Answers to Questions - Creation vs. Evolution

How could the sun, moon and stars be created on day 4... wouldn’t they be necessary for plants (day 3)?

This is a very unfortunate modern translation problem that helps widen the rift between Young Earth Creationists and Old Earth Creationists. First, consider the scientific problems. We know light and heat from the sun is necessary for plant life to survive. Of course, God could have provided other ways - volcanic heat, supernatural plants, etc. To a scientist, that seems a stretch. Suggestion: GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL WORDS OF THE BIBLE. To "create", out of nothingness, the Hebrews had ONE WORD - bara. Bara is used in Genesis 1:1 (and elsewhere) but NOT in Genesis 1:16. There the word "asah" was used. It could mean "made (past tense)" or "cause to appear". If God wanted to say he created the sun on day four "out of nothingness", wouldn’t he use the word bara?

On the other hand, if the earth was still in a state of relative translucent darkness (the sun and moon not being visible) the word asah would have been much more accurate. Or if he simply wanted to repeat the fact he made them (past tense) before talking about "marking the days and seasons", again asah would have been used. Consequently, pastors, scholars and people not studying the specifics of this passage make a very logical inference that the sun, moon and stars were created the fourth day. A more realistic and total consistent Biblical viewpoint would suggest that on the fourth day, the atmosphere changed allowing visibility. THAT by the way, agrees with scientific thought since even the very heavy atmosphere expected, could allow adequate light and heat for plant life - even though heavenly bodies may have been invisible. Think of a dark cloudy day.

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