This article is the first of a two part series. The article is in response to a discussion I am having with a relative in regard to the Creation account in the Bible.
I would like to challenge your thinking.
In Strong’s Concordance the word ‘day’ is numbered 3117. In the Hebrew the word is pronounced ‘yome.’ It refers to the warm hours of the day, or from sunrise to sunset. It can refer to a period of time from sunrise to the following sunrise. It can also be used figuratively as a space of time, which is defined by an associated term. (Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary p.48)
In the Holy Bible where it tells about creation, the word ‘day’ is defined in the context of the use of the word. God says the evening and the morning were the first day (Gen. 1:5). The evening and the morning were the second day (Gen 1:8). The evening and the morning were the third day (Gen. 1:13). The evening and the morning were the fourth day (Gen 1:19). The evening and the morning were the fifth day (Gen. 1:23). The evening and the morning were the sixth day (Gen. 1:31). Thus, the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them (Gen. 2:1). And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made (Gen. 2:2).
Creation, thus, commenced the week, which is seven days consisting with each day being a one complete rotation of the earth. This rotation normally takes 24 hours. It has continued in this way to this present time.
Consider now Exodus 20:9-11.
Exodus 20:9
I would like to challenge your thinking.
In Strong’s Concordance the word ‘day’ is numbered 3117. In the Hebrew the word is pronounced ‘yome.’ It refers to the warm hours of the day, or from sunrise to sunset. It can refer to a period of time from sunrise to the following sunrise. It can also be used figuratively as a space of time, which is defined by an associated term. (Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary p.48)
In the Holy Bible where it tells about creation, the word ‘day’ is defined in the context of the use of the word. God says the evening and the morning were the first day (Gen. 1:5). The evening and the morning were the second day (Gen 1:8). The evening and the morning were the third day (Gen. 1:13). The evening and the morning were the fourth day (Gen 1:19). The evening and the morning were the fifth day (Gen. 1:23). The evening and the morning were the sixth day (Gen. 1:31). Thus, the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them (Gen. 2:1). And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made (Gen. 2:2).
Creation, thus, commenced the week, which is seven days consisting with each day being a one complete rotation of the earth. This rotation normally takes 24 hours. It has continued in this way to this present time.
Consider now Exodus 20:9-11.
Exodus 20:9
Six days you shall labor, and do all your work:
Exodus 20:10
Exodus 20:10
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD your God: in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant , nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger that is within your gates:
Exodus 20:11
Exodus 20:11
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Notice that for six days one is to labor. These six periods of time, as you know, are six 24 hour days. Finally, the seventh day is to be a day of rest. You know this is a 24 hour day. When God says that He made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and all that is within them in six days, what He is saying is that each day is a 24 hour period of time. To deny this is to misinterpret Scripture and lead to other errors in understanding the Holy Bible.
Notice that for six days one is to labor. These six periods of time, as you know, are six 24 hour days. Finally, the seventh day is to be a day of rest. You know this is a 24 hour day. When God says that He made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and all that is within them in six days, what He is saying is that each day is a 24 hour period of time. To deny this is to misinterpret Scripture and lead to other errors in understanding the Holy Bible.
I actually did a study on that same connection. It seems the reason to keep the sabbath is because God made the earth in six days, so in fact by keeping the sabbath we are 'witnessing' to this truth and there is a connection between that and the truth that the Lord "doth sanctify" us.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I would say though. Science is by definition a 'study' which implies ignorance. So science should not inform faith, however for non-scientific reasons it would seem that the "formless" and "void" and "darkness before "let there by light" implies from a hebraic standpoint a condition of destruction.
For example, there is no record of the creation of the angels, they are simply not in the record. So the record is limited. So is it possible the whole record is literal, but does exclude certain events that occurred before it?
Hermeneutics
ReplyDeleteHermeneutics is “the art or science of interpretation, as of literary or religious texts” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary p. 667).
Last week I started a two part series on God and time, “It’s a matter of time, Part 1” comment was made on the article by Jesse Clark which I decided needed to be addressed before continuing the series.
Jesse comments, “… however for non-scientific reasons it would seem that the “formless” and “void” and “darkness” before “let there be light” implies from a hebraic standpoint a condition of destruction.”
I disagree with this. Nowhere in Scripture does it state that destruction took place at the time of creation. It only says that “God created”. The curse of creation did not come until after Adam disobeyed God by eating of the fruit of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This one act caused sin and evil to dwell in all of creation. This is why Peter writes that God will do away with the old and create new “wherein dwelleth righteousness” (II Pet. 3:7, 10, 12, and 13).
Jesse, you are adding to the text of Scripture what it does not state. This is forbidden by God!
Proverbs 30:
Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Deuteronomy 12:32
What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
God requires accuracy.