In the Day They Were Created

Sure some have seen this explanation before. But also sure others have not.

The Bible says that everything was created in one day.

Genesis 2:4 the American Standard Version states:

"These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Jehovah God made earth and heaven."

The King James Version says:

"These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens."

Day from the translated text in Hebrew is yohm.

Now this is to open the eyes of both those who don't beleive the Genesis account, and those fundamentalists, which are a very fringe minority, that believe the creative days in Genesis were literal 24 hours.

Obviously the fundamentalist would have to agree that if they were created in 6 24 hour periods, this goes against what Genesis 2:4 states, that it was 1 day.

Those who discredit Creationism have to admit that the word used in Genesis 2:4 is obviously referring to a period of unspecified amount of time.

We should get another misnomer out of the way. Creationism is the belief that the Genesis account states that God created the entire universe and everything on earth in 6 literal 24 hours. This is not taught in the Bible, and most Christians don't believe it.

I see that many who discredit the Bible cannot see this very easy distinguish between reasonable understanding of Scripture, and just plain fundamental falsehood. Sorry to the fundamentalists, I am not trying to offend you. Nor am I trying to offend those who discredit the Genesis account because they believe, many anyway, that the fundamentalist interpretation is the only way to view the Bible.

Let me let you in on something...the very first verse of the entire Bible explains the creation of the universe this way:

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."-Genesis 1:1.

Now this is a simple sound statement of fact. Very tiny but powerful is before the 6 creative days that follow.

It is also scientifically sound. There is good science to conclude that the universe had a beginning. Scientists call this beginning the "Big Bang." Because of the red shift of supernova explosions, scientists can determine that the universe is expanding from a certain point it began. There is a lot of science we can go into behind this but that would take up so much space.

Does the Bible tell us how old the universe is? No. It does not. Does it break with scientific fact? Again, no it does not. It merely makes a simple statement about the creation of the universe being in the beginning. If that was 13.8 billion years ago, as astrophysicist theorize who knows. It doesn't state it, and it doesn't matter.

Here, Ima let you in on another simple fact about the Genesis account. The creative days were not referring to the creation of the entire universe. Please let that sink in. Then what were they talking about? Simply, the preparation of an already existing earth for human habitation. That is it.


Go back and reread the simple statement in Genesis 2:4. Notice that generations past during this day God created heaven and earth. Does anyone really believe that a generation, nay, generations are 6 literal 24 hours of time?

Simply put, the creative days were long periods of unspecified time. And it would be pointless to try to arbitrarily assign a specific amount, if it was 1,000 years, because some scriptures state that a day to God is like 1,000 years to a human. Or 7,000 a creative day, or whatever. No one knows, the Bible doesn't reveal it.

Genesis 1:1, the statement that God created, in the beginning the heaven and earth, indicates that the 6 following days are not referring to the already existing heaven and earth.

Let us see how the Genesis account agrees with science by going through the days and seeing what they refer to:

Day One

In the Genesis account we are shown that the earth is entirely covered with water at this point in history. It is obviously engulfed in a thick atmosphere, think of some of the other planets in our solar system, perhaps like Venus, the sister planet. The account states that there was darkness on the watery deep. The watery deep is of course this earth-wide Ocean. There is no landmass.

So we have the picture of an earth entirely engulfed with water with no land, and a thick atmosphere preventing light from the sun to penetrate down to the earth's surface:

"Now the earth was formless and desolate, and there was darkness upon the surface of the watery deep, and God’s active force was moving about over the surface of the waters.

 And God said: “Let there be light.” Then there was light.  After that God saw that the light was good, and God began to divide the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, but the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, a first day."
-Genesis 2:1-5.

To those that may be trying to understand this easy concept, again let us rehash. The universe, including the solar system, the sun, and the earth already were in existence when Day 1 started. Day 1 shows us that the earth is one big Ocean of water with a thick atmosphere.

On day 1 God had his "active force" or holy spirit moving to and fro over the waters, and said there should be light on the surface of the earth. So enough of the atmosphere was cleared that light from the already existing sun reached the earths surface. Although the atmosphere at this point was still too thick for the sun or the stars or the moon to be seen. Light has reached through the thick atmosphere to the Ocean's surface.

