BGCT: DSM: Old Testament Text: Lecture 06: Creation

Index/Table of Contents
Old Testament and New Testament
Credits and Copyright

PENTATEUCH

LECTURE 6 OUTLINE

CREATION (GEN. 1:1-2:3)

Eight Theories of the Days of Creation

1. Literal 24-hour Day Theory

Each event of creation refers to day and night which equals one 24-hour day.

2. Age-Day Theory

The six days of creation represent six long periods of time which correspond with the geologic ages as determined by modern science.

3. Alternate Age-Day Theory

The six days of creation were six 24-hour periods of special creative activity divided by long periods of time when development and adaptation took place.

4. Progressive Creation Catastrophic Theory

a. Between Gen. 1:1 and 1:2, an indefinite period of time passed, during which the geological ages took place. During this time, the prehistoric creatures were created.

b. Around the time of the ice age of 200,000 years ago, a supernatural disaster occurred destroying much of creation making these animals extinct.

c. Then, the six 24-hour days of creation in Gen. 1 occurred. Refers to a re-creation rather than to original creation.

5. Revelation-Day Theory (Pictorial-Day Theory)

Creation took place over millions of years as science has determined, but was revealed to the writer of Genesis as six days.

6. Eden-Only Theory

This theory says that the Genesis account reflects only the creation of the Garden of Eden in six 24-hour periods.

7. Gap Theory

a. On the basis of Gen. 1:1, God created a perfect world.

b. On the basis of Gen. 1:2 ("but the earth became chaos and confusion" - a secondary understanding of the phrase translated "formless and empty" in the NIV) combined with Isaiah 14:12-14, Lucifer (or Satan) was placed in charge of the world and fell.

c. God then judged Lucifer and the earth which he had contaminated.

d. For millions of years, earth was left alone and the geological ages passed.

e. On the basis of Gen. 1:3-2:3, the earth was then recreated in six literal 24-hour days in 4004 B.C.

8. Sacred Week Theory

a. The writer used the concept of a week as a literary vehicle through which to get across the message of creation.

b. Emphasizes that the writer's purpose is theological not scientific.

c. God always reveals His Truth through that which is known, not through that which is unknown; the Hebrews knew the significance of the week as a unit of work.

d. This theory demonstrates that the creation of the world was an easy matter, a mere "week's work" for God.

All of these theories, with the exception of 1 and 8 are attempts to harmonize science and Scripture.

Resources

Heflin, Boo, Ph.D. Notes from lecture.
Hester, H. I. The Heart of Hebrew History. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1962.
Hill, Andrew E. and John H. Walton. A Survey of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1991.
Life Application Bible. Iowa Falls, Iowa: World Bible Publishers, 1990.
Packer, J. I., Merrill C. Tenney, and William White, Jr., editors. The Bible Almanac. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1980.
The NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1985.

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