. Finally, the strengths and weaknesses of each view will be summarized and the reader can decide what will be the best answer to this controversial question.

Summary To Question 1

One of the most problematic questions in the Bible/science debate concerns the meaning of the word “day” in the first chapter of the Book of Genesis. In fact, there are a number of issues involved in answering this question. These issues must be clearly understood before we can begin going about our quest for answers.  

First, we should not see question as a test of faith. Too often people make this issue more than the Bible makes it out to be. However, it should never be used as a yardstick to determine whether or not someone is an actual Bible-believer or that they have the proper qualifications for church membership or leadership. It is therefore important that we keep this issue in perspective.
 
Second, the real question which we need to answer is what did God do? It is not what can God do? God can do anything He pleases. All agree upon this. We need to know what He did do. 
 
We also must appreciate the fact that interpretations of Genesis have changed since the rise of modern science. Before that time, it was almost universally accepted that the days were literal and that the creation was relatively recent. This is no longer the case. Indeed, in the secular world the idea that the universe is ancient is universally accepted.
 
This brings us to the main point: to answer this question Scripture alone must be our guide. Any conclusion to this issue must be derived from a careful reading of the Bible. It is the final word on this matter as well as every other matter. Thus, we need to discover the intent of Scripture. What is it intending to teach us about the days of Genesis? This is what we need to discover.
 
We should also note that there are several interpretations of meaning of the days of Genesis which are biblically possible. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that we have a fair presentation of the facts and evaluate all legitimate possibilities. This is the only way we can come to the any type of conclusion on this question.