GOD’S PLAN IN DETAIL – THE STUDY GUIDE

God’s Plan and Human History

When were the 7 Days of Creation?

This is a question that many people stumble over. The description of the seven days of creation described in the first chapter of the book of Genesis appears to be both very specific and in conflict with what we understand from the development of modern science. The ongoing debate over this has resulted in some of the following attempts at an explanation:

1. The Genesis account of creation is literally true and modern science is based on false assumptions and is not nearly as accurate as most people assume. Dinosaurs, and other prehistoric animals, all lived in the pre-Flood world.
2. The Genesis account is allegorical and was only intended to teach us in simplistic terms important principles that we should know about the power of God and human frailty.
3. The seven days in Genesis were really seven very long periods of time – allowing for a 4.5 billion year old earth.
4. There is a significant discontinuity between the first verse of Genesis and the third verse. The first verse of Genesis describes God creating the heavens and the earth. The second verse can be understood as “The earth became formless and empty. The third verse then describes God restoring the earth in six days, making it habitable again before resting on the seventh day.

This is only a significant issue because some people would argue that, if the Bible teaches something so obviously untrue as God creating the earth and sky 6,000 years ago in just six days, then the rest of the Bible must be flawed as well.

So, before going any further, it is worth reviewing again the credentials that God has given us for the accuracy of Scripture. If we stumble on this issue, there isn’t any point in going further.

Paul wrote to Timothy that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJVAll Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work..

He also wrote to the Corinthian church: “Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 NLTNow we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.

All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.
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So it is clear that God has inspired Scripture to be written so that we can understand sound doctrine and use that knowledge to know how God wants us to live so that we can achieve the full potential that he has planned for us. However, we don’t yet understand everything that we might like to know as clearly as we would like to.

God has never left us without strong evidence for the inspiration of Scripture. Yeshua and his disciples performed miracles as evidence that what they said was being backed up by God himself. John 5:36 ESVBut the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me., John 10:37-38 NIVDo not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.. The Old and New Testaments are both filled with detailed prophecies that we can check out for ourselves. If these prophecies have been fulfilled as predicted, then we should be careful to pay attention to everything else that was written.

Arguing that the Genesis description of creation is nonsense and therefore the rest of Scripture must also be suspect is putting the proverbial cart before the horse. We had better treat the book of Genesis with some real respect because it was inspired by the same God who can plan what will happen many thousands of years into the future and then make it happen.

When examined carefully, the first few verses of Genesis provide a very different account of creation from what is taught in today’s churches. To understand what was written it is necessary to look at the original Hebrew words and understand the grammar and usage of those words. The clearest explanation that I have found for this was published by Arthur Custance in his Doorway Papers. These are now maintained online and you can read his analysis of the Genesis account of creation at www.custance.org/Library/Volume7/Part_VI/Preface.html. Also see his book, ‘Without Form and Void’ – www.custance.org/Library/WFANDV. His translation of the first two verses of Genesis is:

ORIGINALLY, God brought into being and set in perfect order the heavens and the earth. But the earth had become a ruin and a desolation, and a pall of darkness hung over this scene of disaster. And the Spirit of God moved mightily upon the face of the waters.

While most modern scholars dismiss this translation, Custance has presented a strong argument based only on the linguistic considerations in the usage of the original Hebrew. Significantly, this translation fits perfectly with what we find elsewhere in Scripture and also provides a better foundation for understanding what scientists have observed in studying the geologic record, including what modern physics describes about the age of the universe. It also hints that Lucifer may have been delegated a significant role in the design of life on our planet.

Notice some fascinating observations about the pre-creation world and what God re-established in Genesis 1. The pre-creation world was incredibly violent. Life forms were refined by ‘survival of the fittest’, everything competed for survival. But, in Genesis 1:29 NLTThen God said, "Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.", God created all living creatures to eat green plants for food. It was only after Adam and Eve sinned that he killed an animal and gave them skins for clothes. Able became a farmer, and killed animals for food, and to provide an offering to God. It is almost like, after Adam and Eve sinned, God changed what he has created back to what Lucifer had created.

In Isaiah 11:6 NLTIn that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. and Isaiah 65:25 NLTThe wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!, we see a very different world being restored. Once again, all animals will eat plants for their food. There will no longer be violence and killing to survive. That was Satan’s way, and it will be gone forever.

God has provided just enough information for us to guess at these details of his plan. It tells us a lot about him and how he thinks, and helps to make sense of the violent world that we live in.

However, we must be careful not to let interesting theories and arguments distract us from the purpose for which we were created. We are being offered our place in God’s Family - immortal, powerful, and made as God is. If we allow ourselves to be distracted from our real purpose, then we will not be fit to fulfil that purpose. Matthew 13:22 NLTThe thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life and the lure of wealth, so no crop is produced., Luke 9:57-62 NLTAs they were walking along someone said to Jesus, "I will follow you no matter where you go."

But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but I, the Son of Man, have no home of my own, not even a place to lay my head."

He said to another person, "Come, be my disciple."
The man agreed, but he said, "Lord, first let me return home and bury my father."

Jesus replied, "Let those who are spiritually dead care for their own dead. Your duty is to go and preach the coming of the Kingdom of God."

Another said, "Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family."

But Jesus told him, "Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God."
, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJVAll Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work..

Did God create the heavens and the earth in just six days, or did he re-create the earth after it was massively damaged following Satan’s rebellion? How does this all fit with the physical evidence for the age of the universe and the fossil evidence in the earth’s rock formations?

When Yeshua returns we will finally know all of these things in detail. 1 Corinthians 15:45-53 CEVThe first man was named Adam, and the Scriptures tell us that he was a living person. But Jesus, who may be called the last Adam, is a life-giving spirit.

We see that the one with a spiritual body did not come first. He came after the one who had a physical body. The first man was made from the dust of the earth, but the second man came from heaven. Everyone on earth has a body like the body of the one who was made from the dust of the earth. And everyone in heaven has a body like the body of the one who came from heaven. Just as we are like the one who was made out of earth, we will be like the one who came from heaven.

My friends, I want you to know that our bodies of flesh and blood will decay. This means that they cannot share in God's kingdom, which lasts forever.

I will explain a mystery to you. Not every one of us will die, but we will all be changed. It will happen suddenly, quicker than the blink of an eye. At the sound of the last trumpet the dead will be raised. We will all be changed, so that we will never die again. Our dead and decaying bodies will be changed into bodies that won't die or decay., 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 CEVOur bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings that someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever.

While we are here on earth, we sigh because we want to live in that heavenly home. We want to put it on like clothes and not be naked. These tents we now live in are like a heavy burden, and we groan. But we don't do this just because we want to leave these bodies that will die. It is because we want to change them for bodies that will never die.

God is the one who makes all of this possible. He has given us his Spirit to make us certain that he will do it. So always be cheerful!

As long as we are in these bodies, we are away from the Lord. But we live by faith, not by what we see. We should be cheerful, because we would rather leave these bodies and be at home with the Lord.

But whether we are at home with the Lord or away from him, we still try our best to please him. After all, Christ will judge each of us for the good or the bad that we do while living in these bodies.. At the moment we can only guess.