The eight acts set in six days add up to a complete coverage of all the phenomena of the universe as we observe them from this planet. The scheme has symmetry. The first three days are days of separation, setting up three pairs of contrasting elements light/darkness; above/below; sea/land. The arrangement is stable, and vegetation (the fourth action) is part of the fixture. Then come three days in which moving things are placed successively in these three domains - lamps in the periods of light and darkness (Day 4 matches Day 1); birds and fish in air and water (Day 5 matches Day 2); animals and humankind on land (Day 6 matches Day 3). The effect is cumulative; the result is comprehensive. The style is simple, yet grand; the impression is majestic, overwhelming. It is a marvelous combination of plain narrative and high art. The fact that it is history should not shut our minds against its artistry. The fact that it is artistic should not soften our confidence in its truthfulness as history.
The word day in Genesis should then be read literally according to the above text, but lets just define it more clearly for anyone who might be skeptical. The word used for day is "yom" and can have various meanings depending on the content in which it is used. In Genesis 1 it is used in conjunction with the words evening and morning, and denotes a specific period of time, in this case 24 hours.The number and phrase evening and morning are used with each of the six days of creation. Outside Genesis 1 yom is used with the word evening or morning 23 times, these words appear in association but without the word yom another 38 times. In all 61 cases the text used refers to an ordinary day and no more. In Genesis 1:5 yom is used with the word night, and elsewhere is used with the same 53 times and once again can be seen to represent an ordinary day. The plural of the word yom does not appear in Genesis1, and can be used to communicate longer periods of time along with other Hebrew words like olam; tamid; dor or gedem. It may for some, be easier to look at the days of creation as longer time periods, but it does not confer with the language that is being used.In (Exodus 20:11) we read For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
The word day in Genesis should then be read literally according to the above text, but lets just define it more clearly for anyone who might be skeptical. The word used for day is "yom" and can have various meanings depending on the content in which it is used. In Genesis 1 it is used in conjunction with the words evening and morning, and denotes a specific period of time, in this case 24 hours.The number and phrase evening and morning are used with each of the six days of creation. Outside Genesis 1 yom is used with the word evening or morning 23 times, these words appear in association but without the word yom another 38 times. In all 61 cases the text used refers to an ordinary day and no more. In Genesis 1:5 yom is used with the word night, and elsewhere is used with the same 53 times and once again can be seen to represent an ordinary day. The plural of the word yom does not appear in Genesis1, and can be used to communicate longer periods of time along with other Hebrew words like olam; tamid; dor or gedem. It may for some, be easier to look at the days of creation as longer time periods, but it does not confer with the language that is being used.In (Exodus 20:11) we read For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
I don't believe God meant the word day, in the statement above to mean millions of years, otherwise we would never have any rest. Put very simply I'm sure that if God wanted to convey the message of millions of years to us, He would have inspired the writer of the text to use language that better reflects long ages. I hope this long lecture has helped you all, my blog will now be taking another course in direction, so be sure to keep up.
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