Did You Know? (From Our "Did You Know?" Series) Articles / User Submissions Date: Oct 26, 2004 - 05:55 PM "Did You Know" the earth is much older than is believed by many christians today? Traditional religious beliefs hold that the earth is just under 7000 years old and began with the six days recorded in Genesis. This theory is incorrect. Science and the bible do not conflict in many areas when this simple biblical misunderstanding is corrected. The creations of the heaven and the earth mentioned in Genesis 1:1 which states that "In the beginning God created the heaven and earth" have nothing to do with the renovative acts recorded later in that chapter. The word "made" is not the same as the word "create" and to interchange them is to get an incorrect understanding of scripture. Hebrew for the word "create" means to "make from non existing material." Hebrew for the word made means "to make from existing material." The creative acts took place in the beginning and the things made took place during the six days of restoration of those things already created in verse one. Hebrew for "earth" means dry ground and proves that the earth was not created in the condition it is found in Genesis 1:2 which says: And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep." Hebrew for the word "was" in this passage is not the verb "to be" but rather the verb "to become." Thus the passage actually reads: "And the earth came to be without form, and void; and darkness came to be upon the face of the deep." God has never created anything in the condition the earth is found in Genesis 1:2. According to Ecclesiastes 3:11 -- "He hath made everything beautiful in his time:" Isa 45:18 states: "For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited." Hebrew for the word "vain" in Isa. 45:18 is the same as "void" in Genesis one verse two. It means: a desolation, desert, a worthless thing, confusion, empty place, without form, nothing, nought, vain, vanity, and wilderness. Isa. 45:18 confirms then that God did not create the earth in vain or void as described in Genesis 1 verse 2. There could have been many millions of years between verses 1 & 2 of the 1st chapter of Genesis. The words "let there be" as used in several passages in Genesis are "permissive" and not "creative" words. God was simply allowing the sun, moon, stars and other heavenly bodies which He had created "in the beginning" to once again regulate time and seasons as they were originally intended. The few creative acts which did take place during the six days of restoration are clearly defined as such and none of these concern the original creations of the heavens and the earth. So then, something happened between verse one and verse two of the first chapter of Genesis. That something was a devastation act of judgement upon this earth because of the rebellion of its inhabitants at that time. Yes! It is true --- There was life on this planet long before Adam. Thank you for the opportunity of posting TaBiblia (The Books) bible study materials here. If our studies are not acceptable or too controversial for this forum we accept your opinion and will not take advantage of your kind offer to post here. Thank You, The TaBiblia Staff This article comes from World's Largest Prayer Board Annointed.net News http://www.annointed.net/ The URL for this story is: http://www.annointed.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=727