For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: How long did it take to create the heavens and the earth?
Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:
One Day
“This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven.” (Genesis 2:4)
Six Days: Genesis 1:3-2:3
(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)
Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:
- When dealing with skeptics’ claim of Bible contradictions it seems one can never be reminded enough of what exactly is a contradiction. A contradiction occurs when two or more claims conflict with one another so that they cannot simultaneously be true in the same sense and at the same time. To put it another way, a Bible contradiction exists when there are claims within the Bible that are mutually exclusive in the same sense and at the same time.
- One should be skeptical of whether this is a Bible contradiction given the Skeptic Annotated Bible’s track record of inaccurately handling the Bible. See the many examples of their error which we have responded to in this post: Collection of Posts Responding to Bible Contradictions. Of course that does not take away the need to respond to this claim of a contradiction, which is what the remainder of this post will do. But this observation should caution us to slow down and look more closely at the passages cited by the Skeptic Annotated Bible to see if they interpreted the passages properly to support their conclusion that it is a Bible contradiction.
- The skeptic tries to pit both Genesis 2:4 as affirming the claim “God created the heavens and earth in one day” against Genesis 1:3-2:3 as affirming “God created the heavens and earth in six day.”
- We have to ask if the passages support the claims the skeptics stated are extrapolated from the passages.
- I don’t think it is justified of the skeptic to say Genesis 2:4 makes the claim “God created the heavens and earth in one day.” The verse itself does not say “one day.” So its not justified to extrapolate from Genesis 2:4 that God created the heavens and earth and all it contain in one day. Also as we discuss below there are reasons to think the word “day” doesn’t always mean a literal 24 hour period.
- However I do think it is justified of the skeptic to say Genesis 1:3-2:3 affirm “God created the heavens and earth in six day.” For the first six days of creation each time there’s the word day there is the phrase “And there was evening and there was morning” in in Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31. Evening and morning is a component of a 24 hours day.
- I think given Genesis 2:4 did not assert God created the heavens and earth and all it contain in one day we already don’t have a Bible contradiction.
- Still I think it might be worthwhile to go further since one might argue that the singular word “day” in Genesis 2:4 might suggest Genesis 2:4 is saying God created the world in one 24 hour period day. Here it is important to discuss the meaning of the Hebrew word for “day:” יוֹם. I think one need to realize the Hebrew word for “day” can have more than one duration of time depending upon the context.
- The word יוֺם can refer to an indefinite time. For instance Proverbs 25:13 uses the word in its singular form (just like in Genesis 2:4) stating “Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, For he refreshes the soul of his masters.” The word translated as “time” in the phrase “the time of harvest” is actually יוֺם. Here its not saying there’s only one day to harvest but an indefinite time of harvesting. Also 1 Samuel 27:7 indicate the use of the term to refer to an indefinite period of time that later is identified more specifically in terms of duration: “The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.”
- Yet the word can also mean 24 hour period time moment. We already mentioned about the day consisting of evening and morning. Also there’s time where the Scriptures refer to a specific day of the month such as in Genesis 7:11, Genesis 8:4, etc., which suggests day in terms of calendar days, that against consists of an evening and morning.
- With this background information I take Genesis 2:4 to refer to an indefinite time period that is better translated in English as “time.” The word in Genesis 2:4 for “day” is referring to everything earlier in Genesis 1:3-2:3 about God’s act and time of creation.
- The Hebrew word having more than one meaning of “day” shouldn’t be a problem. Even our English word for “day” has two meanings: Day in terms of a 24 hours period and also the part of a 24 hour period in which there is sunlight. Meaning is always determined by context.
- Again the meaning of words are determine by its use in context. That is not a problem. Consider the example of the English word “whopper,” “love” and ““left.“ Also consider the examples of even words that have meanings that are opposites in our post Bible Contradiction and Contronyms.
- Thus there is no contradiction here. Seems like the skeptics need to learn from our post How to Handle Bible Contradictions.
