1. The more I read the Bible and read scientific literature the more it is underscored how ludicrous are evolutionary theories. Every kind unto its kind is just one point (Gen 1:24).
2. Questions: It reads to me that in Chapter one, God created man before the 6th day, but then in Chapter 2 He created man after resting on the seventh? Also, days. As the Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic are days literal 24 hour periods as they are today or have they been translated to such, and back then they could have been longer periods of time?
3. Chapter 3. "Ye shall be as gods." We made gods unto ourselves as time went on, a good example being the Roman emperors.
Ch. 4 - 7.
These startled me. I'm also referencing in parallel The Daily Walk devotional guide and it had some interesting words. It said we "exchange the worship of the Creator for worship of the creation, and substitute what is convenient for what is obedient.". God wiped out the world with a flood, due to many evil things man was doing. I saw so many parallels in today's culture in the pre-flood culture. Brings to light how quickly Jesus may come (He is the second global flood - so to speak).
2 quick observations on the rest of the readings:
1) Man's age of 120 years. This has seemed so true. Just saw how the oldest man just died and he was right about this age.
2) The temptation referenced above: Yesterday I wanted a quick snack. I went to have a couple of cookies and a coke. As I was having it I knew I shouldn't and should have some fruit instead, however, I thought I wanted the sweet quick treat. Instead I got a head and stomachache a few minutes later (literally). Brought this to light for me.
Hope the past couple of days have been as good a start for you as they are for me. God bless you.
John
4 comments:
Blessings, John and all.
As to your question regarding the order of creation events, we generally count a new day either from morning to morning, or the more precise of us, from 12:00 midnight to 12:00 midnight. Notice each passage states “And the evening and morning" were the Nth day. Each day began at sunset and concluded at the following sunset. Jews still observe marking days in this fashion. So, Genesis 1:23 brings to close Day #5 and begins Day #6. On Day #6, God created the cattle, beasts of the field, and man – both male and female (vs 27). Genesis 1:31 brings to close Day #6 and begins Day #7.
The text of chapter 2 (beginning at vs 7) then focuses on a certain portion of time during Day #6 which was spoken of in broad terms in chapter 1. This is a literary style common even today. For instance, the first paragraph of a news article tells the event, and then the events are detailed in the remainder of the article. Adam was created, and then placed in the garden soon afterwards. Once in the garden, God then created an additional animal of each kind to present them to Adam for naming. Finding no suitable helpmate among the animals, Eve was created. Then closed the events of Day #6.
As for the meaning of “day” in chapter 1, there are a few trains of thought on this. It isn’t one easily answered.
One belief is that the days were actually long eras of time. It wasn’t until relatively recently, when the modern scientific age began in the 1800’s, that people really began to consider the long eras of time. Many people link this concept with scientific research such as radiological dating (which some believe are faulty tests based on extrapolated data). The belief is held that “evening and morning” refer to the beginning and ending of an era. This belief was then adopted to fit the new theory of evolution within the text of the bible.
Another view is that the days were indeed 24-hour days, but that a cataclysmic event happened between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. The belief is held that it was during this period of time, lasting millions or billions of years with a fully created world inhabited by animals including dinosaurs, that Satan was cast from heaven to the earth, and subsequently his corruption lead to the destruction of the world. After the destruction, the world was recreated and began with Day #1. This argument is supported by the text “void and without form” as used in several translations and a particular translating of Hebrew wording in Isaiah 45:18 about the world not being created chaotic or empty.
A third view is that the days were indeed literal 24-hour days in consecutive order. While the same word for day is used in various ways throughout the bible for meaning the daylight hours, a 24-hour span, and an era of time, it is only in Genesis 1 that there is dispute over. People who hold to this belief base it on such arguments as when Jesus said man and woman were made at the beginning (Matthew 19); that a day only requires a period of light and dark, and both light and dark predated the sun according the chapter 1; plants predated the sun; and death (identified as an enemy to be destroyed in the last days) was the result of the curse of man and could not have predated Adam’s rebellion.
Many Godly men hold to each of these views. While the arguments can be rather convincing either way (and I have my belief among them), and they can be stumbling blocks to unbelievers looking for answers, it isn’t a salvation issue – thankfully.
Nice thoughts John. The word for 'day' here is the same word that is used later when talking about 1 literal 24-hour day. Chapter 2 tends to be a summary of what happened on day-6 in the previous chapter.
As to the 120 years - God is not saying "I'm limiting your age to 120 years." On the contrary, he's not talking about age at all. He said that "From this point, I'm giving the world another 120 years." From that point, 120 years later the flood came. That can actually be substantiated using the generational summaries, which I will not do here. But, that's why it doesn't otherwise make sense, as men were still living well-beyond that age back then.
More observations:
There were giants in the earth in those days: offspring of angels that went in to daughters of men (Gen 6:2).
Eve bore a son and called him Seth (Appointed) because she 'thought' that God's plan to overcome the serpent (Gen 3:15) had failed, and that He had 'appointed' her another savior. What she didn't know was that the Savior was still a few thousand years away.
Noah was 'perfect in his generations', or had blood untainted by angelic ancestry.
Noah had knowledge of 'clean and unclean' long before the Law (Torah) was handed down.
Methuselah name (his death shall bring) indicated that his death would bring something large. It did - the flood.
The flood began during the 600th year of Noah's life. I believe the final apocalypse will begin after approximately the 6000 year of life here on earth. That is my opinion.
Great thoughts guys and appreciate the well thought out commentary. Expected such from Rabbi (teacher) Steve and now my other new Rabbi Brian (I mean this with all due respect to you both - I know that Steve knows this). Appreciate you both. I will learn a lot in this forum.
As for your comment about the 6000 year of life, that shows your leaning on a young earth (in life) creationist view. Next question though is what year is that. To Brian's point it's not a salvation issue, and we are not to know the time but to ever be on watch for our Lord's return, however, it is certainly interesting. Bless your night and readings tomorrow. JR
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