End day 1.

Day 2

During this creative day, or long period of unspecified time, God said there should be an expanse, or a firmament as some translations say. During this creative day God puts an expanse of water above the firmament, and leaves the water in the Oceans below the firmament. We can call the firmament the heaven, or sky. In the Bible you should know that heaven can mean several things. It can mean the sky. It can mean the universe. And it can also refer to the spirit realm where God resides:

"Then God said: “Let there be an expanse between the waters, and let there be a division between the waters and the waters.”  Then God went on to make the expanse and divided the waters beneath the expanse from the waters above the expanse. And it was so.  God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day."
-Genesis 1:6-8.

Day 3

Now on this day dry land appears. God continues to use his active force to do this. But there is something of note, he is telling someone to do this. The Bible tells us that Jesus was God's first creation, and that God used Jesus in creating all other things both visible and invisible. And other spirit angels were already in existence. So no doubt these used God's holy spirit to do what they were told. Jesus getting the majority of the credit as God directs the creation.



Well that was fast, I ran out of room. Please wait I'll be finishing up the OP in the next post.

So we were at Day 3:

Then God said: “Let the waters under the heavens be collected together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, but the collecting of the waters, he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said: “Let the earth cause grass to sprout, seed-bearing plants and fruit trees according to their kinds, yielding fruit along with seed on the earth.” And it was so. 12 And the earth began to produce grass, seed-bearing plants and trees yielding fruit along with seed, according to their kinds. Then God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day."
-Genesis 1:9-13.

If you notice the earth's atmosphere is still too thick for the sun to be seen. But the waters have now been gathered together so that there is a clear distinction between the waters above the sky and the Ocean. And also dry land has been placed. On the dry land grass is created, and seed-bearing plants and fruit trees according to their kind.

So while the sun was still not visible directly on earth's surface, photosynthesis no doubt was already taking place, meaning enough light from the sun was penetrating to the earth's surface.

Also notice that it is God who names the dry land earth. In Hebrew this is ʼeʹrets.


Day 4

Now on this day God has his angelic hosts, with Jesus no doubt giving the commands given from God, cleared the expanse up even more. So at this point the sun became visible on the earth's surface. Now this is where many can become confused when they look at it the wrong way. They look at it as if God just created the sun on this day. That is not what this is referring to. Simply it is giving the writer from the vantage point of the earth the idea of what took place.

The sun and the moon and the stars became visible on the earth's surface during day four. And God made a division between day and night:

"Then God said: “Let there be luminaries in the expanse of the heavens to make a division between the day and the night, and they will serve as signs for seasons and for days and years.  They will serve as luminaries in the expanse of the heavens to shine upon the earth.” And it was so.  And God went on to make the two great luminaries, the greater luminary for dominating the day and the lesser luminary for dominating the night, and also the stars.  Thus God put them in the expanse of the heavens to shine upon the earth  and to dominate by day and by night and to make a division between the light and the darkness. Then God saw that it was good.  And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day."
-Genesis 1:14-19.

So we have gone so far from day 1 while earth was already existing with the rest of the universe, as a planet of all water and a thick atmosphere, to a division of water in the sky and the Ocean, and then the appearance of dry land, and grass and trees. And finally an atmosphere clear enough that the Sun, moon, and stars are visible to an observer standing on the earth and looking skyward. They will serve as time pieces for humankind, and will serve as day and night as the earth revolves on its axsis (which is a 23.4 degree tilt which has great significance, as this makes seasons possible).

Day 5

Now on this day God says that the Oceans should be filled with living creatures, and that the sky should be filled with flying creatures. Pretty simple:

"Then God said: “Let the waters swarm with living creatures, and let flying creatures fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.”  And God created the great sea creatures and all living creatures that move and swarm in the waters according to their kinds and every winged flying creature according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.  With that God blessed them, saying: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the waters of the sea, and let the flying creatures become many in the earth.”  And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day."
-Genesis 1:20-23.

