In the Bible: What are the Shortest Two Days of Creation?
This is a new series (1-31) of Verse No. in the Bible versus the Quran.
Verse No. 31 in the Old Testament says: God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
Verse No. 31 in the New Testament says ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.
Verse No. 31 in the Noble Quran says: but if you do (it) not and never shall you do (it), then be on your guard against the fire of which men and stones are the fuel; it is prepared for the unbelievers; those who reject faith.
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The verse No. 31 in the Old Testament is Genesis 1:31
The verse says: God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
Now, it is the sixth day of the creation of the heavens and the earth.
It seems likely that this sixth day was the longest day and it was full of activity.
Statistical study of the days of creation:
The sixth day of creation is described in seven verses of Genesis 1, from verse 24 to verse 31; and it took 285 words (10159 characters) to be described.
Verse-wise, word-wise and character-wise, the sixth day is the longest day ever in the process of the creation of the heavens and the earth.
The shortest days of the creation were the first day then the second day.
The first day is described in three verses (Genesis 1:3-5); and it took 51 words (216 characters) to be described.
The second day is described in three verses (Genesis 1:6-8); and it took 56 words (237 characters) to be described.
The third day is described in five verses (Genesis 1:9-13); and it took 120 words (518 characters) to be described.
The fourth day is described in six verses (Genesis 1:14-19); and it took 131 words (499 characters) to be described.
The fifth day is described in four verses (Genesis 1:24-31); and it took 103 words (439 characters) to be described.
It follows that the order of the days of the creation are the first, the second, the fifth, the third, the fourth then the sixth.
In other words, the first and the second days are the shortest days, then the fifth, the third and the fourth days are moderate days; and the sixth day is the longest one. This statistics is done according to the count of the verses, words and characters of every day in NIV of the Bible.
Summary of the activity done in the sixth day of creation (Genesis 24-31)
24] And God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures …
25] God made the wild animals, the livestock according and all the creatures that move along the ground.
26] And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing…
27] God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
28] And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish and over the birds and over every living creature.
29] Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you;
30] And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.
Hence, the activities of the sixth day include:
1) The Earth Produced living Creatures
2) Man was Created the Same Day that the Wild Animals Were
3) Man was made last of all the creatures.
4) Three domination: Be fruitful, Fill the earth, and subdue it and have dominion over the fish and over the birds and over every living thing.
5) The food of man and also the food of all the animals and all the birds is determined; it seems likely that the Bible is in favor of the vegetarians and even the wild animals’ food is the green plant (Are all the Beasts Vegetarians?). Also, the Food of all Birds is Green Plant.
6) Man the Image of God. Has the Female Too the Image of God?
All of the above points are discussed in the articles 24-30
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The verse No. 31 in the New Testament is Matthew 2:6
In the articles 26-30, Matthew 2:1-5 say:
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying: Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. He asked the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, where the Christ was to be born.
They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel. This is our topic, Matthew 2:6.
This is the second prophecy of Matthew about the Lord Jesus.
Who is this nameless prophet? He is Micah who said:
Micah 5:2 (New International Version)
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.
Upon reading Micah 5, the smart reader will find that Micah is talking about:
1) The city of troops, we never have such city in the New Testament.
2) A ruler over Israel, and Jesus was never a ruler over Israel
3) she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return, and who were the rest of Jesus brothers which return?
4) he will be their peace, when the Assyrian invades our land and marches through our fortresses, we will raise against him seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men; and this never happened to Jesus
5) etc.; read the whole passage and take your time.
For these reasons, the second prophecy of Matthew about the Lord Jesus is not valid..
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Verse No. 31 in the Noble Quran is 2:24,
Chapter 2 is Surah AL-BAQARA (THE COW),
Verses 2:1-5 are talking about the believers. (articles 8-12)
Verses 2:6-7 are talking about the disbelievers. (articles 13-14)
Verses 2:8-20 are talking about the hypocrites. (articles 15-27)
The address of verses 2:21-24 is general to mankind.
In articles 28, verse 2:21 says:
O mankind! worship your guardian-lord, who created you and those who came before you, that you may have the chance to learn righteousness(so that you will be cautious)
In articles 29, verse 2:22 says:
Who (Allah) made the earth a resting place for you and the heaven a canopy and (who) sends down rain from the cloud then brings forth with it subsistence for you of the fruits; therefore do not set up rivals to Allah while you know.
