Old Earth or Young Earth?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
B

BulletBite_45

Guest
#1
I am on the fence between the earth and universe being old (billions of years) or relatively young (6-10 thousand years). I am currently researching this topic for myself, but I thought it would be interesting to ask you guys what you think. Give your best evidence (both scientific and biblical) and help me decide for myself, and let's see where this thread takes us.
 

oldhermit

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2012
9,141
612
113
69
Alabama
#2
I am on the fence between the earth and universe being old (billions of years) or relatively young (6-10 thousand years). I am currently researching this topic for myself, but I thought it would be interesting to ask you guys what you think. Give your best evidence (both scientific and biblical) and help me decide for myself, and let's see where this thread takes us.
What do we learn about this from scripture?
 

Chester

Senior Member
May 23, 2016
4,270
1,407
113
#3
My starting point is what the Bible says - and the record of time it records. Thus I believe the earth is young - probably about 6000 years, maybe up to 10000 years if there are gaps in some of the chronologies.

When you take the young Earth as a Biblical fact, then you find that true scientific evidence agrees with the young Earth idea. I won't get into the evidence - there are plenty of websites and evidence available.

But if you make man's ideas the starting point - then you have to twist the Biblical record to match what man says. Backward approach.
 

HeraldtheNews

Well-known member
Apr 26, 2012
1,550
435
83
66
#4
Well, "on the fence" is not a very good place to be-- especially if it is in a distraction like the age of the earth. Likely only God knows, and He only well reveal this through divine revelation. Is it really relevant when the Lord's return could be so soon? Most Christians are taking life one year at a time, one month at a time, one day at a time, even one hour at a time.

John the Baptist and Jesus and all the Apostles said, and all Christians say: "TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION!" RIGHT NOW; THIS HOUR; THIS MINUTE... I think the LORD would say to you: focus on today; Not millions or billions of years ago. God exists today-- now; in the moment. Seek being real in the moment-- Christian teaching refers to this as the "eternal day" timeless-- even Einstein, who was Jewish, would say that God transcends time and exists within it and outside it-- therefore, one day equals a thousand, as Peter said and the Old Testament prophets said-- or one billion or a billion light years--- not sure where this is going, but--- go out and help someone in need today-- friends, family, people on the street-- Mother Teresa said this is where she found God...
 
May 26, 2016
828
7
0
#5
I am on the fence between the earth and universe being old (billions of years) or relatively young (6-10 thousand years). I am currently researching this topic for myself, but I thought it would be interesting to ask you guys what you think. Give your best evidence (both scientific and biblical) and help me decide for myself, and let's see where this thread takes us.

There was a time gap between Gen 1:1 and Gen 1: 2. It could have been millions of years.
When v 2 says the earth was without form, and void, The Hebrew meaning for, "Was", is, " Became".
God didn't create the earth formless or void, it became like that when the devil fell to earth.
SO God recreated the earth about 6000 years ago.

God talk Adam to refill the earth, just like He told Noah to after the flood.

So the earth could be millions or billions of years old but God's dealings with mankind, is around 6000 years.
 
M

MadParrotWoman

Guest
#6
Plenty of arguments for both. I'm also "on the fence" but am inclined to lean towards old earth.
 

Pemican

Senior Member
Sep 27, 2014
954
234
43
#7
There was a time gap between Gen 1:1 and Gen 1: 2. It could have been millions of years.
When v 2 says the earth was without form, and void, The Hebrew meaning for, "Was", is, " Became".
God didn't create the earth formless or void, it became like that when the devil fell to earth.
SO God recreated the earth about 6000 years ago.

God talk Adam to refill the earth, just like He told Noah to after the flood.

So the earth could be millions or billions of years old but God's dealings with mankind, is around 6000 years.
This is the view that I hold to as well, and because of this, I believe it doesn't matter how old the earth actually is. There came a time when God decided to create mankind and place him on the earth. Of course there had to be lots of preparation to make the earth suitable for human life. The dinosaurs would have eaten us, the ice ages would have frozen us, etc. etc. There is solid evidence from arctic ice cores that about 11,000 years ago, the climate of the earth changed from inhospitable and radically fluctuating, to stable and habitable for man.
 
