What Does The Bible Say?
Question- Is the earth really 4.543 billion years old? Where does this number come from?
Answer- Interestingly, the age of the earth has changed gradually over the years. In 1900, the earth was said to be 30 million years old. In 1925, some said it was 3 billion years and now we have been told that the earth is 4.543 billion years old. All of these numbers are mere guesses by men. Radiometric dating methods are based on assumptions that may not hold true, which leads to highly inaccurate conclusions.
The Bible says if you follow the genealogies of Genesis 5-11 that, the earth is around 6000 years old. It is clear that Abraham lived about 2000 years after creation and we know from bible records that Abraham lived 2000 years before Christ. We are now in 2025, so that would make the age of the earth a little over 6000 years old.
In Genesis 1 and 2, we read that the creation of the world and everything in it was made in 6 literal days. Everything that God made had apparent age in it from the beginning. This is a fact that the old age earth people do not want to talk about. God made trees full-grown. He made man full-grown. After each day’s word by God was completed, God said- “and the evening and the morning were the first day, second day, third day, and so on…” The Hebrew word for Day in these passages is the word “Yom,” and when used in conjunction with a number, it always means a 24-hour period. Also, many fail to realize that time was made by God and is the boundary for man, not Himself. God is eternal and, therefore, not time-bound. We are bound by time as humans. Since God made time, the question arises: if a day at some point changes from a 24-hour period, where is the evidence for such a cataclysmic change? The geology of the earth would certainly have evidence that would show that something like this happened. There is no such geologic evidence of such a thing happening. When you speak with scientists who changed from the old age earth to the young age earth, they will tell you that they changed when they actually considered the evidence. When asked why they formerly believed in an old age earth, they said they assumed and never questioned what others were saying. The fact is that no one can prove the earth is 4.543 billion years old. That number will likely change in our lifetimes and then what will we say about those who believe in the 4.53 number????
The Bible is very clear that the earth is younger than the numbers many scientists believe it to be. But those scientists are not all scientists. About 30 percent of scientists believe the earth is less than 10000 years old. In order to get to the high number, a lot of speculation and assuming has to be followed.
The Bible is not a book of speculation and assumptions. Truth is unchanging, and the facts of creation and the length of time needed for a day are very reliable. Following that fact, we can prove the earth is what the Bible teaches it to be. Also, we might ask in closing how old you are. Think about how old you were when you were born, and calculate your age based on a day of 24 hours. If the earth is 4.543 billion years old, then how old was a person the day it was changed by some scientists from 30 million to 3 billion to 4.543 billion years old? Why would we age the earth any differently than we age ourselves??? It is ridiculous for anyone to believe their age is in the millions or billions! Believe the bible account and you will never go wrong.
Please address all questions and comments to us at What Does the Bible Say? c/o Maple Street Church of Christ P.O. Box 3086, Liberty, TX 77575 and visit our website at maplestreetliberty.org