SCRIPTURE READING: Genesis 1:1, 31

I.    From whence is life?

We’ll introduce our topic by looking at just three prominent explanations:
1)    Theory of Evolution: Ref. Weather & Climate Geography, evolution of Earth’s atmosphere.

During the Precambrian Era, roughly 3.8 billion-545 million years ago, the atmosphere still has no oxygen in major amounts, but it DOES have water vapor. This rain picks up atmosphere’s carbon dioxide, which it has in abundance at this time, and brings it down to the oceans. The oceans, now full of carbon dioxide, corrode Earth’s surface and introduce silicon and other elements in the process. This builds the sea floor. Evidence for this, they say, is in the limestone beds of rock we can now witness in caves. Meanwhile, all this carbon dioxide and water vapor has gone to Earth’s surface, leaving the Precambrian atmosphere’s only other major element: nitrogen. They say this is evidenced by the fact that 78% of our modern-day atmosphere is nitrogen—it got left behind by carbon dioxide and water vapor.

At this point, single-celled life is possible, using methane, ammonia, carbon dioxide, water vapor, and electricity of some kind (lightning). From this, amino acids can form—they proudly remind us that it has been done in a lab, by a fellow named Miller. So it was laid out this way by my professor: methane + ammonia + CO2 + H20 + electricity + TIME = "Let there be life!" The irony of this did not escape me; in the process of directly contradicting the sacred text, she makes a play on words from a quote made by GOD. Also, it’s ironic to observe that this creation of amino acids in a lab—one of their strongest pieces of evidence—came about by manipulation from an intelligent being: Dr. Miller.

2)    Creation Account: Why not a "Theory of Creation"?

It’s not scientific. What we have here are two different forms of evidence: scientific, and historical. Scientific evidence is produced through observation and experimentation. In this, it is limited. For example: oddly enough, science cannot observe or experiment on the origin of life or the atmosphere. The Bible is a document, a piece of historical evidence. Miracles are established by historic evidence, the resurrection of Christ; this evidence must be disproved by critics—they simply ignore it. The Bible is supported by eye-witness accounts and reliable historic documents.

READ GENESIS 1

3)    Day-Age Theory, and Apologetic Theory:

Suggests the days of Genesis 1 were not literal, 24-hour days, but rather lengthy periods, thousands and thousands of years. Most of the arguments in support of this theory come from evolutionary science and geology—they insist you cannot reconcile a literal 6-day creation with the geological strata of rock that we can observe. There are a few argument made from the text of the Bible, and we’ll look at those in just a moment.

Having briefly reviewed these three, let’s look at determining factor, the Creator of life, in each:

Evolution: methane + ammonia + CO2 + H20 + electricity + TIME = LIFE

Evolution relies on faith in the god of Time, if you will. It is nontheistic, but it relies on no less faith.

Professor George Wald, of Harvard Univ., 1954, in his article on "The Origin of Life":

"However improbable we regard this event, or any of the steps it involves, given enough time, it will almost certainly happen at least once. And for life as we know it, with its capability for growth and reproduction, once may be enough. Time is the hero of the plot . . . Given so much time, the impossible becomes possible, the possible becomes probable, and the probable becomes virtually certain. One has only to wait, time itself performs the miracles."

Dr. Robert Jastrow, in 1980, said: "The key to Darwin’s explanation is time, and the passage of many centuries."

Creation Account: God is named 33 times in the 31 verses of Genesis 1. Each time, attached is a verb describing what God did: He created, He said, He saw, He blessed. GOD is the Creator of Life.

Consequently, we look at . . .

Day-Age Theory: The Creator of Life is GOD . . . and Time. God alone did not do it, but rather He needed a certain amount of time for things to take their course. If those who support this theory don’t see it exactly this way, the evolutionists they are catering to DO.

Our focus will be upon addressing this issue, the debate between the Day-Age Theorists and the New Earth Theorists—that’s the name given to those who believe in a literal, 6-day creation. It’s important that we understand the implications behind this debate, brethren, because there are Christians preaching and teaching at our "sound" school in Florida and among groups of God-fearing brethren; churches that we visit when we’re traveling.