Apr 11, 2015
890
1
0
#8
This is the view that I hold to as well, and because of this, I believe it doesn't matter how old the earth actually is. There came a time when God decided to create mankind and place him on the earth. Of course there had to be lots of preparation to make the earth suitable for human life. The dinosaurs would have eaten us, the ice ages would have frozen us, etc. etc. There is solid evidence from arctic ice cores that about 11,000 years ago, the climate of the earth changed from inhospitable and radically fluctuating, to stable and habitable for man.

for me as a Christian it is enough that Jesus believed in a young earth as He should know since He created it - wincam
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#9
I believe in a young earth, Two differing times separated by a catastrophic flood which changed not only the earths surface, but the atmosphere..

I used to believe in gap theory, But have since changed, The gap theory would have sin enter the earth before adam and eve sinned, and the "fall" as we know it to be.

I believe God when he said he created the earth in 6 literal days, And rested the 7th (later known as the Sabbath day or day of rest)

I believe he created the heavens and the earth to be inhabited as he created it, thus he created it to sustain life. meaning he created it in an "aged" state (the stars light already was visible on the earth, since their creation was for the purpose of humans to use at night.) And that God is capable of doing this, He did not have to create a star, and wait millions of light years for that stars light to reach earth so he could create man.. He can create a start billions of light years away, And have that star shine its light on earth the day it is created.

Same goes with the earth..
 

Vdp

Banned
Nov 18, 2015
479
8
0
#10
Does it really Matter?

As for me i do lean towards a long time period for the Universe.

Why you ask?

The reason being Adam and Eve were in the Garden at least for some time. How long was Adan in the Garden by himself? Nobody knows because God did not give us a time period like He did when creating everything.

Also how long was Adam and Eve in the Garden before Evev gave in to the words of Satan? We really do not know.

The point is the time between when Adam was created to the time when Eve sinned could have been a couple of days or a couple of Billions of years. We really do not know.

It would be great to know the exact length of time, but this has no bearing on my Salvation so therefore its not that important.
 
Feb 9, 2010
2,486
39
0
#11
I am on the fence between the earth and universe being old (billions of years) or relatively young (6-10 thousand years). I am currently researching this topic for myself, but I thought it would be interesting to ask you guys what you think. Give your best evidence (both scientific and biblical) and help me decide for myself, and let's see where this thread takes us.
Gen 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.


I believe the 6 days God created all things are 6 literal days,for after each day it says,the morning and the evening were the first day,the second day,and so forth.

Gen 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Gen 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Gen 1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
Gen 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Gen 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
Gen 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Gen 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth.

Some people say which came first the chicken or the egg,which obviously the chicken came first,for God did not use evolution,or even created young things that would grow,but everything He created was outright the full creation of it,in it's adult state,and then they reproduced from there.

Some people might say they do not believe it is 6 literal days,for they might not believe how all the creation can be done so fast,but God is an omnipresent Spirit,which the Bible says the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain God,so God does not have to move anywhere,for He is already there.

God does not move from spot to spot to create,but He can create everything at the same time,for His Spirit is everywhere,and He does not have to move,for He is already there.

God can create a million worlds in the same amount of time it would take Him to create one world,so when God created the stars,however much time it took Him to create one star,He can create them all,and the amount of time it takes for Him to create one fish,he can create them all,for he can create them all at one time,for His Spirit is everywhere,and He does not have to move.

The only other reasoning that I would consider would be that each day is a thousand years,but that does not pan out,for if God created everything outright in full creation,and in its adult state,for all life forms,they would not go on for 1000 years,but it started all creation done,and to reproduce,in 6 days,and if they are created in full creation,and in its adult state,God does not need 1000 years to bring them about,especially when God took a rib from Adam,and created Eve,right there on the spot,and Jesus healed people quickly,which means God can assemble physical matter,and whatnot quickly,and does not need a lot of time to do it.

The only conclusion that makes sense is it is 6 literal days,for God is an omnipresent Spirit,so He does not have to move,so He can create everything at the same time on that day,He can create quickly assembling physical matter,so it would not take Him 1000 years to bring about the things He created,and He created all things in full creation,in its adult state,so it did not go through an evolution process to take 1000 years,and the grass would not be producing for 3000 years,and the fish,and the birds,and the creeping things for 1000 years,or however long they think it is if they do not believe in a literal 6 days,before Adam and Eve,and the beasts of the field started reproducing,and since God created everything in its adult state,they were reproducing very close to each other time wise,for it only makes sense 6 literal days.
 

