The Age of the Earth

[Noblesurvey]

Hey guys,

Just wondering how old you all think our earth is from a biblical perspective?

I am not sure and find it difficult to answer in truth, when questioned by a non-beleiver about carbon dating, dinosaurs etc.

So I wanted to ask all of you what you have learnt on the matter and what the bible says.

Looking forward to hearing from you all!

God Bless

[David Taylor]

The Bible doesn't date History, although it does contain much history, and genealogies. It's purpose is to tell Man about God and share the gospel of His Son.

Attempts have been made, but they aren't verifiable and at best speculative.

[Noblesurvey]

Ok, Thanks.

But do you think 300 million years etc. as the evolutionists throw around is likely?

Did man and dinosaurs co-exist? It seems that they must have from the account of creation in Genesis, I need to know more!

[David Taylor]

what is your starting point of basing truth?

1) Bible

or

2) What Scientists claim

Knowing this answer should determine how strong the foundation is.

Then build up on the foundation.

[Noblesurvey]

Ok,

So, Personally, I base truth on the bible obviously.

But how do you answer someone who doesn't when they ask you questions about dinosaurs and have been bombarded their whole life (through TV and culture) that the earth is 300(or something like that) million years old, but the genealogies of the bible (and my somewhat limited knowledge) would infer something around 10 000 years.

Does any one know the accuracy of carbon dating and like measures of time? Also, the ark wasn't big enough for dinosuars so would they have been extinct before the flood or what?

I just have to get some answers for some guys I have been talking to and don't know where to find them.

[RJ Mac]

I date creation to have happened 8,000 BC.
Adam to Noah is about a 2000 yr span, judging the genealogies.
The flood happened 6,000 BC, Tower of Babel 5,000 BC

First evidences of civilizations are found 3800 BC which makes sense
after man has been scattered with languages, its time for the populations
to grow and start building cities.

Using scientific dating methods is great but they cannot account for the
age theory. Everything was created with age, as stated by God, the trees
were full grown and fruit bearing on day 3. Adam had full vocabulary on
day 6 and gave names to the animals. He and Eve were told to go forth
and multiply. Everything was created with age, including the rocks and
stars.

It is not deceptive of God to do so, because He told us He did, therefore
the deception is in those who claim otherwise. But what about all those
dating techniques? How old was Adam on day 6 - minutes old, but using
dating techniques he would have to be at least 16 years old to accomplish
all he could on that day, according to science but not according to Truth.

God's Word is Truth, Jesus is the Word, Jesus is God. I believe in Jesus.
One day God is going to judge every man who has ever lived and send
them to their eternal reward, impossible says scientists, but as Christians
we believe.

You will never win the argument of dating the earth, there is no physical
evidence that points to the existence of God that will win the argument.
Ro.1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal
power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through
what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

May God give you the words, that will plant the seed, in the hearts of those
you love so much and are trying to introduce to Christ.

RJ

[Noblesurvey]

Many thanks RJ.

That confirms my "calculations" based on the genealogies and what you stated accounts for the apparent discrepancy with the age of things aqcuired through dating techniques, which I am comfortable to accept.

Has anyone else heard of dating rocks by the amount of helium in them? I read in a magazine (I think it was the "creation" magazine) that the amount of helium still trapped in some of the "oldest" granite known of, would confirm an age of around 10,000 years.

I can't remember if thats where I read it though, so If anyone else has heard this and can direct me to it or something like it, it would be greatly appreciated.

[markedward]

Sometimes Carbon-dating can be very accurate... sometimes very inaccurate.

Recently, Carbon-dating placed a piece of ancient pottery found in Israel to around 1000 BC, the supposed era of David. Christians clamor all over it and say, "Look, Carbon-dating proves the Bible!"

A few years ago, Carbon-dating placed a living snail to some ludicrously ancient year (I forget the exact number... but it was well before 1000 BC). Christians climb on this and claim, "Look, Carbon-dating can't be trusted!"