Day 6

The last of the creative days. God has land animals created. Both wild and domestic. It is during this period that dinosaurs appeared on the world scene and eventually disappeared.

"Then God said: “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds, domestic animals and creeping animals and wild animals of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so.  And God went on to make the wild animals of the earth according to their kinds and the domestic animals according to their kinds and all the creeping animals of the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good."
-Genesis 1:24, 25.


Also during this day God finally had a paradise created, no doubt put into place by Jesus and the angels, maybe even the angel who later became the wicked angel Satan was involved with this, he had a paradise placed somewhere in the middle-east, and there he told Jesus, and perhaps the other angelic creatures ": “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness."

' Then God said: “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and the domestic animals and all the earth and every creeping animal that is moving on the earth.”  And God went on to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.  Further, God blessed them, and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many, fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving on the earth.”
-Genesis 1:26-28.

Looking at the fossil record the events in the Genesis account are accurate. There are also not gradual changes, but rather giant leaps, as these kinds of creatures suddenly appear in the fossil record exactly as God had it recorded in the Bible for us in the Genesis account. And at least the first human couple, Adam and Eve were created. They were blessed and were given dominion over the earth and over the animals to take care of it, and them, and were told to be fruitful and to fill the earth with the paradise and with humans.

The Bible indicates that we are still in the 7th day of God's resting from his creative works on earth. So obviously the other days were a lot longer than 24 hours!

"So there remains a sabbath-rest for the people of God.  For the man who has entered into God’s rest has also rested from his own works, just as God did from his own."-Hebrews 4:9, 10.

This post can be deleted.

originally posted by: Eyestosee
The Bible says that everything was created in one day.

actually it says everything was created in 6 days, and on the 7th day god rested.

originally posted by: Vector99

originally posted by: Eyestosee
The Bible says that everything was created in one day.

actually it says everything was created in 6 days, and on the 7th day god rested.

Since you could not get past the first line of the OP, I would recommend you return and read the second line where the statement is explained.

a reply to: Eyestosee

In the beginning...... GOd created the heavens......... and the earth
TIME.........................SPACE...........................MATTER

I happen to believe that if God is capable of creating the universe. It
only makes sense that he is capable of getting us a message that
informs us with 100% accuracy. Who are we or who are you to
marginalize how long it would take him? What's the big deal if
the gentleman who built all of this say's he did it in one day?
I damn sure wouldn't doubt him.

It’s quite possible and why I don’t discount evolution or christians who do
Again, nothing is really defined in the bible, open to interpretation

a reply to: Raggedyman

Why would the Bible tell us what a day is and in the same chapter
use the word day to describe something else?

originally posted by: carsforkids
a reply to: Raggedyman

Why would the Bible tell us what a day is and in the same chapter
use the word day to describe something else?

The point is simple. And the use in English is similar. "Back in my day," "back in the day," "back in my mom's day," etc. We are referring to a period of time. That is all that the word here is referring to. The fact that Genesis 2:4 states that heaven and earth in all their generations were created during their day helps you to see this fact. The word is not being used as a literal 24 hour period of time. Rather it can encompass the day heaven and earth were created, or the creative periods unspecified time God created life.


You are right that God could have given the exact time periods for everything. But he didn't have to and he didn't. And it doesn't really matter.

originally posted by: Raggedyman
It’s quite possible and why I don’t discount evolution or christians who do
Again, nothing is really defined in the bible, open to interpretation

The Genesis account does not allow for evolution. It clearly states that God created each creature according to its kind. While this does leave room for variation in a kind. Think dogs for example. It does not allow room for evolution into a new "kind" or a different species.

originally posted by: Eyestosee

originally posted by: Vector99

originally posted by: Eyestosee
The Bible says that everything was created in one day.

actually it says everything was created in 6 days, and on the 7th day god rested.

Since you could not get past the first line of the OP, I would recommend you return and read the second line where the statement is explained.

I've read the bible, actually a couple versions of it.

6 days and on the 7th rested.

