Were the six days of creation 24 hour days or thousands of years? If the evidence shows these days to be days of approximately 24 hours each, then it is clear that the theory of evolution cannot be reconciled with the Bible. What is the evidence?

"Day" (yom)

While "day" (the Hebrew word, yom) is sometimes used for a period of time irrespective of the hours involved (e.g. Gen. 2:4), "Outside of the Genesis 1 case in question, the two-hundred plus occurrences of yom preceded by ordinals [e.g., one," "second" srf] all refer to a normal 24-hour day. Furthermore, the seven-hundred plus appearances of yamim [plural form of yom - srf] always refer to a regular day." Walter L. Bradley and Roger Olsen, "The Trustworthiness of Scripture in Areas Relating to Natural Science," ed. Earl D. Radmacher and Robert D. Pruess (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub., 1984), p. 299
via Acts & Facts, May 1998.

"Evening And Morning"

The phrase "there was evening and there was morning' indicates one normal day. This is what Moses meant when he used the terms "evening" and "morning" elsewhere in his writings, e.g. Gen. 30:16-"evening" at end of a normal day's work followed by night; Ex. 12:6-"at twilight," lit., "between the two evenings" (see NASB footnote), designating a time followed by a normal "night" (v. 8) and "morning" (v. 10); Ex. 18:13-"morning until the even-ing," a normal day. This is how the people to whom and for whom Moses wrote would understand it (e.g. Josh. 10:26,27, Psa. 55:17, etc.). Assigning any other meaning to this phrase would be an assumption and contrary to the evidence.

Exodus 20:8-11

In Exodus 20:8-11 "day"/"days" occur six times, twice to refer to creation week. Is it credible that the two references to creation week mean thousands of years, but all the others refer to solar days, especially in view of the fact that the two references to creation week are based on the others and sandwiched by the others?

Natural Import Of The Language

Taken normally, the language of Genesis 1 favors instantaneous accomplishment (e.g., "'Let there be light'; and there was light"). This interpretation of the language accords with later Jewish writings: Psa. 33:6-9, "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made... For He spoke, and it was done" (Psa. 148:5,6; Heb. 11:3).

Difficulties With "Day" = "Ages"

Insurmountable difficulties arise by making the "days" thousands of years. How did the plants survive the years of darkness, as they were created on the third "day" and the sun on the fourth? How did the plants survive thousands of years without insects to pollinate them, for the plants were created on the third "day" and insects on the fifth?

Genesis A Historical Record

Genesis 1-3 is written as a historical record of real events and real people and is so treated in the rest of Scripture. Compare the superscription in Genesis 2:4 with 5:1; 6:9, etc. Paul wrote that woman was created "from  man" and "for man" 1 Cor. 11:8-9); that Adam was "first created, then Eve," and that the woman was "quite deceived" (1 Tim. 2:13-14); that through "one man" sin and death entered the world (Rom. 5:12-14); that "the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness" (2 Cor. 11:3); that God had said, "Light shall shine out of darkness" (2 Cor. 4:6); and that "by a man came death...in Adam all die" (1 Cor. 15:21-22). To deny the historicity of Genesis is to cast a shadow of doubt on the reliability of the rest of the Bible.

Jesus' Testimony

Jesus stamped His approval on the historicity of the Genesis account when He said, "He who created them from the beginning made them male and female" (Mt. 19:6). The day-age theory puts the story of Genesis two a long way from "the beginning." Is Jesus the Son of God or not?!

Evolutionary Time

Geologists differ on the age of the earth by millions of years. No reliable dating methods exist to prove the earth older than what the Genesis record indicates. Even if "days" could be made to mean "ages," it would not harmonize the Bible account with evolution.

The Bible vs Evolution

The Bible does not conflict with science, but it cannot be harmonized with the unproven theory of evolution. Which will you believe? Read Psalm 19:7-11.

- Think On These Things, April-June, 2015