Creation
by Pastor Paul M. Sadler
“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.”
— Genesis 1:3-5
I am a creationist. I personally believe that God created all things in
heaven and earth in six literal 24-hour days. A proper understanding of
creation is essential, since it is the foundation upon which all the
doctrines of God rest. Sadly, some in Christendom have sought to erect an
elaborate system known as the day-age theory to accommodate the geologic
timetable of billions of years. But does this position pass the Berean
test?
Those who subscribe to the day-age theory believe that the Hebrew word
“day” (yom) can refer to a 24-hour day or a long period of
time. This is true! For example, the day of the Lord is an extended period
of time which covers well over one thousand years. Consequently, the
context must always be consulted to ascertain the duration of time under
consideration. Of course, those who defend this position teach that the
days of the Genesis record quite literally cover millions and millions of
years, which conveniently accommodates evolution.
Interestingly, when the Hebrew word yom is used with a number, it always
refers to a 24-hour day, without exception. In regard to the Passover God
instructed Moses, “Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the
first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth
leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be
cut off from Israel” (Ex. 12:15).
Would we conclude otherwise that the “first day” here is
anything other than a normal day? Furthermore, when perimeters are set on
the term yom, such as “the evening and the morning,” as found
in Genesis 1:4, this limits the day to 24 hours.
But perhaps the most conclusive evidence that each day was 24 hours is
found in Exodus 20:11: “For in six days the LORD made heaven and
earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day:
wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Here
Moses uses the term yamin, the Hebrew plural for “days,” which
exclusively speaks of 24-hour cycles.
If the Holy Spirit had intended to convey that the days of creation were
“eras,” He would have used the used the Hebrew olam, which is
defined as “indefinite time.” We accept by faith that God is
sovereign and all-powerful; therefore, it was a small matter for Him to
speak all things into existence in six days (Psa. 33:6-9).
(A 10 Minute Video)
(A 10 Minute Video)
E-mail this BIBLE STUDY
to all your friends
No comments:
Post a Comment