I also read the god of the old testament was vindictive and spiteful, he aparantly killed most humans with a vengeful spite by creating a flood.

You really want to talk about a moody god that kills off people en masse due to a temper tantrum?

And you worship that god?

a reply to: Eyestosee

. And it doesn't really matter.

Tell me why would it not matter? I think it matters a great deal!
If In the very beginning of Gods word he tells us what a day is and
immediately uses the same word day to describe an amount of time
it took him as a day? When it really took him whatever you suggest?
Open to interpretation? I hate to burst little bubble here but you are
wrong.

a reply to: Vector99

I also read the god of the old testament was vindictive and spiteful, he aparantly killed most humans with a vengeful spite by creating a flood.

Why even start with this crap? You wanna make a thread on Gods morality?
Feel free but do you have to create thread drift here?

originally posted by: carsforkids
a reply to: Eyestosee

. And it doesn't really matter.

Tell me why would it not matter? I think it matters a great deal!
If In the very beginning of Gods word he tells us what a day is and
immediately uses the same word day to describe an amount of time
it took him as a day? When it really took him whatever you suggest?
Open to interpretation? I hate to burst little bubble here but you are
wrong.

It's okay. I'm not offended. But you are not reasoning on this logically. The word day can refer to an unspecified period of time, in Hebrew. There are many other places in the Bible that a day is referred to that is a lot longer than one literal day. This is neither difficult to understand nor wrong. It is accurate.

To answer your question as to why it doesn't matter. Because if it did matter God would have seen fit to record it in minute detail. The Bible in a record of man's creation and fall, God's purpose to bring mankind back to perfection by means of salvation through the offspring of the woman foretold in Genesis 3:15.

The Bible neither needs to be a scientific textbook, nor is it. But when it does touch on scientific subjects it is always accurate.

If God really cared, he would've been more specific. But no, His scriptural vaguery betrays his need for conflict. God loves war. Jesus suggested a change to that doctrine. He was quickly dealt with. Don't listen to my Goyimspeak. I wasn't lucky enough to be born as one of God's chosen people. Oh well

originally posted by: Starhooker
If God really cared, he would've been more specific.

The fact that he has the record recorded and saved for us the future generations shows that he does care. If he wanted to be specific about everything the Bible would be many times the size it is. Now that would be a sign of not caring. Especially since it has to be translated into so many languages, and can take a while to read and understand. Why bog it down with his unfathomable understanding of everything.

He is simple enough to get what he needs to across. And it takes the entire Bible to do it, which is already a pretty big book.

Genesis in no way says in any detail how God created anything. It says god created things. How do you know how someone so powerful made things. Nothing there denies the creation of evolution.

Science explains how things come to be. Science does not say what caused them to come to be.

Two sides of the same coin?

a reply to: Eyestosee

No my good man I am reasoning on this logically believe me I
appreciate your resolve. But this is by far is not my first rodeo.
I have to disagree with you partner (ignore the trolls) I believe
God was very specific and even specified what a day is in the very
same chapter for this very reason.

originally posted by: beyondknowledge
Genesis in no way says in any detail how God created anything. It says god created things. How do you know how someone so powerful made things. Nothing there denies the creation of evolution.

Science explains how things come to be. Science does not say what caused them to come to be.

Two sides of the same coin?

The Genesis account quite clearly states that God created all living creatures according to their kind, and blessed them and told them to reproduce according to their kind. It leaves no room for evolution.

I would quote exact scriptures, but they have already been quoted in the OP, so it would be redundant. Although I can see how it is a lot of information, and if one is not really meditating on it, they can gloss over a lot of it. Its not something you can just glance over and get the full meaning. As you have shown.

originally posted by: carsforkids
a reply to: Vector99

I also read the god of the old testament was vindictive and spiteful, he aparantly killed most humans with a vengeful spite by creating a flood.

Why even start with this crap? You wanna make a thread on Gods morality?
Feel free but do you have to create thread drift here?

Talking about god in a god related thread is thread drifting in your eyes?

Mkay, I'm sorry god is good and god is great and we all get cookies today...