How old is the Earth?
The Devotional Answer
When we encounter a topic like the age of the Earth, the devotional answer is to remember the identity of the Creator rather than focusing solely on the timeline. God is eternal, all-powerful, and the source of all truth, whether revealed through His Word (the Bible) or through His creation (Science).
The most important truth is not when He created, but that He created. This subject often causes division, but our primary purpose as Christians is to love God and love others (Mark 12:30-31), regardless of which view of the Earth's age we hold. God gives us the freedom to study both His Word and His world.
The Simple Answer
The question of the Earth's age creates two primary views within Christianity, each with different starting points:
The Scientific View (Old Earth): Based on methods like radiometric dating of rocks and meteorites, the scientific consensus is that the Earth is approximately 4.54 billion years old. This view requires interpreting the "days" of Genesis 1 as long periods of time.
The Biblical View (Young Earth): Based on literally adding up the genealogies (family lines) and creation days found in Genesis, this interpretation suggests the Earth is only about 6,000 to 10,000 years old. This view requires interpreting all scientific evidence of an old earth as misinterpretable or as evidence of a massive global event (like the Flood) that distorted dating results.
The Deeper Dive:
The difference between a 6,000-year-old Earth and a 4.5-billion-year-old Earth comes down to how a person reads Genesis 1:
1. Young Earth Creationism (YEC)
Proponents believe the Bible should be taken as a literal, historical record from the very first verse.
The Six 24-Hour Days: They insist that the word yom (Hebrew for "day") in Genesis 1 means a standard, 24-hour solar day, just as we understand it now.
Genealogical Math: By adding up the ages of the patriarchs (Adam, Seth, Enosh, etc.) listed in Genesis 5 and 11, they calculate the time from creation to Abraham, placing creation only a few thousand years ago.
The Flood's Impact: They believe the global Flood described in Genesis created most of the geological layers, fossils, and features that secular science uses to date the Earth, thus invalidating the long timelines.
2. Old Earth Interpretations (OEC)
Proponents believe the scientific timeline is largely accurate and seek to interpret Genesis in a way that accommodates billions of years. This includes several theories:
The Day-Age Theory: This view interprets the six yom (days) of creation as representing six long, indefinite periods of time, or "ages," consistent with the vast epochs of geological history.
The Framework Hypothesis: This view sees the structure of Genesis 1 as a literary or theological framework, designed to communicate who God is and why He created, rather than providing a rigid scientific or chronological timeline.
The Gap Theory: This view proposes a huge time gap (millions or billions of years) between Genesis 1:1 ("In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth") and Genesis 1:2 ("Now the earth was formless and empty..."), allowing time for the scientific timeline before the six days of creation began.
There is no official Christian doctrine on the Earth’s age; Christians are found in all three camps.
God’s Assurance
Regardless of whether you believe the Earth is old or young, God assures you of one vital truth:
He is the Alpha and the Omega. God is the one who was there "in the beginning" (Genesis 1:1), and He holds the ultimate power over time. Whether He took 6 literal days or billions of years, His power and sovereignty are unchanging. Don't let a debate over a timeline distract you from the certainty of your eternal relationship with the timeless Creator.
Your Takeaway Thought
As a new Christian, be patient with this topic. This is a secondary issue; your salvation and faith rest entirely on Jesus Christ, not the carbon dating of rocks.
You are free to explore and pray over both science and Scripture. Simply choose the interpretation that you believe best honors the authority of the Bible and the evidence of God’s world, knowing that your identity is secure in Christ either way.