Basically... don't use Carbon-dating as your only method for dating anything, because it just isn't 100% reliable.

[teddyv]

Just wanted to jump in with a reminder that carbon-dating is only good to about 50,000 years. Other methods are used when dating rocks (K-Ar, U-Pb, etc.)

[David Taylor]

Ok,

So, Personally, I base truth on the bible obviously.

But how do you answer someone who doesn't when they ask you questions about dinosaurs and have been bombarded their whole life (through TV and culture) that the earth is 300(or something like that) million years old, but the genealogies of the bible (and my somewhat limited knowledge) would infer something around 10 000 years.

Does any one know the accuracy of carbon dating and like measures of time? Also, the ark wasn't big enough for dinosuars so would they have been extinct before the flood or what?

I just have to get some answers for some guys I have been talking to and don't know where to find them.

Why not simply be honest enough to tell them you don't believe that 300 million year old stuff; and you believe the Bible tells us that life on Earth is simply much younger than that...even though it doesn't go into extreme details on specific dating?

Maybe that will open the door to share the gospel with them; and if it doesn't or if they become hostile towards the bible being mentioned; then no amount of arguement or evidence is going to change their minds.

Romans 1:28 "even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself"

No amount of evidence, debate, or knowlege will win anyone to Christ; only through the working of the Holy Spirit to soften their heart can change come.

[watchinginawe]

Hey guys,

Just wondering how old you all think our earth is from a biblical perspective?

This is a little off topic, but probably relevant.

Consider the following verses:

Genesis 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

I think it is safe to assume that Adam was a gardener.

Additionally:

Genesis 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Cain was a farmer and Abel was a herder. So we have in the second generation of man both agriculture and animal domestication.

Calculating back in time using the Bible, scholars have generally aged the events of Cain and Abel as about 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. There are different reckonings to come up with this, but just accepting the above for a moment, we also have the following agreement from science (the following from http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg13318084.000.html ):

Among the herbivores, goat and sheep were domesticated first, around 9000 years ago, followed by cattle and pig. Domestication of the horse came last, chiefly in Ukraine, around 5000 years ago.

Really, when you consider it, that is pretty coincident.

God Bless!

[Levin]

I personally think that the Earth is 4.5 Billion years old...and I believe that scripture is inerrant.

Levin

[Noblesurvey]

Thanks for the resources guys, I will be studying them over the next day or so.

Levin,

How do you come to that understanding?

[threebigrocks]

But how do you answer someone who doesn't when they ask you questions about dinosaurs and have been bombarded their whole life (through TV and culture) that the earth is 300(or something like that) million years old, but the genealogies of the bible (and my somewhat limited knowledge) would infer something around 10 000 years.

Does any one know the accuracy of carbon dating and like measures of time? Also, the ark wasn't big enough for dinosuars so would they have been extinct before the flood or what?

I just have to get some answers for some guys I have been talking to and don't know where to find them.

Many times, these sort of people are looking to refute Christianity. If they do not have faith, most times (not all) we are left with scripture looking foolish. Discuss the gospel instead!

This is best suited to the Apologetics and Evangelism forum, moving it there for continued discussion.

[GitRDunn]

Before I say what I want to say, I want to make it clear that I believe everything in the Bible and that it is 100% fact.

From my own knowledge and the studying I have done, I have come to the conclusion that I can't say whether Creationism or Evolution was the way the Earth was made. Obviously Creationism is supported by the Bible if you take the beginning of Genesis as straightforward, but as many other things in the Bible are, it could always be metaphorical. God is living in eternity, so a day could be any length to him, it wouldn't have fit with our concept of a "day". Also, as I plan on majoring in Chemistry in college I realize the arguments for and against Carbon dating, which is another reason I can't decide. In my opinion, with the knowledge available to us on Earth, from God and science and anything else, I think that the only fact we can be positive of in relation to this is that whether it was Creationism or Evolution, God controlled it.