In the Beginning | The Six Day Creation

Six Days of Creation

January 12, 2020
Background: In November 1859 Charles Darwin published "The Origin of Species" in which he speculated that different species evolved through mutations that were driven by competition and pressure to survive. This theory spread like a fire through many parts of society including science, arts, politics and medicine. Because of this radical philosophy scientists and others began to feel a freedom to shake off the bonds of traditional thinking and to create new theories that did not require a God or a creator.
The basic assumptions of the theory of evolution:
1. Over a very long period of time it is possible that atoms can organize spontaneously into complex molecules.
2. Over a very long period of time it is possible that complex molecules can organize spontaneously into living units like cells.
3. Over a very long period of time it is possible that simple cells can organize into simple organisms, either plant or animal.
4. Over a very long period of time it is possible that simple animals and plants can become more complex, even acquiring an advanced intellect, and eventually becoming human beings.
What is the one common phrase in each of these sentences? "Over a very long period of time"
What does the Bible say? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjx88K8JTY8 0:20 - 3:18
Genesis 1 1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 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. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. 6 And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” 7 So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. 9 And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day. 14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.20 And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day. 24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Throughout the entire Bible God makes very clear to us that HE CREATED EVERYTHING (See some exemplary scriptures in Appendix 1). Even science, thermodynamics and mathematics teaches us that the universe and living things could not arise spontaneously. In order for us to have a healthy and happy perspective on life and its value, we must start with this understanding: God created everything!
But did God create everything in six literal 24 hour days? To accommodate all of the long periods of time that evolutionists postulate are necessary for life, animals and humans to evolve, some Christians and theologians have proposed that the word for "day" in Genesis 1 and 2 may refer to very long periods of time, even thousands or millions of years. But there are numerous arguments that support literal 24 hour days. Today we will look at just three.
1. Argument on the basis of language and Biblical documentation
a. Definition of day: The Hebrew word for "day" is phonetically "yo-wm". In Genesis 1 it is further described as containing an evening and a morning. It refers to a 24 hour period. There are two very important facts that strongly support its meaning in Genesis being a 24 hour period or a span of time that includes one daylight period and one night time period.
In every situation in the Bible where "yo-wm" is used in conjunction with a number (e.g. 7 days, one day, etc.) it always means a 24 hour period. Examples include: i. Joshua chapter 6 where the Israelites marched around Jericho for seven days the word "yo-wm" (and derivatives) is used. No one has ever argued that this might have referred to anything other than a 24 hour day or a single daylight period. ii. Numbers 9:3: God gave instructions to Moses about Passover - "You must observe it at its appointed time on the fourteenth day of this month at twilight; you are to observe it according to all its statutes and ordinances." Clearly this example refers to the 14th in a series of 24 hour days. No one would ever think otherwise. You can explore other examples by searching yo-wm at: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/yom_3117.htm In all cases, in the Bible, where a number of days is specified the word "day" (yo-wm) refers to a 24 hour period including a period of daylight and a period of night-time. But it is only in Genesis 1 where its meaning is challenged. It is challenged when people seek to interpret the scripture from an evolutionary perspective.
b. Poetry or history?: Some liberal theologians propose that the first chapters of Genesis should be considered as poetry and not as documented facts (a common topic in secular college courses on the Bible). This proposal suggests that the word "day" should not be interpreted literally but rather it should be interpreted figuratively. However, Steven Boyd (Specialist in Biblical Hebrew and Old Testament studies, BS/MS Physics, Th.M. in Old Testament, Ph.D. in Hebraic and Cognate studies) conducted statistical studies comparing Genesis chapter one with poetic and documentary texts in the Bible. The conclusion of his research was that there is a 99.5% certainty that the Genesis 1 text is not poetic but rather a factual historical document. (see https://www.icr.org/i/pdf/technical/Statistical-Determination-of-Genre-in-Biblical-Hebrew.pdf)
2. Argument based on the improbability (or impossibility) of spontaneous generation of life.
The mathematics of probability calculates the likelihood of a specific event occurring. So, for a simple example, when I throw a single dice the probability is 1 in 6 (or 1/6 or 0.1667) that I will get a 5 (or any other number on the dice). A very low probability means that it is very unlikely that the event will occur. Lets imagine that a salesperson comes to visit you and tells you that studies have shown that the probability of a meteorite hitting your house during your life time is 1 in 1,000,000 or 1/1,000,000 or 0.000000001 or 1/106. But if you are willing to pay his company $20,000.00 they can modify your roof to prevent any damage should such a strike occur. Would you sign up and pay? My guess is No, you would not. Because you can see that the probability is so small (practically speaking, it's zero), that a meteorite will hit your house. (Let's remember this decision as we proceed).
Biochemists have identified approximately 20,000 different proteins that are required for life. Every specific protein is composed of a specific sequence of amino acids. There are approximately 20 different amino acids (e.g. serine, lysine, glutamine, etc., etc). According to evolutionary theory these amino acids would have formed spontaneously on the surface of the primordial earth, by the random interaction and bonding of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur atoms. Assuming that all 20 amino acids were available and assuming that all of them were close enough to interact and assuming that there was sufficient energy to cause them to form bonds, what is the probability that one small protein, containing only 100 amino acids, would form spontaneously by random arrangements of amino acids forming and reforming? The probability has been calculated to be 1.268 in 10130. That is equal to an probability of 0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001268. Based on our previous illustration, we must conclude that this number is so very, very, very small that it is equal to "0". But maybe you wish to argue that since the earth is about 4 billion years old then there is plenty of time for all of these random events to successfully create a protein and subsequently other proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and eventually living things. Keeping this assumption in mind let's argue that the earth is 4 billion years old which is equal to 1.26x1017 seconds. If every possible combination of a 100 amino acid sequences formed every single second (which is extremely unlikely) then the probability is very low that there is enough time in 1.26x1017 seconds for even one single 100-amino-acid protein to form. And this is all calculated based on one protein (see chapter 18 in "In Six Days: Why 50 Scientists Choose to Believe in Creation"). Probabilities for the spontaneous evolution of life forms becomes even worse when we consider that 20,000 proteins are required for life, not to mention all of the lipids, carbohydrates, poly-nucleotides (DNA, RNA), biopolymers, pigments, etc.
A rationale conclusion is, therefore, that long periods of time, even the 4-5 billion years that evolutionists calculate to be the age of the earth, are not sufficient to allow for the evolution of life.
But some Christian evolutionists may still argue that God improved the odds by actively manipulating molecules and creating the amino acids and proteins etc. over thousands and millions of years.
3. Argument based on the interdependence of biological systems
a. On a molecular level: Even if biological molecules could have formed spontaneously, against the impossible odds, could they have survived, alone, exposed to the environment of the "early earth"? Two practical observations provide evidence that survival would have been difficult, if not impossible. i. Many of you are involved in medical or biomedical careers so you know that when proteins, vitamins, DNA, RNA, carbohydrates and other biochemicals are packaged for laboratory or medical applications they must be preserved and protected with numerous additives like antioxidants (which protect them from oxygen and its destructive effects), buffers (that maintain the acidity/alkalinity) and preservatives (that prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi). This demonstrates how delicate bio-molecules are and how unlikely it is that spontaneously formed biomolecules could have survived, naked and alone on the planet earth. ii. When cells or tissues are damaged by burning or wounding, the immediate effect is physical disruption of the normal arrangement of molecules and matter and the secondary effect is that the molecules become toxic to the local tissues and cells. This demonstrates that the molecules that make up living things, must be arranged very carefully and quickly and must remain in their intended locations, otherwise they may interact destructively with each other and neighboring tissues.
b. On an ecological level: All living things are connected together and interdependent. For example, approximately 70% of the oxygen in the earth's atmosphere is produced by microscopic algae in the oceans of the earth. At the same time, all plants require carbon dioxide, which is a by-product of animal metabolism and combustion. So both plants and animals interdependently require each other for respiration. This is only one example out of thousands of other critical relationships between microorganisms, insects, plants, and animals that allow life to sustain on the planet earth. Living things were designed to live within complex, highly integrated ecosystems.
Now, with this in mind, look at Genesis 1: 11 - 13. 11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
Now if the "third day" spanned millions of years and animals had not yet been created, then how could all of the many flowering plants survived without any pollinators. The pollinators, like bees, wasps, flies and butterflies, were not created until day 6. During a span of millions of years the plants would have died off. This balance between plants and animals could only be achieved if animals were created shortly after plants. Based on this very simplified illustration it is rational to conclude that God created the complex ecosystems of the world within six days.
Conclusion: In this short time we have proposed rationale arguments from biochemistry, ecology, statistics and Hebrew linguistics that support the literal interpretation of the creation account documented in Genesis chapter 1. There are many, many more supportive arguments. These arguments can help us in two ways: (1) These arguments and others can help us to question and ultimately challenge the doctrines of evolution that are pervasive in our society. We should be skeptical about, doubt, question, and challenge every manifestation of evolutionary teaching. We should use sound, disciplined, scientific and/or logical methods to investigate popular descriptions of the spontaneous evolution of life and human beings. We should ask the Holy Spirit to teach us to understand His revelations of the creation. (2) Our understanding of God's personal engagement in the creation process and His continual involvement with His creation can increase our sense of His daily presence, His continual closeness to us and His awesome imagination. While evolutionists see the universe as a vast, empty, lonely place, we can see it as a familiar and friendly place, crowded with the imaginative expressions of our Lord Jesus Christ, "through whom all things were made." John 1:3

