What Does the Bible Say About The Age of the Earth?
Posted on Nov 29, 2011 in David L Cooper | 0 comments
By David L. Cooper
Many believing scientists are of the profound conviction that the earth has been standing for something like two billion years. They arrive at this conclusion from different standpoints. This calculation is based upon data discovered by the astronomers and also by the geologists and chemists. Believing scientists, let me reiterate, who accept the Bible as the very Word of God, hold to this conclusion. On the other hand, there are scientists who are very liberal with their figures to the right of their digits in their attempts to express the age of the history of the world.
When the geologist looks at the earth and sees the evidences of upheavals and convulsions throughout nature, and when he notices the fossils in the rocks and other data, he comes to the conclusion that this old earth is hoary with age—a legitimate inference.
The Bible nowhere says that the earth was created six thousand years ago. The facts in the case are that it majestically states that “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). How long ago that was, no one can tell. How God created the universe is not told in the Scriptures. We are simply given the bare statement that God created the heavens and the earth back in that part of eternity that is called “In the beginning.”
We have good reason to believe that the primeval earth, when it came forth from the hand of God, was in a perfect condition, as is stated in Isaiah 45:18. Moreover, we have every reason to believe that some great cataclysmic change struck the earth and reduced it to a state of desolation and waste, as we are told in Genesis 1:2. As to what caused this, or who caused it, we cannot say. But immediately the suspicion falls upon Satan as the one who brought about this catastrophe.
There were six days of reconstruction in restoring order from the chaos wrought by this great calamity, or disaster. During this time God worked, repairing the earth so that it would be possible for life as we know it today to exist upon the earth.
Adam was created as the first man according to the Genesis account, which has every semblance of veracity and fidelity. God created man. He did not evolve, as is asserted by the theorists, from some primal ooze.
When we study the genealogical tables of Genesis and other data found in the early books of the Scriptures—interpreting this chronological material in the plain, ordinary way—we come to the conclusion that man was created upon the earth around six thousand years ago. I am thoroughly aware of the fact that there are those who tell us that the genealogies of the Old Testament have gaps in them. There are some that do manifestly have gaps. The recorded facts make it clear how it was that those gaps occurred. When anyone studies the fundamental genealogical tables in Genesis, chapters 5 and 11, however, he finds that there is no indication of any gaps existing between any of the names appearing. It is a bare assumption for anyone to assert that there are gaps, unless there are plain indications that such is the case. In view of these facts, we must take these genealogical tables at what they say, and work out a chronology. When we do that, we see that man has been upon the earth nearly six thousand years.
The late Martin Anstey wrote a two-volume set of books entitled The Romance of Bible Chronology, a monumental accomplishment. Unfortunately, this work is out of print. It is almost impossible to procure these two volumes.
I made a special study of this subject, however, and have embraced in my volume,Messiah: His First Coming Scheduled, the chronological facts and date that are presented in The Romance of Bible Chronology. Thus there are accessible to us today the facts and figures which show that man has been upon the earth nearly six thousand years.