Pemican

Senior Member
Sep 27, 2014
954
234
43
#12
for me as a Christian it is enough that Jesus believed in a young earth as He should know since He created it - wincam
What is your scriptural support for this?
 
T

TrailofTruth

Guest
#13
If you add up Christ's genealogy, plus 2016 years, you will see that the earth is not more than 15,000 years old. It does not seem long, but look how far we've come just in the last 100 years.
 

trofimus

Senior Member
Aug 17, 2015
10,684
794
113
#14
Bible does not teach the age of the Universe/Earth/humanity, so there is no reason to reject mainstream science, imho.

On the other hand, Universe can be young but made to look old (so that the laws of physics can make sense).
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
36,486
13,065
113
#15
new earth, new heavens too.
 

oldhermit

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2012
9,141
612
113
69
Alabama
#16
My starting point is what the Bible says - and the record of time it records. Thus I believe the earth is young - probably about 6000 years, maybe up to 10000 years if there are gaps in some of the chronologies.

When you take the young Earth as a Biblical fact, then you find that true scientific evidence agrees with the young Earth idea. I won't get into the evidence - there are plenty of websites and evidence available.

But if you make man's ideas the starting point - then you have to twist the Biblical record to match what man says. Backward approach.
You can account for 6000 yeas in the Bible. I think one would be hard pressed to defend a time frame of much longer than 6000 years. I also do not think you will find any so-called gaps in the genealogies.
 

oldhermit

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2012
9,141
612
113
69
Alabama
#17
What is your scriptural support for this?
Jesus believed that the creation of man was at the beginning, not the process of millions of years of evolutionary changes. "But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female." Mark 10:6
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
24,442
13,289
113
#18
To the OP, may I suggest that you use the Search function... this topic has been discussed at length in this forum. Rather than copy-pasting, I'll encourage you to investigate. :)
 
B

BeyondET

Guest
#19
Well in my opinion the topic can be debated on, I think it doesn't do no harm to anyone to ponder this question. Will you loose salvation because a person can't comprehend the creation of time and how it is operated on a grand scale who can truly comprehend time but the One who created it. Looking at scripture the bible doesn't say how many hours minutes seconds in each day of creation before man was created or Even (minutes or seconds) for that matter in the whole bible why go figure?. Before man was created God had already created the signs in our sky for man to tell time and seasons etc..once God created man these signs these time hands are for us to know our life time bubble sort of so to speak if you get what I mean lol. This verse is in the bible "a day is like a thousand years or a thousand years is like a day" to God.

Some might say well that's the unknown hour of the coming of Christ no one knows which yes this is true but there existed words in past ages to say just that "no one knows that day in the future" so why a phrase surely the day like a thousand years can be a parable phrase of meaning far beyond our comprehension and this phrase is used in different verses as well. In my opinion God is the alpha n omega beginning n end, the whole bible is of the alpha n omega beginning n end. God is not bound by time he knows the future and past and does move either way how ever he wants for God created time and it is what it is God knows the true time of everything.

Using the day to thousand years example comparing to what we know from Adam to Jesus to today, AD + BC around 6016 years Christian belief, in Hebrew today is 5776 years. I'll use the 6016yrs

Roughly 365 days make up a year I'm pretty sure on earth? 365 day X 1000 = 365,000 X 6016 = 2,195,840,000 years in God time?. So in my opinion God could very well see us, created us, the universe, in a 7.1 trillion years time fame or even a million years is a minute to him and we are still in the 7th day or tenth day etc from God realm or 12.5 billion from man realm, or even just simply yes in the beginning just a 24 hour day of creation in modern terms one day but what is true time for this will be known in Heaven is my opinion.
 
T

Tintin

Guest
#20
You can account for 6000 yeas in the Bible. I think one would be hard pressed to defend a time frame of much longer than 6000 years. I also do not think you will find any so-called gaps in the genealogies.
Yes, the lee-way at most is about 200 or so years in either direction.