How long ago do you believe God formed the earth? Six thousand years ago? Twenty thousand?Millions? Billions? Do you believe science when it says that it was created billions of years ago? Do you think that is false because you believe that the Bible tells you that it is only six thousand years ago? Sadly, many Christians today either try to ignore the biblical account of how the world was created, passing it off as just a story, or they ignorantly state that science is wrong.
Let’s set the record straight! Science tells us that the earth is billions of years old. There are countless rocks and fossils to back this up. Christians have the bible, and the Bible states in Genesis 1 that the world was created in six days, and that on the seventh God rested. Whom do you believe? Would you believe that science is only just now proving what the Bible has said all along?
The truth is, the science backs up what Bible says, and the Bible backs up what science says… the earth IS billions of years old.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Period. There isn’t a time frame affixed to that statement.
Genesis 1:2. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
“Was”? Why is the word, “was,” here? The word in the Hebrew is H3445–hayah, in the Strong’s, and should be translated as became. Look it up for yourself. It should read, “…[T]he earth became without form, and void…” Why did it become that way? Because, God created the earth perfectly, and it was perfect until Satan had a war in heaven with God. Most people know that there was a war in Heaven, and that Satan fell. When do you think this happened? The war between the angels wasn’t in the Garden of Eden. So then, when? It was before God’s recreation of the earth. How do you explain buttercups, fresh plant life, in the belly of a woolly mammoth that has been frozen solid? Buttercups do not grow in such cold temperatures, and science cannot explain how a gigantic animal, like the woolly mammoth, can freeze instantly. Surely the earth’s plates didn’t suddenly slide to the north pole in a matter of minutes. Nature doesn’t work that way.
As a second proof, lets look in Isaiah 45:18:
Isaiah 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I [am] the LORD; and [there is] none else.
He created it not in vain. The word, “vain,” here is the same word (in the Hebrew) as the word, “void,” used in Genesis 1:2. The word is H922 in the Strong’s Concordance, “bohuw (bo’-hoo) from an unused root (meaning to be empty); a vacuity, i.e. (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin:–emptiness, void.” So let’s have a look.
God says in Isaiah that He did not create the earth empty, but in Genesis it states that the earth was void or empty. Is the bible contradicting itself? No, because if you understand that Genesis 1:2 states, “And the earth became without form, and void…” then there isn’t a contradiction. The earth was no longer perfect because of the rebellion of Satan and his followers. God gave our souls a second chance, and He recreated the world that is talked about in Genesis 1:1. God didn’t create the world void and decide to fill the earth; it became void and God recreated it.
The translators of the King James Bible did the best they could, but by their own admission they were not perfect. Those of you interested in reading the letter they put in their original version, warning you of this, can sign up or our newsletter and we will send it to you.
2nd Peter 3:5-6 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
I strongly encourage you to read this whole chapter, but for the purposes of this article, let’s just look at these two verses. Most people, when they read these verses, pass it off as a discussion of Noah’s flood. This word, “perished,” leaves no room for Noah and his family to be floating around on a boat with a bunch of animals. It’s not talking about the Noah story, Peter is talking about Genesis 1:2, “…[T]he Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” The world that was there at that time became void–overflowed with water and it perished.
Jeremiah 4:22-27 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
As we see here, in the above verses of Jeremiah 4, in this particular flood, no man was left. Noah was a man (person), and so were the other seven family members with him, but in Noah’s flood, those eight people remained in the area of the flood, which we will discuss in future articles how the Bible actually says it was not covering the entire globe. In this flood, the birds had fled, which means that there were already birds, in this prior time, just as we learn about in biological history. There were plants and even cities full of God’s sottish children here on earth.
I would also like to point out that this is why, after Noah’s flood, God said He would never again send a flood of water to destroy the land. He had already sent flood waters twice to destroy the wicked people on earth.
Genesis 9:11 And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
So, why do some Christians challenge the scientists by proclaiming that the earth isn’t billions of years old? Do they forget what Peter said in 2nd Peter Chapter 3:7?
2nd Peter 3:7-8 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
Now why would Peter bring up now a thousand years as one day here? Because, he is thinking of Genesis 1 not Genesis 6. Why would he put such emphasis on it saying, “…[B]e not ignorant of this one thing…”? Because the ignorance of this fact turns people away from God on a daily basis. People, often, will not believe in a God that doesn’t make logical sense to them.
I will close with this food for thought:
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Why would God tell man to replenish the earth if it had never been full? You do not tell someone to refill something unless it had once before been filled.
The earth is billions of years old. God recreated it in Genesis, and He recreated our world that we now know for our flesh bodies after the war in Heaven.
For more study on the topic I encourage you to read the great work done by E.W. Billinger, for which I have provided this link.
For further reading, check out the First Earth Age.