What I intend to establish today is the implication behind the Day-Age Theory, and any other Apologetic Theory of Theistic Evolution. Brethren may not initially realize the implications behind accepting Genesis 1 & 2 as literal, or as a poetic allegory of the passage of many ages.

We’ll address first just a few of the arguments that support the Day-Age Theory. As I said before, most arguments are based on scientific theory. Today we’ll concern ourselves only with arguments made from Scripture.

One of the only arguments made from the context is that on the sixth day described in Genesis 2, way too much happened for it to have been a literal day. How could Adam have fulfilled the enormous task of naming these creatures, then be presented with woman and say, (2:23) "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh . . . ." The word "now," they say in this context, is equivalent to "at last," which would indicate he’d been waiting more than a few hours for woman to come along. They’d like to draw this out to a period of months, if not years. The first part of this is based on the assumption that man named EVERY creeping thing and fish of the sea AS WELL AS the creatures of air and land mentioned. They say with no prior human observation, it would have been an enormous task to document all that. He’s literally starting at square one, here. Firstly, Adam named the creatures brought before Him by God, not necessarily every one.

Secondly, they assume that without prior human knowledge, Adam would’ve had a real hard time of this task. They forget that on the day he was created, Adam walked, talked, knew how to cultivate the ground. He was a creature "of God." Compare this situation to one in the New Testament. How long did it take Paul to learn the gospel? Sure, it takes us hours. It was endowed upon him!

They secondly assume that Adam’s statement: "This is NOW bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh," was a statement made by man who’d been a lonely bachelor. In fact, the Hebrew text indicates nothing more than that he was making reference to the things that had followed before this event. Here, he’s gone through these creatures, male-female, male-female, male-female . . . "NOW this is bone of MY bones . . ."

The support you’ll find most commonly argued is the use of the Hebrew word for "day"—yom. Well, first, as honest people having just read the text, what does it indicate to you? "Evening and morning . . . a first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth day." Simply enough, if Moses had intended to convey a long period of time, the Hebrew language has better words for it than yom.

Usage of yom

1. Day, opposite of night. "Daylight."

2. Day, of 24 hours. "Working day," with evening and morning, "snowy day," "your day has come," Sabbath Day.

3. Day of Yahweh. The time of coming judgment.

4. Days of life. Lifespan: "Advanced in days."

5. Days, plural. "Seven days," "many days," "days of old."

6. Days, plural, in past reference to months or years. "Those were the days."

7. Dual, such as in the expression, "a day or two."

8. With the article, "that day."

9. With a preposition such as bet (Heb.). "On that day," or "when."

Moses was clearly capable of better communicating an age or period of time. His use of yom as a literal day must be what he was intending to communicate.

As such, he drew an important comparison:

Exodus 20:8-11: Here Moses compares the six literal days of the week leading to Sabbath—the same period of time it took God to create the world.

Day-Age supporters respond to this argument with:

Hebrews 4:3-9: Here is the Hebrews writer’s admonition that we enter into God’s rest. Here, in v.9: is that Sabbath rest a 24-hour period? No, it’s eternity! A much longer length of time than is named! You’ll notice there are two uses of the word in this passage. He presents a historical illustration, v.3-4, and in v.5, his transition, "and again . . ." He’s leading to his illustration. Notice also that v.9, the Sabbath is not called a day, but a "rest." In Exodus, Moses is comparing weeks. In Hebrews, the writer is comparing RESTS.

But there are many brethren who resolve this issue by not resolving it at all. They say, "Y’know, there are good arguments on both sides, this should be considered an open matter." Brethren, if Creation is a poetic allegory, GOD is a poetic allegory.

We will consider passages of Scripture that mention Creation. What we will find is that the Creation account is used as EVIDENCE to support the glory of God, the Maker of the Law, the Deity of Christ, the nature of man, and our obligation to God and His law. Would the Holy Spirit use as evidence an allegory or a record of historical occurrences?

II.    The importance of creation.

A)    Creation, as we’ve read, is used in the Bible to explain the origin of the universe. I’d refer you also to these verses:

Psalm 33:9: For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.

Did it change over time? No, it "stood fast."

Psalm 148:5: Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created.

Exodus 31:17: "It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed."

B) Creation is used in the Bible to identify the God we serve.

