For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
frances Keene
My answer is more of a question than an answer response.
How can one take on the true answer of the age of the earth, from scientists who do not be
In the God of Creation; but believe that Evolution started everything?
I believe the earth is about 6000 years old not billions. But then how about just saying man really does not know. Some things are to remain a mystery until Jesus comes back
Danny Hickman
Why stereotype scientists just because some of them are unbelievers in what we believe? There are people in the same business we are /were /whatever /who are unbelievers.
Please stop lumping people who can believe the scriptures (I do) and believe the science (facts determined by research) that shows the earth is much, much, much older than a few thousand years. (I do).
To ignore scientific findings that give overwhelming testimony to the prehistoric age of the universe isn't a good way to try to prove how much of a believer we wish to be seen. I wish that many in the Christian community would stop making us look like we have a half baked fable of a story that we try to protect through senseless denial.
The Genesis 1 account isn't an oral history on HOW the world was created, but on WHO did it. I think it's told to us the way it is in an attempt to tell us how amazing is the Creator. I don't think it's meant for us to try to understand days evenings and mornings when there was no sun, and also no expanse (atmosphere, sky) in which the sun exists, for the first three "days."
I'm not uncovering anything; some of us ignore these things because we think we must have an answer for people who try to disprove the Bible as God's word.
We don't need to do that; we give them more credibility when we deny overwhelming evidence that the Gen 1 account shouldn't be taken literally.
Some scientists are believers who try to help by testifying to scientific findings.
Danny Hickman
What I don't understand is, what do people who think God created everything a few thousand years ago, think he was doing before a few thousand years ago?
It makes me think that those same people have a problem wrapping their thoughts around a God who is from everlasting to everlasting.
The writer of Psalm 90 testified, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." (vs 2)
That's really plain! It took Godly insight and wisdom to write that. The mountains were formed over a very long period of time. So was the earth. It took a word from God's mouth to put it in motion; but it took far longer than 144 hours for everything to be ready for man's habitation.
What I wonder, is how many bazillions of eons and how many other creations of life have there been?
God has always done something! He's a Creator; he creates life. The scriptures say 'he makes nations great and he destroys them; he enlarges them and he leads them away' (Job 12:23). I wonder how many times in his eternal history he has done that!
Jehovah didn't "start" anything a few thousand years ago. Jesus said, "My Father is working until now, and I am working" (Jn 5:17).
Translation: the Father never stops working and neither does Jesus. He wasn't lying in a tomb for three days; he went and 'preached to spirits in prison' (1 Pet 3:19).
God has never taken a day off. The Sabbath rest day teaches us of the rest we can have in him.