· Theology Proper ·

Lecture Thirty Two:  The Doctrine of Creation III

The Age of the Earth

TH330 Systematic Theology I · Moody Bible Institute · Dr. Richard M. Weber

I. Special Topic:  The Age of the Earth

1. God created the universe ex nihilo

2. Creation is distinct from God, yet dependent upon God

3. The purpose of creation is God’s glory

4. the universe was created good

5. there will be no final conflict between scripture and science

6. Secular theories of the origin of the earth are insufficient.

B. How Old is the             Earth?

1. “Old Earth” Views

2. “Young Earth” Views

C. Biblical Considerations Regarding the Age of the Earth

1. Biblical Genealogies

1 chr 3:10-12

Matt 1:8-9

Sometimes they would skip a generation in Biblical genealogies just to focus on those important.

2. Twenty-Four Hour Days vs. “Age Day” Theories

a. The “Old Earth” Position Regarding the “Days” of Creation

Prov 11:4.  “Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath…”

Prov 21:31.  “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.”

Ecc 7:14.  “In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider…”

“Six days” – six long periods of time, millions of years each.

Many events that occurred on Day 6 would have required more than 24 hours

Creation of animals man, woman, blessing of Adam/eve

There seems to be no end to day 7

b. The “Young Earth” Position Regarding the “Days” of Creation

Mark 10:6.  “At the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’”

“With respect to the length of days in Genesis 1, the possibility must be left open that God has chosen not to give us enough information to come to a clear decision on this question, and the real test of faithfulness to him may be the degree to which we can act charitably toward those who in good conscience and full belief in God’s Word hold to a different position on this matter.”  (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 297)

D. “Gap” Theory

1. The Claims of “Gap” Theory

Gen 1:1.  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Gen 1:2.  “Now the earth was {or possibly became} formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

a. Arguments in Favor of “Gap” Theory

That formlessness is in reference to absolute formlessness.

Isa 34:11.  “…God will stretch out over Edom the measuring line of chaos and the plumb line of desolation.”

Jer 34:23.  “…I will lay waste the towns of Judah so no one can live there.”

b. Arguments Against “Gap” Theory

God did not create light until v3

“Formless and empty” probably lends to an uninhabitable creation.

E. “Literary Framework” Theory

Refers not to a chronological sequence, but a frame work of organization; a literary device.

Gen1 ie  “God created everything”

1. Benefits of the “Literary Framework Theory”

a. There is a Correspondence Between Days

b. Avoids Conflict With Science

c. Avoids “Conflicting” Accounts in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2

d. Provides an Understandable Interpretation of Gen 2:5

Gen 2:5.  “…[N]o shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground…”

2. Problems With the “Literary Framework Theory”

a. Proposed Correspondence Between Days is Not Exact

Day 2 works more for day for, etc…

b. The Mere Fact that a View Easily Reconciles Scripture With Science is Not a sufficient reason to support it.

c. There Need Not Be a Conflict Between Genesis 1 and Genesis 2

Gen 2 is not in conflict, it’s looking at the account from the vantage point of man being the pinnacle of creation.

d. Argument from Gen 2:5 Not Convincing

Gen 2:6.  “…but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground…”

e. Gen 1 Suggests Much More Than a Literary Framework

“The march of the days is too majestic a progress to carry no implication of ordered sequence.”  (Derek Kidner, Genesis:  An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, 54)

F. “Young Earth” Theories

The earth is 10,000-20,000 years old.

1. Mature Creationism

a. Arguments Supporting Mature Creationism

i. Creation With the Appearance of Age

Adam was created as a full grown man.

Trees had mature fruit for him to eat.

He probably saw stars

ii. Objections To Scientific Dating Methods

Carbon 12 dating…we have only been using this system for a couple decades, but scaling it to millions of years?

iii. The Effects of the Fall on Creation

With the fall, or flood, it may have caused the earth to look older than it really is.

b. Objections To Mature Creationism

Some would say that it makes God look like a deceiver.

2. Flood Geology

“[I]t’s advocates have persuaded almost no professional geologists, even those who are Bible-believing evangelical Christians.”  (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 306)

“[T]he old earth advocates seem … to have a greater weight of scientific evidence on their side, and it seems that the weight of evidence is increasing yearly.”  (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 307)

II. Applications From the Doctrine of Creation

A. The Material Universe is Good In Itself

B. Christians Should Research the Goodness of God’s Creation

C. Recognize How Scientific Study Can Glorify God

D. Remember That God is Sovereign Over His Universe

E. Worship and Praise God for the Amazing Complexity of His Creation

F. Glorify God Through the Exercise of Your God-Given Creativity!