Ross, H. Creation and Time Navpress, Colorado Springs, Co.1994
Ps 104 describes creation. Critiques of creationism: Allen, S. Steve Allen on the Bible Religion and Morality 1990; Ruse, M. Darwinism Defended: 1982 p 303,321 These references make the point that Fundamentalists are unreasonable and biased, an opinion which Ross believes is still true of how most scientists view creationists.(p 13-15). This provides a barrier to open exchange of views.
Early Church Leaders views:p.16 Philo a Jew, not 6 literal days, due to sun on day 4 and it moving, going over and under the earth. Irenaeus (130-200 AD) used Ps 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 as support for day as 1000 yrs. Hippolytus (170-326) used 1000 yrs. Clement of Alexandria (150-220) like Philo. Origen (185-254) not literal days due to the sun and stars on day 4 p19 He saw days 1-6 as man or earth day 7 as judgment and heaven.(and Sabbath rest). Augustine (354-430) not literal days, sun rising and setting problem. 7th day an epoch. Ambrose (340-397) supported 6 24 hr days.
The history of the debate is traced: The chronologies of Lightfoot and Ussher: p25 at time of King James bible. Light foot 3928 BC creation, Ussher 4004 BC. Chinese record older Johnson, P. A History of Christianity, Atheneum, NY, NY 1976 p 413 In the 1790’s + rocks fossils and asteroid raise questions on millions of yrs. Philip Goose appearance of age theory.p.29 Wilberforce- Huxley debate of 1860 on monkey to man- Darwin’s book. Wilberforce was a theologian, didn’t do well. Birth of Fundamentalism: 1909-15 publication of the Fundamentals: a Testimony of Truth. Fundamentals Assn. conf. in 1919. Scopes monkey trail in 1925: William J. Bryant, vs. Clarence Darrow. Following WW2 molecules to man theory developed. 1961 Henry Morris, and John Whitcomb did book The Genesis Flood formed 1963CRS-ICR 1972 Opposition AAAS Amer. Assn Adv Sci. Distributed Science 81 to teachers 1983 the Nat Center for Sci. Edu. formed. Reconstructionism by Gary North and Presuppositionalism by C. Van Til both supported the supremacy of the Bible. Whitcomb of ICR gives appearance of age theory again. P.42 A Hard choice- False dilemma: literal Bible or science.
A biblical basis for long creation days:p.46 The word yom for day used in Gen. has several possible meanings: 1. sunrise to sunset, 2. sunset to sunrise, and 3. a length of time up to ages. P.46 Evening and morning mean the ending and beginning of the day. He cites one example where an ordinal number is used for longer time periods than 24 hr days: Hosea 6:2 The 7th day in Gen. 2:1-3 has different format than the days 1-6, evening and morning is omitted. Citing Ps. 95 and Heb. 4 this implies the 7th days is ongoing.p49 For Gen. 2:23 he notes Adam says on seeing Eve “at last or at length”. He says this implies a length of time. For Gen 2:4 “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Jehovah God made earth and heaven.” He notes ‘generations’ is used with ‘day’ and it implies a longer period than a day. Some Bible translations don’t use the word day here however. Some Bible passages imply and old earth: Ps. 90:2-6, Priv. 8:22-31, Ecc. 1:3-11, Micah 6:2, Hab. 3:6 and 2 Peter 3:5
Ross offers an alternate view of the scripture to explain the galaxies and sun being created before the earth.(p.146-154) In Gen.1:1 It says “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This could mean the heavens were created first and the earth after. Gen. is written from the earth perspective point of view. He states the earth atmosphere could have progressed from opaque(due to debris) to translucent to transparent. This could explain Gen 1:3 where the earth first got light (atmosphere changed form opaque to translucent; this light was enough for plants). In Gen. 1:14-19 where there were lights in the sky, the atmosphere cleared more to transparent and the stars could be now seen form earth. In verse 16 where it says God made the 2 great lights, the original Hebrew word for made (asha) could mean a completed action and that it would fit with their being made previously but now are visible. Setting or placing the lights could mean adjusting their position. He cites Hebrew authors Mansoor and Archer as agreeing with him.