In articles 30, verse 2:23 says:
and if ye are in doubt concerning that which we reveal unto our servant (Muhammad), then produce a Surah of the like thereof, and call your witness beside Allah if ye are truthful.
In this article, Verse 2:24 says:
but if you do (it) not and never shall you do (it), then be on your guard against the fire of which men and stones are the fuel; it is prepared for the unbelievers; those who reject faith.
The meaning of verse 2:24:
And if you do not, do what was mentioned because you are incapable, and you will not (a parenthetical statement), that is, never [will you be able to], because of its inimitability, then fear, through belief in God and [belief] that this is not the words of a human, the Fire, whose fuel is men, disbelievers, and stones, like their very idols, indicating that its heat is extreme, since it burns with the [stones] mentioned, unlike the fires of this world that burn with wood and similar materials; prepared, and made ready, for disbelievers, so that they are punished in it
In other words, the verse means: And if ye do it not-and you can never do it-) this you can never do and if you try you will never succeed (then guard yourselves against the Fire) if you are bent on not believing, for you should fear hell (whose fuel is men) the unbelievers, (and stones), (prepared) created, prepared and preordained (for disbelievers).
This designates that the verse is very confident that Mankind can never beat Allah’s challenge because the Quran is unique, incomparable , peerless and inimitable.
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Verse No. 31 in the Old Testament, the New Testament in four different versions of the bible; and in the Noble Quran in Four different Translations
Verse No. 31 in the Old Testament
Genesis 1:31
New International Version:
31] God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
New American Standard Version:
31] God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very (A)good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
English Standard Version:
31] And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
King James Version:
31] And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
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Verse No. 31 in the New Testament
Matthew 2:6
New International Version:
6] ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.
New American Standard Version:
6] AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’”
English Standard Version:
6] ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
King James Version:
6] And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
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Verse No. 31 in the Noble Quran
Chapter 2:24
Surah AL-BAQARA (THE COW)
QARIB: but if you fail, as you are sure to fail, then guard yourselves against the fire whose fuel is people and stones, prepared for the unbelievers.
SHAKIR: but if you do (it) not and never shall you do (it), then be on your guard against the fire of which men and stones are the fuel; it is prepared for the unbelievers
PICKTHAL: and if ye do it not – and ye can never do it – then guard yourselves against the fire prepared for disbelievers, whose fuel is of men and stones.
YUSUFALI: but if ye cannot- and of a surety ye cannot- then fear the fire whose fuel is men and stones,- which is prepared for those who reject faith.
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It is very premature to ask this question:
Is the Quran quoted from the Bible?
Wait and you will see.
Prof.dr. Ibrahim Khalil
http://www.articlesbase.com/history-articles/in-the-bible-what-are-the-shortest-two-days-of-creation-684668.html
15 Responses to “In the Bible: What are the Shortest Two Days of Creation?”
weird time stuff in the bible creation story?
Comment made on February 14th, 2010 at 7:27 pmso some ppl say that the 7 days thing was metaphorical and each day was like 2 billion years in order to account for the age of the universe. but then right after that, when adam and eve lived to be about 1000 years old, they say that their years were shorter than ours. so… how do this time perception of reeeeallly long days suddenly transform into reeeeallly short years? christians, what gives?
I say genesis was just an old folk tale about the beginning of the world.
Comment made on February 15th, 2010 at 12:29 amReferences :
What is: It’s all crap. Medieval torture for 500, Alex.
Comment made on February 15th, 2010 at 12:31 amReferences :
The Bible gives the example that a thousand years of our time is but one day to God. If you read the first verse of Genesis, you’ll realize that the universe had already been created without mention of a time line before God prepared the Earth for life using six creative days that we do not know how long each day was to God.
Comment made on February 15th, 2010 at 12:33 amReferences :
"but with God all things are possible" –Matthew 19:26
Comment made on February 15th, 2010 at 12:35 amReferences :
No, that is called the ‘Day/Age Theory", which is in error. One problem with it is that the plants were created on Day 3, and the Sun on Day 4. So according to their theory, those poor plants had to wait millions of years for the sun to come up (as opposed to a mere 24 hours)!
Critics cannot accept the fact that the pre-flood humans lived much longer than we do now. They were able to do so because the factors that cause us to age prematurely today did not exist then. There used to be a 7th layer of ice or water above the atmosphere that blocked out the harmful rays of the sun, and increased air pressure on Earth, which made breathing easier and speeded healing. The also had a perfect, unpolluted atmosphere, perfect food and water, and perfect bodies. Under such conditions, it would be perfectly reasonable for them to live for hundreds of years.
