Genesis: Length of Days

For CitiZendim.org I am working on a short explanation of the positions held by Young Earth Creationists regarding Genesis chapter one. Below is part of a dialog with a valued friend who takes the YEC positions.

LENGTH OF DAYS proposed YEC summary.
The six days of Genesis 1 refer to regular solar days, which we know from the first occurance of "day" as part of the day/night cycle in Genesis 1:5; whenever "day" is modified by a number, like second day or six days, it can only mean a true solar day; and God commands us to work six days and rest one day just as He worked on the six creation days and rested on day seven (Exodus 20:11).

LENGTH OF DAYS YEC article for ICR.org by Dr John Morris.

The length of the days of Genesis 1 has been much debated. Are the days of Genesis 1 regular solar days, referring to the rotation of the earth on its axis, or could each day be a long, indefinite period of time, equivalent in total to the vast time spans of geology? Such an interpretation would give solace to Christians who try to harmonize long ages with Genesis.

It is true that the Hebrew word yom,translated "day," can have a variety of meanings. By far its most common is a literal day, but it can mean "age." The question is, what does it mean here? As always for a word with multiple possible meanings, we must let the Scriptural context take precedence in discerning its meaning for a particular usage.

Interestingly, the very first time the word is used, in Genesis 1:5, it is strictly defined as the light portion of a light/dark cycle as the earth rotated underneath a directional light source, producing day and night. It is also true that whenever "day" is modified by a number, like second day or six days, it can only mean a true solar day. There are no exceptions in Hebrew. Any uncertainty is resolved in the Ten Commandments as God commands us to work six days and rest one day just as He worked on the six creation days and rested on day seven (Exodus 20:11).

Now consider that each day in Genesis is modified by the term "evening and morning," both commonly used words in the Old Testament. Can they be referring to indefinite periods of time? Standard Bible study tools define the Hebrew word for "evening" (ereb) as meaning simply evening or night. It is derived from expressions connoting "the setting of the sun or sunset," and associated with evening sacrificial meal and rituals. Often mentioned is the "evening sacrifice" or "returning at evening." Likewise the word for "morning" (bôqer) literally means morning or dawn, the breaking through of daylight, and reference is made to "rising early in the morning" or keeping the fire burning until the morning. There is little possibility of translating the word pair as "the end of an age" and/or "the beginning of an age."

The job of both Bible student and expositor is to carefully determine what the Author of Scripture is communicating to the reader. We dare not impose on the straightforward Word of God our own bias. We must stand in submission to Him and His words. Remember, God is all wise and wants to reveal truth to us, things we might not know otherwise. He can also write clearly. He will help us understand even difficult passages if we value His thoughts above our own.

LENGTH OF DAYS potential criticisms of YEC that I will try to find explained better.

The most obvious meaning of certain verses is that slow normal processes occured under God's direction. Gen 1:11-12 says the earth produced vegetation, and seeds produced plants. Gen 1:24 says the earth produced living land animals. Gen 2:6 says Adam chose the names for each animal, in the Hebrew culture that means he spent time to know each animal's appearance and perhaps seasonal behavior. At least the periods marked by the third and sixth yoms could most obviously correspond to several seasons or longer.

If the Genesis 1 "day" is a solar day, then the most obvious meaning of Gen 1:5 includes the existence of the Sun in its normal relationship with the earth, contradicting the YEC assertion that the sun is created during the fourth yom.

"Creation" is never used in the Scriptures with "six days" as if that were the primary activity of God in that period. Those six days are always summarized as six days of making heaven and earth complete. This is true of not only the original Hebrew uses of bara (create) /asah (complete), but also every Genesis one English translation of ten or so I have studied.

The use of evening and morning in Genesis 1 uniquely places them so closely together that there appears to be no room for a "night" between them, so what is being counted may not be solar days but periods of activity without a significant pause between them. Psalm 90 is attributed to Moses, and it provides an example of using morning and evening regarding the life-cycle of grass, which is much longer than one solar day.

There is no obvious reason why God would not describe completing the making of earth in six stages followed by rest, and command us out of respect for His work to observe six solar work days followed by rest in Him as a celebration of His goodness .

"For [in] six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy." Exodus 20:11, NLT

Since the "in" of Exodus 20:11 is not in the original translation, it should never be read as if obeying the command is our purpose (implying mankind was made for the sabbath), but perhaps that God takes our motivation about that command so seriously that He describes the completion of the making earth in six periods because He wants us to obey that command for our own good (the sabbath was made for mankind).