How old is the earth?

[Jay Ross]

I've seen many people get lost in the weeds thinking they've uncovered all these hidden nuances in the Hebrew of the OT. The context and wording is clear.

In six days God created everything, and on the seventh day He rested, so you also rest on the seventh day. So, what is the question about how long is a day? How long was the sabbath rest? 24 hours. How long is a day? 24 hours. How long did God spend creating? 6 x 24 hours.

Much love!

Mark, it seems to me that many people have got lost in the weeds thinking they have uncovered all these hidden nuances in the Hebrew of the OT. The context and wording is clear.

We all really have no clear understanding as to how long God took to complete the creation of the earth. Whether the Creation of the earth is a young or old earth, the understanding has no bearing on whether or not we form a relationship with God. Sadly many "Christians" argue whether or not the earth is a young earth or an old earth to bolster their adoption of either timespan for the creation of the earth and as such they hang all of their theological understanding on either the young or the old earth theories.

Rather than trying to solve this riddle of whether the earth is a young or an old earth, I believe that the creation account is a thumb nail account of how God did create the earth. The creation account in Genesis 1-2 only requires us to believe that God is the creator of all things and that He is trustworthy in all things.

As such, any differences in how long God took to create the earth and the surrounding universe becomes a pointless discussion and we will never come to an understanding of the greatness of God if we sink into the quagmire of a discussion on this very topic of how long God took in Genesis 1-2 to create the heavens and the earth.

What we should be concerned about is our relationship with God and whether or not God will consider us to be righteous.

Shalom

 

[NayborBear]

(Disclaimer)
This is a topic meant only for "some" as the depth and implications to those ears and eyes that don't/can't see as clearly as others oft times negates or impedes God's plan of salvation by Grace through faith in Jesus Christ of Nazareth as the pursuits or seekings of such a "riddle" (as can be seen in postings here) gives way to much speculation.

Having said that?

Genesis 1
2 And the earth was (BECAME) without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

As the WORD which comes forth from God's mouth does not RETURN to Him void?
This insinuates that there was SOMETHING going on that the Genesis account did not elaborate on and that this 3rd rock from the sun is certainly older then the 6-15,000 years believed by many Christian, if not all denominations.

This account revealed to Jeremiah by Jehovah also collaborates this:

Jeremiah 4
23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger.
27 For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.


And yet again in the N.T. by Peter:

2 Peter 3
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

 

[Lambano]

How old is the earth?​

Old enough to know better, young enough not to care?

 

[Davy]

There is an UNKNOWN gap of time between Genesis 1:1 when God created a PERFECT creation in the beginning, and Genesis 1:2 with the earth shown having been laid waste and is without form and void, which is actually the idea of 'a waste and a ruin' per Hebrew tohu va bohu.