- We shouldn’t miss that worldviews are at play even with the skeptic’s objection to Christianity. The worldview of the author of the Skeptic Annotated Bible actually doesn’t even allow for such a thing as the law of non-contradiction to be meaningful and intelligible. In other words for him to try to disprove the Bible by pointing out that there’s a Bible contradiction doesn’t even make sense within his own worldview. Check out our post “Skeptic Annotated Bible Author’s Self-Defeating Worldview.”
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Thanks for thoroughly examining and debunking this alleged “contradiction.” Once again, Steve/Stephen Wells tries to present the two texts as mutually exclusive, but the Hebrew doesn’t support that. Thanks for the word study.
You’re welcome! That word study was a rabbit trail and stayed up a little later to finish! Did the snow started today at Rochester?
RE: rabbit trail rebuttals
Yup, I know what that’s like!
It was snowing pretty good a couple hours ago, but not enough to collect on the ground. It stopped snowing and the sun is now out. I’m itching to get out there and corral the leaves that blew into the yard the last several days, but I’m better off waiting until the leaves and lawn dry out a bit.
What does your day look like?
[…] Bible Contradiction? How long did it take to create the heavens and the earth? […]
Thanks for the great research on this. Well done. Different translations deal with Genesis 2:4 differently as well. Makes your point I think.
Blessings.
I looked up online Genesis 2:4 in different translations, you are right. Think this article explain why commentators sometimes don’t translate with the word “day” given the range of the meaning of the term.
Ronald Regan said “We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.” So while not everyone will accept the arguments from Hebrew you give here yet some whom the Spirit teach, lead and convict will see the truth of God’s Word.
Great job with this! Yom does indeed mean day or lifetime! Praying I will awake for study!!!
Enjoy your YOM! That would be awesome, to join us for Bible study from your home! We be looking forward to seeing you and Gersom! Ok that’s my attempt at half rhyme poem, don’t you sometimes wish Hebrew poetry would rhyme with each line?
I would be fine if it rhymes, especially if it made it easier!!! I appreciate the parallelism in Hebrew where b is more so than a. I am also fascinated and intrigued by the affect of Ugaritic on Hebrew poetry/parallelism.
Seems like I always figured it meant ‘in the time that The Lord God Created heaven and earth’. But then, I doubt this fellow is writing for people who are Christians and actually familiar with The Word of God.
Like you when I saw this on the Skeptic Annotated Bible I didn’t see what was the big deal in the big schemes of things; but digging through the Hebrew to trace different meaning of the word took some time late at a night so I finished this around 4 in the morning. All that is to say I appreciate you reading this so my work is not in vain. Pray for God to use this for people to be help those who are looking for answers, etc
Amen!
I might graciously remind you that the universe was already 7+ billion years old before the earth appeared and we can scientifically say the first day came and went. In addition, it was likely 3.5-4+ billion more years before the most primitive forms of life appeared on this earth. Just a reminder.
I want to correct myself. I meant to say it was 3.5-4+years ago that the most primitive life appeared on earth.
3.5-4 Millions is what you meant right?
No. I’m Sorry. I meant to stipulate billion. HLH
I learned about the Hebrew word for day reading this
Great work and research pastor Jim. Thank you for your dedication to shoot down these non contradictions.
Thanks! I stayed up late finishing that; if you can pray God would use it to help those looking for answers as I know this topic of day and days can be controversial for many!
For sure I will commit it to prayer.
It is a controversial topic for many including believers. You did brilliantly explaining it.
I know it comes at a great sacrifice ( staying up late) . But we know only what’s done fir the Lord will last.
Reblogged this on WALKING BY FAITH.
Mr. Null and Void hates truth, I think.
Thank you Maw Maw for the comment. I think he does hate the truth. Seems there’s many of that today but we must continue to use the internet as a light for Christ amen? My state place a lot of restrictions for Thanksgiving how about your state, there’s no restrictions for Thanksgiving is there, that you know of?
None at this time. We still must wear masks in public.
Love that name “Mr Null and void” that’s kind of funny
Thank you.:)
We must believe the Bible is inspirited and must be true. You must have a lot of practice of breaking it down for even myself to grasp it
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