A Literal 24 Hours or Much More, Part 2
The Bible does not divulge the exact length of each creative day, but there are indications that each of the creative days was 7,000 years in length. Although there are those who would have us believe that the “days” of creation were literal twenty-four-hour days they were not; they were eras of time, each era having an obscure dark beginning, described as “EVENING,” and a bright ending of the accomplished project, described as “MORNING.”
In accordance with this, it should be noted that, while God introduced light on the first creative day, the sun itself, which He appointed to determine the length of a twenty-four-hour day, was not visible until the fourth creative day. This does not mean that the sun did not exist prior to the fourth day, but simply that prior to this time, it had not yet penetrated the clouds of vapors and gas which were surrounding the earth and thus did not shine as brightly as it did by the forth day.
The creative “day” is a translation of the Hebrew word yawm (yom or yome, if you will, Strong’s # 3117), and while yawm is often applied to a literal day of twelve or twenty-four hours, it is also often translated “year,” “season,” “time,” etc.
The Biblical word “day” (yawm), like our English word “day,” must be defined in context to assure its meaning. For example, when we read of “Abraham Lincoln’s Day,” our thoughts are no more confined to a twenty-four-hour period than they should be when we read of “the day of temptation in the wilderness” (Psa. 95:8), which refers to the forty years the Israelites spent in the wilderness; or “the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens” (Gen 2:4), which refers to the whole time period or era in which the creative work took place.
Yes, but why should we believe that each creative “day” comprises 7000 years?
As we had stated in our previous post, heavens first law is ORDER. The LORD Almighty is not a God of chaos or disorder, but rather of intent, purpose i.e. order, all things are working (perfectly, orderly) according to the counsel of his will. Nothing is left to mere chance; everything is following the divine plan even the minutest detail. As the LORD so states, “Surely, as I have thought (as I have planned it), so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand.” (Isa 14:24) “Declaring the end from the beginning…” (Isa 46:10)
In other words God planed each and every day of the creative week, he knew exactly what he wanted to have accomplished and exactly how long it work take to bring it to fruition.
Now our young earth creationist friends would have us believe that God created the earth in six literal days, however as stated we do not share this belief. It’s not that we don’t believe that it’s in God’s power to so, to literally create the earth in six literal 24 hour days, or for that matter to create it in one day, for we recall that he created the entire heavenly hosts (the angels) in one moment. Knowing the end from the beginning he knew exactly how many he wanted, even as he knew the exact number who would compose the Christ even before the foundation of the world. No, the reason we don’t believe in the liter 24 hour theory is because the divine narrative does not support such a conclusion. Let us not forget, “He who inhabits eternity has no need to be in a hurry”, God is eternal we should not try to restrict him into our sphere of reasoning.
When the Lord established the literal week for man (the Hebrew word translated “week” means seven), he divided it up into seven equal parts or days, each of these days consisting of 24 hours, twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of night. In Isaiah Chapter 31 Verses 15 and 17 the Lord makes comparison between the typical week and the great anti-typical week, the creative week.
“Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Jehovah…” “It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’ ”
In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested. As the Lord established that each day of the typical week would be comprised of an equal sum (24 hours) we can rightly assume that the same applied to the great anti-typical week, the creative week, although on a much far greater scale.
“While God’s resting on the seventh day of his week was properly noticed as a precedent for Israel’s observance of a seventh-day Sabbath, it does not at all follow that God’s rest-day was a 24 hour day nor that God rested in the same manner that the Israelite’s were commanded to rest.
The Apostle (Heb. 4:3, 4, 9-11) explains that Israel did not enter into the real rest or Sabbath,–although they zealously observed the seventh day. He says that the reason was that they did not exercise the faith by which alone the real rest can be enjoyed. “We that believe do enter into rest [and thus have a perpetual Sabbath].” “For he that is entered into his rest [the rest of heart, in faith, given by Christ], he also hath ceased from his own works [from attempting self-justifying works], as God did from his [works–i.e., as God left the work of redemption and recovery for Christ to do, so we also accept Christ’s finished work, and rest in faith therein, with all the obedience possible].”
God’s rest day, instead of being a 24 hour day, is a day (or week) 7000 years long. It began as soon as sin brought God’s curse upon Adam. Instead of undertaking Adam’s recovery out of sin and death, God rested from any further works on behalf of man and earth, and let things take their natural course, purposing in himself that Christ should have full charge of man’s recovery, (redemption and restitution) to be completed in Millennial Day.” R1731
As further proof in support of the 7000 year day we refer you to, Creation, Part 15 and to Time Features of the Great Pyramid, Part 23, Rest and Restitution, God’s Great Sabbath Day, both of which explain the Jubilee and how it relates to the creative week.