The earth was not created in seven days

In the first book of the bible (genesis) it says the earth was created in six days and rested on the seventh, but how can this be if the concept of light (the sun) was created after the earth was created? how can their be "days" without the sun?

Well it's really up to you whether you believe in a literal 6 day creation or not. Or not believe in creation at all. I myself as a Christian don't really worry about whether or not it was 6 days and a 7th day of rest. The most important thing to me was that Jesus was born, died and was resurrected.

Originally posted by sjn240785
In the first book of the bible (genesis) it says the earth was created in six days and rested on the seventh, but how can this be if the concept of light (the sun) was created after the earth was created? how can their be "days" without the sun?

It's amazing the things you can do if you're God. God does not have to obey science if He choses not to. You and I however, do. Science was His creation, not His creator.

Sorry to go off topic a bit, but this reminds of a quote by Ricky Gervais (English comedian) when talking about Genesis:

"God created the universe AND man on day one. On the second day, he created
light. So he did all that in the dark?? How cool is that?!"


Sorry...

[edit on 2-5-2005 by kegs]

Originally posted by kegs
Sorry to go off topic a bit, but this reminds of a quote by Ricky Gervais (English comedian) when talking about Genesis:

"God created the universe AND man on day one. On the second day, he created
light. So he did all that in the dark?? How cool is that?!"

Sorry...

Uhm, what verse are you referring to? My Bible says light was created before man. Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light.

Later on, Genesis 1:26 - "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

Your right Saint4God, I got the quote wrong. I was paraphrasing, it was heavens and earth. Here's the (partly) full joke. It's only a joke remember! I'm not looking to offend.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 'Doesn't go into detail. 'doesn't need to explain it to you. He's got this massive brain, yours is so little.
You'd go, 'what?'
He'd go, 'Trust me.'
If he explained it to you, it'd ruin the enigma.

Anyway, God said let there be light, and there was light.

'Aw come one! That's amazing!'

He just made light up! It's not like he saw it on holiday and said 'that'd be good back on earth.' He just said 'let there be light' and there was.

Amazing.

And he probably didn't even need to say it, he did, but he could've just gone 'Mmp.' Perfect.

Which means that he created the heaven and the earth in the dark! How good is that? I'd be like, 'aaalllright, let's get a bit of light here. Hmm, alright, i need some planets.'

He went, 'that's everything. let's have a looksee. brilliant!'

-Ricky Gervais

[edit on 2-5-2005 by kegs]

Hehe, I gettit now. Sorry, for the hang-up but I was confused. Not offended at all. I've got a joke to add:

3 men go to heaven and are hanging out in line to get in. St. Peter walks up to his podium and says, "Gentlemen, your ride in heaven is determined by your faithfulness to your spouse."

The first man, Bob proudly walks up. St. Peter smiles, "Very good sir. Ever since you met your wife, never did you think about another woman and kept faithful to her in all your years. Here's the keys to your Rolls Royce." The man beams, takes the keys and Bob drives into heaven.

Mike seemed a little nervous but straightens his tie and walks up. St. Peter says, "Not bad, not bad. You had a wandering eye, and there was that one time with you at work with the secretary in the closet, but you stopped her short, gained control and confessed to your wife. Here's the keys to your Ford Escort". Mike nods acceptingly and drives into heaven.

Joe, third in line, is in a cold sweat, whistling and avoiding eye-contact. St. Peter says, "Joe!" He jumps but shakely approaches. "Obviously you've made amends because you're here but your history! Always flirting, always making those kinds of jokes, and there was that affair you kept secret for a few months with the gal down the street." Joe nods shamefully. "Again though, you told your wife and after much time and pain, you managed to pull it together and revoke your sinful ways." Joe sees a ray of hope. St. Peter finishes, "Here's the keys to your moped".

So Joe is mopedding around Heaven and see's Bob in his Rolls Royce at a stoplight. He says to himself, "Hey, I remember that guy from the line. I should go over and say hi". He pulls up next to Bob in his posh car only to find him bawling his eyes out. Joe says, "Bob, you're rolling around eternity in the finest car that ever existed. What in God's kingdom could be wrong?" Bob replies, "I just saw my wife on a skateboard!"



[edit on 2-5-2005 by saint4God]

Lol! that's a good one.

Anyway, sorry for hijacking the thread.

Originally posted by sjn240785
In the first book of the bible (genesis) it says the earth was created in six days and rested on the seventh, but how can this be if the concept of light (the sun) was created after the earth was created? how can their be "days" without the sun?

It has already been answered, but I just thought I would address this post directly. In order to have a day we need the Earth and light. The question is answered by the first 5 verses of Genesis.

Steve

Originally posted by sntx
The question is answered by the first 5 verses of Genesis.

Steve

Indeed! The Book answers a lot of life's questions. I'd definately recommend reading it.

For an alternative to the Biblical and mainstream scientific explanations of creation, regard the following"

www.urantia.org...

www.urantia.org...

www.urantia.org...

www.urantia.org...

