There are proponents within Christianity that believe in a young earth (i.e. the earth was created in days rather than millions of years). This theory creates an irreconcilable conflict between science and religion. There is, however, a lot of middle ground which this teaching will consider (in condensed form). Science is the search for truth and the Bible is the revelation of God’s truth… and these truths are not mutually exclusive (there are not two versions of truth).
For starters, I believe the Bible is God’s Word; it is a spiritual book of God’s truth, it was inspired by the Holy Spirit and communicated to godly men – and was written without error in the original text to reveal God’s nature, God’s plan, and His purpose for man in creation. There are, however, some mistranslation errors.
The young earth theory embraces the idea of “day” as being a literal 24-hour period of time to explain six days of creation plus one day of Divine rest in Genesis. There are, however, five problems with this theory: 1) the words and terms used in Genesis 1:1-2:4 are spiritual (not physical); 2) this story not about creation as the cooling of a molten planet (religion adopted a scientific explanation rather than understanding spiritual realities); 3) “In the beginning, God created” (Gen. 1:1) is the title of this book; 4) God thought things into existence and then He created them: 4a) light existed (Gen. 1:3) before the sun, moon or stars were created (Gen. 1:14-19); 4b) plants existed (Gen. 1:11-13) before they were created (Gen. 2:5); 4c) man existed (Gen. 1:26-28; also Gen. 2:1) before the first man (Adam) was formed (Gen. 2:7); and 5) young earth cannot explain dinosaurs, geology, plate tectonics or ancient cultures beyond 6,000 years. How is this possible to believe all these things happened in six literal 24-hour days? The answer is very simple and profound:
The first chapter in Genesis is not about creation, but rather… the restoration of earth.
The first five words of the Bible tell a story. “In the beginning, God created” (bara) is a brief recap of an earlier creation event of the heavens and the earth by God (prior to Gen. 1:1). This is mentioned to help man understand his place within the context of time within eternity. The verb “created” is singular and means “to fashion anew.” Literally, creation is being fashioned anew from a previous version that was new (from a prior state of existence). John, a New Testament apostle, describes this era that predated creation (John 1:1).
“You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the earth” (Psa. 104:30).
The Spirit was revealed in Genesis 1:2 before God spoke.
First and foremost (issue #4) is the truth we must comprehend: God is thinking all these things into a (new) state of existence. All things material originated from the spiritual – first. Visible matter is governed by invisible substance. All things visible originate from things invisible, and all things invisible originated from the thought of God’s intellect. God thought everything into a state of existence, then He spoke it, and then He created it.
“We have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak” (2 Cor. 4:13).
“By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Heb. 11:3).
Let’s discuss what happened before “the beginning” (Gen. 1:1). After Lucifer’s war of rebellion in Heaven ended in defeat, the Lord cast him to Earth (Ezek. 28:14-18) whereby – Earth’s character was utterly destroyed (rendered void, formless, darkness; Gen. 1:2). “Genesis” actually describes God’s steps to restore Earth (re-creation) following its destruction after Lucifer (Satan, the Devil) was cast here.
“Now – the earth was without form, and void”… for it speaks of a new moment in Earth history.
Then God developed a plan to restore Heaven and Earth, and this plan was implemented in six stages called: “days.” Each of these six days are literal 24-hour days based upon God’s “thoughts” to restore Earth; this process is much like an architect who envisions the construction of a building (makes it in their mind, then creates it with many details on paper, then forms it using building materials). God thought about and envisioned every detail – in six literal days – before He created anything (before He put His plan into effect)! When God said: “Let” such-and-such be created, this must be interpreted as His authorization to proceed: “let it happen” (according to Your Word). God spoke His plan – and in that moment – it existed spiritually – before it manifested physically. God’s kingdom and His plan of restoration – is Word activated.
How old was the Earth at this point? Millions of years old! The Bible is a spiritual document that details a 6,000 year history about God, His Message, His Messenger, the Means and Manner He chooses to act, and the Moment He decides to act and implement this message… through Man. There is one missing element in this story because it is shrouded in Mystery. God’s truth was not hidden from us; God’s truth was hidden for us – to find. Much like parables, the truth contained within some scriptures – are so deep – that only lovers and seekers of truth are able to find and comprehend the message – because these messages are spiritual (1 Cor. 2:14).
Thus, the notion of a “Young Earth” is a religious explanation to understand creation without understanding God’s big picture that culminates in “the regeneration” with a New Earth. The New Earth is NOT a new planet! God does not make a new earth; God does not make all new things – He revives (makes alive again) – and He makes all things new (again)!
“Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful” ” (Rev. 21:5).
God’s plan that includes resurrection followed by regeneration – are the final acts of His plan of restoration – when He makes all things new again. The Greek word ‘paliggenesia’ translated “regeneration” literally means: Genesis Again! After the regeneration, we are all going back to the beginning – to be with the Lord – in Paradise: the Garden of God in Eden.
Our Lord told the repentant thief on the cross next to Him… where we go: Paradise – which is on the New Earth. Religion, however, created a false narrative of going to heaven after we die so we focus on going somewhere other than the place God created for us: EARTH.
God created us to have dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:26-28), and earth is our rightful place and proper domain within His kingdom.
“The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s; But the earth He has given to the children of men” (Psa. 115:16).