Doctrine of Creation

Beautiful Savior Lutheran

Week 8 – 22 February 2004

Professor Gary Locklair

 

The Age Question – Deuteronomy 4:32; Mark 13:19

 

0. How old is the universe?

 

Even though the creation model does not require either an “old” or “young” age, the Bible gives us insight into a physical creation which began approximately 6,000 years ago.

 

Although the evolution model claims a vast age of 15 billion years for the universe (with the earth being nearly 5 billion years old), there are scientific evidences to support the fact that God created everything on the order of 10,000 years ago in agreement with the Biblical genealogies.

 

 

1. Evidences of a “young” age

 

            a. Written Record

 

            Genesis 5 & 11;            Matthew 1;               Luke 3

 

            Jewish calendar – this is year 5763 since creation

           

            Luther, Newton, etc

 

 

            b. Radiometric Dating

 

            Deuteronomy 32:22;            Genesis 3:17

 

            method

                        percentage of “parent” and “daughter” elements present

 

            “Potassium-Argon” for rocks

            “Carbon-14” for organic material

 

            assumptions

                        constant rate; closed system; known initial amounts

 

            analogy – burning candle

            c. Age indicators

 

            Isaiah 51:6;            Romans 8:20-22

 

            decay of earth’s magnetic field

           

            existence of polystrate (vertical) fossils

 

            sodium is deposited rapidly in the sea

 

 

            d. Geology

 

            Judges 5:21;             Habakkuk 3:6

            Genesis 6-8;             2 Peter 3:3-7

 

            gradualism (uniformitarianism) versus catastrophism  [slow or quick?]

 

            Mt. St. Helens

 

            Grand Canyon

 

            Surtsey

           

            distribution of life after the flood

 

 

            e. Appearance of Age

 

            Not deceptive, but necessary – the biosphere was “ready to run”

            How old did Adam appear when he was 1 day old?            Genesis 2

 

 

2. Why?

 

            How old is old? J            Isaiah 46:4

 

            Why believe vast ages? For evolution to be true, universe must be old;

            whereas creation could be either “old” or “young.”

 

            Biggest bias = vast ages; evolution must have vast time to “create”

 

            But, time (by itself) doesn’t create!