The Age of the Universe

 •  8 min. read  •  grade level: 10
 
Great efforts are being made today even among Christians to substantiate the divine account of creation in Genesis 120And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. (Genesis 1:20), using principles of man’s science and wisdom. While true science will always support the Word of God, it is the height of arrogance for man to use his feeble wisdom as the standard by which he dares judge the Bible. We earnestly caution believers about man’s increasing efforts to use “science falsely so called” (1 Tim. 6:2020O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: (1 Timothy 6:20)) to validate or, worse yet, to seek to repudiate the Word of God.
Our glorious God who created the universe and this world needs no confirmation from man’s puny scientific knowledge. His majesty and eternal glory demand total subjection of mind and heart to all He has revealed in the Bible. We trust that the following article will be a help and an encouragement to our readers. Ed.
Introduction
God has not told us the age of this vast universe. He simply tells us that He created it. In Hebrews 11:33Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Hebrews 11:3) we read, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” In Genesis 1:11In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) we are told, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
It is noticeable here that “the earth” (the planet on which we dwell) is singled out of the whole universe because it alone was to be inhabited, as we read in Isaiah 45:1818For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:18), “Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited.” It is the place where God was to display His character and ways. Genesis 1:11In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) is, if one may so speak, the beginning of “time,” as far as the universe is concerned, though God has not told us when this was.
In verse 2 we read, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” The words “without form” used in this verse are the same in the Hebrew as is translated “in vain” (tohuw) in Isaiah 45:1818For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:18), quoted above. God has not told us how it got into the condition spoken of here, “without form and void,” nor how long was the time that elapsed between Genesis 1:11In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) and Genesis 1:22And 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. (Genesis 1:2).
It is interesting and instructive to notice in Jeremiah 4:2323I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. (Jeremiah 4:23) that the same expression “without form and void” is used prophetically to describe the earth after man has ruined it by his sin, as it was described before the six days when God made it a suitable place for man. We read there, “I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.” We see from these verses in God’s Word that there was a ruin between Genesis 1:11In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) and Genesis 1:22And 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. (Genesis 1:2), and there will be another ruin as the result of man’s sin, as described in Jeremiah 4:2323I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. (Jeremiah 4:23).
God Revealed: Light, Love and Purpose
God’s purpose in the Bible is not to satisfy our curiosity with all the details of His creation, but to reveal Himself in all the glory and majesty of His person as light and love and to reveal His purpose in creation. We read of this in Ephesians 1:1010That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:10): “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him.”
The Bible does not tell us when the angels were created, but Job 38:1-71Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 2Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 3Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. 4Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 5Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:1‑7) shows us they were there when the earth was created. Satan, the greatest of these created beings, is presented to us under the figure of the king of Tyrus in Ezekiel 28:11-1911Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 12Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 18Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 19All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. (Ezekiel 28:11‑19). He fell through pride (see also 1 Timothy 3:66Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:6)) and other angels fell with him. He is the prince of the devils (Matt. 12:24-3224But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 25And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: 26And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? 27And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. 28But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 29Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. 30He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. 31Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 32And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. (Matthew 12:24‑32); Rev. 12:99And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:9)).
Between Genesis 1:11In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) and Genesis 1:22And 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. (Genesis 1:2), there may have existed some forms of life, and though the Word of God is silent about this and about when the fall of Satan took place, we do know from the Scripture that he had access to the earth. Since “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)), he may have brought death into that original creation.
However, if God’s Word is silent in these matters, it is good for us to be careful not to make statements as facts which cannot be supported by the Word of God. “Thy word is truth” (John 17:1717Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17)).
Some have a difficulty about the question of sin, because Romans 5:1212Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12) says, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin.” They believe, because of this verse, that there could not have been any forms of life or the death of such creatures before Adam’s sin. However, it is important to see how Scripture speaks. “The world” is spoken of as a system of things over which Adam, the first man (1 Cor. 15:4545And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:45)), was placed as head.
God’s Word and Science
All God has been pleased to tell us of the time between Genesis 1:11In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) and Genesis 1:22And 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. (Genesis 1:2) is that (in verse 2) it was not in the condition in which He made it. If He wanted us to know more, He would have told us.
Another has said, “Never let the things we don’t know spoil the things we do know.” God has not made it necessary for us to appeal to the findings of science to prove the truth of His Word. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16-1716All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16‑17)). There is no conflict between true science and the Bible. Any problem that seems to exist is “science falsely so called” (1 Tim. 6:2020O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: (1 Timothy 6:20)).
Six Days of Creation
The account that is given in Genesis 1:3-313And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. 6And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. 9And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. 11And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 13And the evening and the morning were the third day. 14And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. 20And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. 24And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. 25And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 31And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:3‑31) is to show us how in six days God, who has all power and wisdom, made the earth a suitable dwelling-place for man, arranging all for his good and happiness (Prov. 8:22-3622The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 26While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. 27When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: 28When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 30Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; 31Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. 32Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. 33Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. 34Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 35For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord. 36But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. (Proverbs 8:22‑36)). The universe had already been created in Genesis 1:11In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1), and then in Genesis 1:22And 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. (Genesis 1:2) we read, “Darkness was upon the face of the deep.”
Exodus 20:1111For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:11) speaks of these six days using the word “made.” “In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is.” On the first day He said, “Let there be light.” On the second, He made what He called “Heaven,” on the third day He made what He called “Earth,” and in the following days, “all that in them is.” Last, Adam (with his wife) is placed at the head of that creation, giving them just one command necessary for their good and blessing.
Glories Far Greater Than Creation
How wonderful that God has given us such a revelation! Even though man sinned against His Creator, His grace has provided for our blessing at so great a cost to Himself! “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)).
More than this, there are many glorious things revealed in the Bible. We read in 2 Peter 1:34, “According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
Knowing Him As More Than Creator
We trust that each who read these lines has already come to the Lord Jesus as a guilty sinner, finding that His precious blood cleanses from all sin and that He imparts a new life. “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)). Upon believing the gospel, He gives the Holy Spirit as the power needed to live pleasing to the One who died for us and rose again.
May each be encouraged to read the Bible not just to learn facts about such things as creation but to find, as you read it, the wisdom of God for your whole pathway learning where to find Christian fellowship, where to gather together according to His Word, assured that “if any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself” (John 7:1717If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:17)).
“Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood... to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev. 1:56).
G. H. Hayhoe