I believe that Genesis Chapter 1 means basically what it sounds like it means. As a young minister to a bunch of college hipsters, this is not necessarily a “hip” position to take. But I don’t feel able to blend the theory of macroevolution with this chapter in a way that doesn’t severely compromise God’s Word. It’s no big deal to me to believe that God made everything in 6 days, just like it says; however, there is one question that seems to prevent a lot of people, even Christians, from believing that Genesis 1 could be true: if God made everything in 6 days, how come everything looks so incredibly old? When you look at the Grand Canyon, for example, millions of years come to mind. It looks like it developed so slowly. How could such a relatively small river sculpt such a massive canyon apart from millions of years? I believe the answer is this: antiquity is buried within the heart of God. Let me explain.
Among many other things, God is an artist. When artists express themselves through their art, whether they realize it or not, they are acting like God, who was the first to express himself through his art. If creation is God’s artwork, and his art is an expression of himself, then it follows that creation should tell us a lot about God. Romans 1:20 says, “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities– his eternal power and divine nature…” There is a lot we learn about God through his creation, but I will focus on one thing: his eternal nature.
Antiquity is buried deep within God’s heart. Daniel 7:9 refers to Him as the “Ancient of Days.” He is eternal, enthroned above time. Indeed, He created time. If this is part of his nature, then it makes sense that his art would reflect this characteristic. When we create art, it is new, and it looks new. When God creates art, it is new, but it looks both new and ancient.
There is something so mysterious and beautiful about antiquity. I love learning about ancient cultures, the earliest human civilizations. I wonder what their meals were like, their music, their conversations, the games they played, their clothes, their culture. I also love old houses. My wife and I live in an apartment near the historic area of Denton. On the way to our place we always drive by these magnificent old houses. One of the most beautiful ones is currently up for sale. We could never afford it, but we always joke when we drive by saying, “Oh, there’s our house!” It’s several stories, and has a big front porch with large columns. It was built sometime in the nineteenth century. It’s been restored, so it looks both new and old. This is a great example of God’s creation. His creation has been buried in his heart since “before the foundations of the earth,” (this phrase shows up so many times in the Bible that it’s not necessary to give any particular reference). His creation is full of newness, life, and vivacity, as well as mysterious antiquity. Like a beautiful old house that has been restored.
Currently, the earth is dying. Resources are running out, species are going extinct, people murder each other, and live lives of depression, anxiety, and selfishness. Even the sun is slowly burning out. Romans 8:20-22 says that “all of creation groans,” and that, “it has been subjected to decay.” Everything is out of whack, and the creation doesn’t perfectly reflect the Artist. But don’t worry! God has had an ancient, mysterious plan buried deep within his heart since before the earth began, to soak up all of the death and decay himself, in the person of Jesus Christ, on the cross, so that the entire earth and all those who live on it would no longer have to be subjected to it. And he rose from the dead, so that this old house and its inhabitants could be restored!
Jesus is coming back to the earth soon to finish this plan and bring newness and restoration to this ancient work of art, so that his creation will perfectly reflect the character of the Artist. I believe that at that time, though creation will once again be new and fresh, it will look more ancient and mysteriously beautiful than ever before.
So as we look around now and observe the antiquity of God’s creation, it only makes sense that the eternal artist could’ve produced an ancient creation in 6 days.
-Jeff
The McAdams 