Appendix 1: Some representative scriptures, spanning the whole Bible, that declare the creative work of God (there are many others).

Genesis 2:4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.
Genesis 5:1-2 This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created.
Genesis 6:7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.”
Deuteronomy 4:32 Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of?
Job 38-41 God talks about creating the earth, the heavens, weather, the oceans, mountains, dinosaurs, dragons, animals, plants, etc.
Psalm 89:47 Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all humanity!
Psalm 104 Describes all the things God created, e.g. sun, moon, animals, mountains, seas, etc .,etc.
Psalm 148:5 Let them [sun, moon, stars, heavens, angels, heavenly hosts, etc.] praise the name of the Lord, for at his command they were created,6 and he established them forever and ever—he issued a decree that will never pass away.
Ecclesiastes 7:29 "This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
Isaiah 40:26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
Isaiah 43:1 But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine
Isaiah 45:8,12 & 18 You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the Lord, have created it. It is I who made the earth and created mankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts. For this is what the Lord says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited— he says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other.
Mark 13:19 ....because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again.
John 1:1-3  In the beginning was the Word [Jesus Christ], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Colossians 1:16 For in Him [Jesus Christ] all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
Hebrews 1:2 ...but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
Revelations 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

Appendix 2: Further reading

In Six Days: Why 55 Scientists choose to believe in creation, Ed. John F. Ashton PhD, New Leaf Publishing Group, 2000 (Available from christianbook.com)

Darwin Retried: An Appeal to Reason, Norman Macbeth, Dell Publishing Co., 1971



Preached January 12, 2020 - Norman Richardson If you have further questions contact me at richarnk@gmail.com