406 – The Creation of the Heavens and the Earth (Cont.)

SEMESTER 1

406 – The Creation of the Heavens and the Earth (Cont.)

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE:  BIBLE SURVEY I LESSON # 6
CREATION OF THE HEAVENS AND EARTH (CONTINUED)

INTRODUCTION:

1. In the previous lesson we were dealing with the Gap Theory, negatively.
2. I tried to show how that the Scriptures presented do not teach this theory; however:
3. This alone does not disprove the theory, for the problem might well lay in its teacher’s skill and wisdom.

III: Many things the Bible does teach, are taught from the wrong Scripture.

4. Then, does the Bible, in specific texts of Scripture, drive us away from the Gap Theory?

IV. SCRIPTURE REVELATION OF THE ENTIRE SIX DAY
CRE­ATION

1. Gen. 2:4 says, “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.”

i. This statement is simply that what you have just read (in the preceding verses) is a day by day account of the begin­ning of all things. Note: verse 1 of this chapter, the heav­ens, the earth and all the host of them.
ii. Thus the statement is that all the creation was encom­passed in this account.
iii. The time element is most clearly set forth for this entire creation. (Gen. 1:31) (6 days)
iv. Were they literal 24 hour days? Well, they were composed of evening and morning, dark and light, thus we conclude they were.
v. Notice the 7th day of rest in Gen. 2:2, as related to the 6 days of creation in Gen. 1:31.
vi. Now to establish this conclusion, notice Ex. 20:11.
vii. To me the Bible statement is simply that in 6 solar days God made all of the heavens, the earth and the occupants (host) of them.
viii. The supposed problems of this interpretation come in 3 basic areas:

a) Harmony with geological “data.”
b) Emphasis on words create and make.
c) Time for the fall of Satan.

V. CONCERN WITH GEOLOGICAL DATA

1. These “ages” are based upon human opinion, not upon any scriptural revelation.
2. A supernatural creation excludes necessity of time for formation.
3. A supernatural creation precludes human ability to perceive the method of it.

VI. THE EMPHASIS ON THE WORDS CREATE AND MAKE

1. My previous interpretation of Gen. 2:4 is rejected on the basis of a supposed necessary difference in the words created and made; i.e., that the creation of the heaven and the earth in Gen. 1:1 and the making of them in Gen. 1:31 and Ex. 20:11 are not equal.

i. The claim is that Gen. 1:1 is a forming of something from nothing (original creation) whereas made is to form some­thing from something.
ii. The Hebrew word for create is bara, it has a much broader meaning and Bible usage than to create originally. (Read Strong’s definition in Hebrew dictionary #1254 page 23). The word bara is translated 8 times create, 33 times created, 1 time createth, 3 times creator.
iii. To confine the meaning to an original creation is violence to both definition and biblical usage.
iv. The word made is the Hebrew word (asah) which means to do, or make in the broadest sense. This most certainly can include creation.
v. This is obvious from the fact that both the words created and made are used to explain precisely the same act. Compare Gen. 1:27 to Gen. 2:22 and Gen. 2:2 to Gen. 2:3.
vi. It is obvious from the fact that the word bara is used concerning many things that were not at all direct creation: Gen. 6:7, Ps. 102:18; 104:30, Isa. 45:12, compared to Isa. 45:18; 54:16, Ez. 21:30 and Mal. 2:10.

VII. THE SUPPOSED NECESSARY TIME FACTOR FOR THE FALL OF SATAN

1. Scripture suggests that Satan had not fallen as of the 6th day of creation (Gen. 1:31) for God beheld His creation as “very good.”
2. Time necessary for Satan’s fall is no more (essentially) than for Adam to fall.
3. We have no knowledge of the time from Adam’s creation to his fall except that it was 130 years (Gen. 5:3) less the time for Seth to be conceived and matured, less the time for Cain and Abel to grow to adulthood.