Theological basis for Long Creation Days.p.53 1. God is truthful: Ps. 119:160;Isa. 45:19, John 8:31-2; 10:35; Titus 1;2; Heb.6:18; 11:6’ 1John 6:6 2. The bible affirms general revelation in nature: Ps. 19:1-4; 85:11 “Truth springeth out of the earth; And righteousness hath looked down from heaven.” Job 12:7-8
“But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; And the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee:
8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.”
p.56 He says: “The facts of nature may be likened to a 67th book of the Bible.” On p. 67 he lists many verses about the voice of God in nature. 3. The Bible describes the vastness of the universe. Gen. 22:17; Jere.33:22; Heb.11:12 The stars are very numerous- maybe 1023. and due to light travel the universe must be very old. 4. Lev.25:4 describes a 1/7yr rest for the land. 5. Death through sin is not equivalent to physical death. P 60. Rom. 5:12 He claims the death referred to is spiritual death, and that Christ brings spiritual life. He suggests the verse is referring to soulish life of birds and mammals. 1Croin. 15:12-23 As
in Adam all die, in Christ all shall be made alive. Some plants and animals have short life cycles and cold have died in a one day or brief time period before Adam’s sin. 6. Bloodshed before Adam’s sin does not alter the doctrine of atonement. Heb.9:22 Not all animals death is for atonement, only those sacrificed. Heb. 10:1-4 indicates that animal sacrifice will not take away sin, but is a sign of things to come- Christ’s sacrifice. 7. Rom. 8:20-22 Some bible versions say bondage to decay and some say to corruption. Ross reasons that decay must have occurred before Adam’s sin. Food digestion requires decay or breakdown for useful energy. The decay more addresses when decay will stop and not when it began.p66 The process of energy usage and decay occurred after the days of creation., when the laws of physics were established. 8. God’s rest form creating will someday end and he will create the new heavens and new earth with new laws. Gravity would not allow a 1500 mile cube to stand. *see opposing view by AIG
Do long creation days imply evolution? P 74 The possibility of evolution of chemicals into life so remote that even 4 billion yrs could not allow it. Some say it took 3.8 billion and some 10 million yrs.p 77
Do long creation day imperil faith and morality? Ross points out that Christians believing in long creation days should not be accused of being immoral or nonchristian as he has been.
Scientific Evidences for Age of the Universe 1. Expansion of the universe and light travel time to the distant ponts. 2. Stellar Burnign, when the stars mass and brightness in known. 3. Abundance of radioactive elements. Supernova have final powerful stages of burning. Ages of U238 and thor.323 Summary(p. 101) age of universe=15-19 billion yrs, using a number of dating methods. Ross make the point p. 119-125 that we need to accept physical reality about the age of the universe and use real truth for winning non-believing scientists.
Embracing the Greatest Discovery of the Century. Ross make the point there is now good evidence the universe is about 15 Billion yrs old and it originated form a small center to start space and time and the source of all mater.p.126 The universe, our galaxy, and our solar system exhibit more than 60 fine tuned characteristics that argue for design. The COBE results also offer evidence of the prior bag and of great fine tuning. This has caused many secular astronomers to note the great design and some to believe in God. P.128 He states that some young earth creationists think that the big bang implies atheism and evolutionism. He say it does not, because of the fine tuning involved the process implies it had a divne guiding hand. He makes the point that to support life, the universe has the right number of galaxies(100 billion); and the our galaxy has the right shape and age, and our sun the right size and energy and age. Our planet and moon is just right for supporting life. There about 100 billion-trillion stars. He makes the point that the whole cosmos was assembled step by step over billions of yrs just right for life on earth.p.137
Attempt at Reconciliation: In 1977 a group of Christians met to discuss Bible inerrancy views(ICBI) They met again in 1982 and presented papers on earth creation views. Gleason Archer presented a view on the original language of the Genesis. The council concluded that adherence to 6 24hrs days was not essential to believing in Bible inerrancy. They Affirmed that General and special revelation are in harmony. They affirmed that Gen. 1-11 is factual, and not mythical. They say that God is the source of all truth in maters of nature , history and other matters. Extra biblical truth may clarify this. They did not make any dogmatic position statements about the 6 24 hr. creation days and hoped to welcome and reconcile all Christian by this.p 155-157.
*Ham, K. Answers Book 3 “Was there death before sin” p 109-17, Master Books Green Forest, Ak. 2010.
Ham says that Rom. 5:6-11 also implies physical death, since Christ physically died for us and we will return to dust as in Gen. 3:17-19 We will also get new bodies in heaven. Man and animals were vegetarian before sin, and man was to be vegetarian until after the flood; Gen 1:29-30. God also declared everything very good. A problem is then animals eating other animals, and having cancer and tumors before sin for millions of yrs. In Rom. 8:20-22 it is stated that all creation groans under sin. Acts 3:21 mentions that all things will be restored in heaven. It thus makes sense that the creation was good, then decayed under sin and then is restored in the new heavens and earth. Plant death and use as food is allowed as in Gen. 1:29-30. The Hebrew word for life here is Nephesh which includes soul creatures and some mammals and birds.