Comment made on February 15th, 2010 at 12:37 amDuring the Flood, the layer of water in the atmosphere came down, exposing everyone to the damaging rays of the sun, and the once perfect vegetation was destroyed. Air pressure decreased, and healing took longer. In the Bible, after the Flood lifespans dropped. Noah lived to be about 950 years old, but the ages of his descendants dwindled down to 600, then 400, then 300, then 200, and today, few people make it to 100. If anything, we have DEvolved.
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Neither one of us was there so we can’t say for sure.
Personally, I believe Creation certainly COULD have been done in six literal days but whether is really was nor not is really up to interpretation. The word used in the Creation story for "day" (yom) is a somewhat ambiguous word which could mean a literal day, or it could mean a "period of time".
As for Adam and Eve living to be hundreds of years old, yes I do believe that. Some have suggested that back then the earth was either a bit closer to the sun or it went around the sun a bit faster so that years were 360 day instead of 365 and a quarter. I guess that would make for shorter years for them and presumably more of them.
But just because nobody lives that long today does not prove that no one has ever lived that long.
Comment made on February 15th, 2010 at 12:39 amReferences :
Read the entire section.
And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat (fathered) a son in his own likeness (God originally intended for mankind to procreate “sons and daughters of God” into the world; due to the Fall, sons and daughters could be brought into the world only in the likeness of their original parent, Adam, a product of his fallen nature; it is called “original sin”), and after his image (means that Adam no longer had the Image of God; the “likeness” and “image” are now after Satan [Jn. 8:44]); and called his name Seth (even though Seth was not the Promised One, still, he represented a ray of hope; through him, rather his line, the Promised One would come):
Comment made on February 15th, 2010 at 12:41 am4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters (the intimation is, Adam was able to father children, and Eve to conceive, for some 800 years. Exactly how many children they brought into the world we aren’t told. But it had to be many):
5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died (the family history of this, the Heavenly Race, is marked by death; no matter how long a member of the family lived, yet three words attend the name: “and he died”).
References :
Swaggart, Jimmy: The Expositor’s Study Bible. Baton Rouge, LA : World Evangelism Press, 2005, S. 11
The people who caclulated the time for the bible are just trying to resolve scientific evidence that there is no way the earth could be made in 7 days. i consider myself a Catholic but the old testament to me is more morality tales and fables than anything else. There are many stories in the old testament that can be found in different variations in much older and dead religions. What is most important (if you are christian) that you believe the word of christ and everything in the new testament.
Comment made on February 15th, 2010 at 12:43 amReferences :
The very BEST way to comprehend the Creation chapters of the book of Genesis is to remember the over all issue is not about HOW. The issue is about WHO created it ! The Book of Genesis, was never written to prove nor become a science text book. Many discrepancies can be uncovered in this book if taken literally, for one thing. I am a Christian and do know that these first, few chapters of the Genesis account are NOT to be understood as literal. (You notice that there is neither, day nor night after the 7th Day is created?) God was not describing the what in terms of HOW but wants us to know the WHO created it. Anyone who claims that the Book of Genesis, re the Genesis account of creation is to be taken as literal, has a lot of holes to plug. The Bible is 47% poetic also and contains metaphoric applications, as well as, parables to illustrate life’s spiritual lessons.
Comment made on February 15th, 2010 at 12:45 amReferences :
It could be construed as a mistranslation of a colloquialism, wherein the word for "thousand" was used to denote a mind-boggling large number. Since no one in those days even could think in terms of calculating numbers larger than their herds, they had to have a means of understanding the difference between "eternity" and "a lot".
Certainly, the writer of Genesis relied upon visions rather than actual experiences, or most likely, a story handed down by oral tradition. It is said that Adam’s grave is right beneath the execution spot of Christ….a visionary also told us this. But no one is allowed to substantiate it, due to the nature of the Holy Land.
No one knows what exactly is a "cubit" either.
Comment made on February 15th, 2010 at 12:47 amReferences :
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03191a.htm
Mt Calvary
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Calvary
etymology "the place of the skull"
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Comment made on February 15th, 2010 at 12:49 amGen 1:2 And the earth WAS without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
2 interesting notes here.