[size=10]DUH!!!

that was a great answer

Sorry to paraphrase, but I don't have my Bible handy. One day is as a 1000 years to God and 1000 years as one day. It took 6000 years to create everything.

Originally posted by BadMojo
Sorry to paraphrase, but I don't have my Bible handy. One day is as a 1000 years to God and 1000 years as one day. It took 6000 years to create everything.

A creative conclusion, how did you arrive at it?

I read my Bible...

Pardon if the answer is too short...

Try I Peter or II Peter...maybe Psalms also...

[edit on 5-5-2005 by BadMojo]

Ahhh...II Peter 3:8 is it...Psalms 90:4 also

[edit on 5-5-2005 by BadMojo]

How can people take the Bible so literally? Even if it took just seven days, there was NO ONE around to record it. God just went about His business doing what He does best. It was only later that man started trying to figure out the process that took place. Man is always trying to impose his limited understanding upon the unfathomable. Who cares if creation took place in seven days or seven million? It does't make a wit of difference. If God made all of this then he made all of this and that's that. And the same goes for evolution. Gullivers' Travels certainly satirized an aspect of this with the Lilliputians being at war over which end of an egg was the "proper" end to break first. It's ridiculous. It certainly does not matter. Will Christians believe in God any less if it really took Him EIGHT DAYS to create the universe? Or what if we really did evolve from the apes (or lemurs, to be more precise)? Does it really matter?

We are to live by the Word that God has given us. To live by that Word, you have to understand it...from cover to cover.

Originally posted by benevolent tyrant
Does it really matter?

Yes, it really matters. The following is a copy of a post I just wrote in another thread, but it applies to this question:

There is a good reason that evolution is not compatible with the bible, and it does not have anything to do with trying to proove the Earth is 6000 years old. Evolution makes the entire message of the bible nonsense. Scripture teaches us that Jesus sacrificed his own life to pay the death penalty for our sin. According to the bible death and suffering exists because of mans sin. Evolution requires death and suffering to exist before the fall of man.

Much is written regarding the wording and meaning of the first two chapters of Genesis. Personally I don't think it could have been written more clearly.

"And the evening and the morning were the first day."

"And the evening and the morning were the second day."

"And the evening and the morning were the third day."...

Steve

The Bible also explains God's definition of a "day" within Pslams and II Peter as I previously stated. Mind you, I haven't used Strong's Concordance to determine whether or not the same terms were used for "day" in the instances in Genesis and the verses I mentioned. If you have one handy, I would be much obliged for the help...

Originally posted by sntx

Originally posted by benevolent tyrant
Does it really matter?

Yes, it really matters. The following is a copy of a post I just wrote in another thread, but it applies to this question:

There is a good reason that evolution is not compatible with the bible, and it does not have anything to do with trying to proove the Earth is 6000 years old. Evolution makes the entire message of the bible nonsense. Scripture teaches us that Jesus sacrificed his own life to pay the death penalty for our sin. According to the bible death and suffering exists because of mans sin. Evolution requires death and suffering to exist before the fall of man.

Hmm, so, when you discovered that, it proved the truth of the Bible to you, rather than proving it false? Interesting deduction...

Here is the order in the first (Genesis 1), the Priestly tradition:
Day 1: Sky, Earth, light
Day 2: Water, both in ocean basins and above the sky(!)
Day 3: Plants
Day 4: Sun, Moon, stars (as calendrical and navigational aids)
Day 5: Sea monsters (whales), fish, birds, land animals, creepy-crawlies (reptiles, insects, etc.)
Day 6: Humans (apparently both sexes at the same time)
Day 7: Nothing (the Gods took the first day off anyone ever did)

Okay, so that's one story. Here's another.

The second one (Genesis 2), the Yahwist tradition, goes:

Earth and heavens (misty)
Adam, the first man (on a desolate Earth)
Plants
Animals
Eve, the first woman (from Adam's rib)

What's wrong with these two accounts? In Genesis 1, God, having created light, doesn't create the Sun until way into Genesis 1:14... But he created plants back in Genesis 1:11. BadMojo, if you are correct, then the plants lived for a thousand years without photosynthesizing...

There are other contradictions, too, however:

www.infidels.org...
How orderly were things created?

[Genesis 1]: Step-by-step. The only discrepancy is that there is no Sun or Moon or stars on the first three "days".
[Genesis 2]: God fixes things up as he goes. The first man is lonely, and is not satisfied with animals. God finally creates a woman for him. (funny thing that an omniscient god would forget things)

How satisfied with creation was he?

[Genesis 1]: God says "it was good" after each of his labors, and rests on the seventh day, evidently very satisfied.
[Genesis 2]: God has to fix up his creation as he goes, and he would certainly not be very satisfied with the disobedience of that primordial couple. (funny thing that an omniscient god would forget things)

Zip

[edit on 6/29/2005 by Zipdot]