Isaiah 40:12-31

v.12-14, 21-22—notice here, v.22, my translation reads "vault of the Earth;" those of you with King James will read "circle," a word not used by science to describe Earth until the late 1400s.

God here is identified as the God of Creation.

Psalm 8:3: "When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained;"

The realm of the universe is identified as God’s, and did it take a colossal effort on His part? No, it was the work of His fingers! The power of God indicated here agrees with Moses account that it only took Him six Earth days to do!

Genesis 1 is constantly referenced to indicate WHO GOD IS. Poetic allegory or historical account? God’s glory and power rests on a historical account.

C) Creation identifies the God of Creation as the God of Revelation.

Psalm 19

v.3—the Earth is testifying the glory of God

v.4-6—His Creation is described as a strong, vigorous bridegroom; power and glory shown here.

Read on . . .

v.7-8—That’s strange—why the sudden change of subject? V.1-6 is making testimony to the Law’s Maker—it’s creation is as miraculous as the first creation described, and from the same Source.

II Corinthians 4:6: [Here the apostles have had the Word revealed to them]

For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

This Law has come from the God of Creation. If God’s evidence of glory is a fable, then His law is of little consequence to us. It, too, would be supported by fable.

D) Creation reveals the deity of Christ.

John 1:1-3: v.1-2—In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

Also in John, in Christ’s prayer in ch.17, Christ reveals:

John 17:24: "Father, I desire that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou didst love Me before the foundation of the world."

Hebrews 1:1-3: v.3—And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power . . . Christ upholds all things in the word of His power—creation included, used to illustrate God’s power

Colossians 1:14-20

v.15-17—And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation.

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created by Him and for Him.

And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

2:9: For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.

If the process described was not a miracle, then Christ is not miraculous.

E) Creation shows God to be worthy of worship.

Revelation 4:11: [This passage is described as the Throne Scene.]

"Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; [WHY?] For Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created."

14:7: . . . and he said with a loud voice, "Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters."

F) Creation establishes the nature of man.

Matthew 19:4--created "from the beginning," not down the evolutionary process; man was created distinct from the animals in intelligence, speech, skill, and dominion; we are the only creatures created moral—a dog cannot be guilty of fornication or adultery, but v.9 shows a man CAN

So, according to the Theistic Evolutionists, when did Adam and Eve come along? What kind of pre-man were they? Neanderthal perhaps? Or were they simply the first monkeys capable of discerning right from wrong?

Genesis 1:26-27: Man and woman created "In His own image," the likeness of God. But there’s more to it than simply physical appearance.

Psalm 8:3-5: Man is glorified. When God created Adam, he was pure, without blemish, holy.

Ephesians 4:24: . . . and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Colossians 3:10: [the obedient] . . . have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—

v.11 describes this as a RENEWAL—we once again become what Adam was created as—a righteous being.

The fact that we require a RENEWAL further implies another thing the Creation shows...

G) Creation reveals man’s moral responsibility.

Acts 17:24-31: v.24—God is LORD, He performs independent of man’s manipulation, it is He who sets limits and, v.30, we are obligated to respond to Him. And how did he begin this appeal? How did he describe God to these ignorant, idolatrous men? He is "the God who made the world and all things in it!" HE is LORD, HE sets limits, and we are obliged to respond to HIM.

Is the Creation account poetic allegory, or historical fact? If the Creation described of THIS God, here and throughout Holy Scripture, is fable—THEN WE HAVE NO MORAL RESPONSIBILITY!! Because His glory, His law, His Son who died for us, is all based on false evidence.

This is no trifling matter, brethren. The foundation of the world is the foundation of the Bible.

I’ll close with one more passage . . .

I Timothy 6:13-14: I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Those men on Mars Hill that Paul preached two knew NOTHING of God—but that He was Lord, and He called for them to repent. When Peter preached Christ to the crowd on Pentecost, all they knew was that Jesus Christ was indeed the Son of God, and that they were sinners, and they had to repent and be baptized. The Ethiopian Eunuch read one chapter of Isaiah, and from that passage, Philip revealed his need to be baptized.

If you get anything from this lesson, get this: God, who created the world and all therein in six days, requires your obedience. His Son, who created the world and all therein in six days, died a mortal death for you.

Repent, confess your belief in Christ, and be baptized.