1 it does not say when the beginning was. the earth is in fact millions and millions of years old. these verses say nowhere that this was the first DAY.
2the word was that i capped is actually haw-yaw (pronunciation) it actually means become or to become. this means that at some point in time after God created it, the earth became a void. this is at the the time that satan rebelled and took a third of God’s children with him. this is LONG before God made man flesh. then God said that to prevent this from happening again, all of mankind must be made flesh, and prove their worthiness to God here on earth.
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Different people, different strokes – who said people are logical.
The seven days may be shown Biblically to be very long epochs. There is no upper limit except the earth’s age, which isn’t stipulated either. There is a minimum limit of ca 7000 years per creative day though.
Why do you think it is impossible for people to live a 1000 years (just short of) just because we live short lives?
Is there any scientific reason that you can demonstrate makes this impossible?!
Comment made on February 15th, 2010 at 12:51 amActually, the opposite is true, that is, if you did the research.
References :
It doesn’t specify whether a "day" meant 24 hours, 2 billion years or 1000 years. It could mean the time that passed from the beginning of an event to the end of it. Chances are that God didn’t create the world according to our Monday-Sunday, January-December calendar.
Comment made on February 15th, 2010 at 12:53 amReferences :
Well, Genesis only makes sense to me if I read it as it is. And that would mean the story is an actual literal account. The book goes on in the same vein right out of the account of Adam and onwards, in they same manner.
So I don’t have to look at values and timings. I just accept them as is. But I didn’t always. I mostly figured there was a transitional time thing happening there, but after 23 years of not really being sure, I ended up with Genesis as is. It only makes sense if you believe it as it is presented. The symbolism is in the account only as lessons of deeper things, not the actual facts.
After many years in the Lord I’ve learned a few things. Not much, but one of them is that people tend to want to order the things they believe about life. Very few escape this strong tendency. In spiritual things we all have to stretch a little beyond our understanding and true perceptions. It’s the nature of the beast. And in doing so, we may call what we have a tenuous grasp on….truth.
So we come up with many possibilities, theories and what ifs. Through poor mediums like text and challenging arenas like R&S, we all tend to solidify these possibilities a little too much. We each have somewhat valid points in here though, and that is good. Makes us all think harder about what we say to be truth. It’ll probably take a few of those "flexible" years for all of us to come round to admitting that we all are pretty much in the dark concerning a very big truckload of stuff. Adam and Eve is one of those things we can’t really say we have all the info needed to decipher everything. But, the lessons and understandings of the higher spiritual truths are there for all to see if they want. And that is the purpose of the account. Man was made perfect as a companion of God. He was given freedom of will in the form of a tree and eternal life in the form of another. He was tempted to be equal to God, called God a liar and made the choice that has plummeted us all into the mess we call life and death. Eve blamed the devil, Adam blamed the woman and God and the rest is literally…history. The reversal of these events, whether they were literal or figurative, is the account of the rest of man’s history to the present and on to the future. Trusting God, believing God, denying the validity of sin and returning to the state where we can eat of the tree of eternal life. A very long haul, but reverse it God will, without destroying the gift of free sovereign will He gave us so we could be true and valid immortal beings and companions of God.
You are correct in asking this question. We all should boil down what we know and what we think we know. And then focus on what we know, get on with the realities and start thinking about the meaning of things rather than dwelling on the exact jot and tittles. The real issues in life are not in the details, they are inside each and every one of us.
The account in genesis is very short. It was the turning away and the reasons and the results. The whole of the rest of the bible is the ongoing effort of God to reverse this very simple account of how we got into this mess in the first place. Understanding this is all that is required. Knowing that God destroyed almost everyone in the earth with a flood is important. The method and all it’s details are as ambiguous as genesis for a reason. So that we can focus on the meanings and motives for why He did all this stuff. All the details are just floor joists and walls and windows….they contain the contents which we very often overlook for fussing with our tools and measuring tapes. The building is square and level, but our eyes are hooped, so we bang at every corner and joint to make it symmetrical according to our own faulty view. And we often forget all about what the structure encases. The nature of God and man, their relationship and their dealings with each other must surely be more important that the framework through which they are presented.
Not the answer your were looking for I bet, but at least you don’t need a calculator, a time machine and a degree to follow the reasoning.
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. John 5:39,40
Godspeed
Comment made on February 15th, 2010 at 12:55 amReferences :
The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Ecc 12:10-14
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