It was a weird day when an atheist taught me creation theology. I didn’t expect a person who openly denies God’s existence would have any useful insight into the origins of the universe but in a single 72 hour day, a devout pagan helped me understand the truthfulness of scripture.
After a loooooooong exchange about God creating everything ‘from nothing,’ JZ (the atheist) said, “There was never nothing.” As I set myself to the task of rebutting his ridiculous, unbiblical statement I realized (to my horror) that he was correct. I was taught that God brought the universe into existence ‘from nothing’ (ex nihilo). My theology ignored the existence of the eternal, omnipotent Creator. JZ reminded me that God is NOT ‘nothing.’
God is the source of (literally) everything. God does not have ‘a beginning.’ The very first verse of the Bible presents me with a paradox that goes beyond my ability to comprehend. God doesn’t require me to comprehend his existence, he requires me to believe, obey and love him.
“John, you jerk! The Bible is clear that God created everything during a period of 6 literal 24 hour days! If you deny that, you’re calling God a liar!!!!”
When I read Genesis 2:17, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” I can’t help but notice that both Adam and Eve lived on after the day they ate from the tree. I don’t think God lied. I also think that any definitions I make about the meaning of the word ‘day’ should be applied to Genesis 1 if I’m going to be fair and consistent.
Fortunately, God told me that His time tables are different from mine. A day is like a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8) and even though I can’t comprehend it, I believe it. When God tells me it takes ‘a day’ to do something, He doesn’t expect me to mark it on my calendar.
And if it makes you happy to confine the creation process to 144 hours as measured on Earth, I’m not going to call you names. I don’t believe your faith rests on your convictions about Genesis 1-11. I think your beliefs about Jesus matter and your beliefs about creation, while fun to discuss, are ultimately going to be mistaken. I feel the same way about my own. I trust God will be lenient of my ignorance.
(Psalm 67:1) May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.