There are other elements within the text which suggest that the days in view are something other than simple days of standard length. The text suggests that the various creatures (plant and animal) came forth in a natural way at God’s instigation. Hence phrases like “Let the earth sprout vegetation” and “Let the earth bring forth,” as well as the emphasis on the ability of all life to reproduce via natural processes (e.g., “trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind”). Not including the creation of Man (which is described differently, and will be handled separately), phrases such as the above occur several times, encompassing all of the various groups that dwell within the earth: the various types of plants (vv.
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On the one hand, the continued presence of evening and morning after the appearance of the Sun suggests that the days are only twenty four hours in length, and that, as such, the appearances of the various living things were miraculously hastened so as to occur within the allotted amount of time. On the other, the text itself makes no explicit mention of the duration, timing, or nature of the first appearances of the various life forms, and as actually worded seems to suggest that the processes in question were natural (and therefore slow). At the least, it leaves open the possibility that the first appearance and development of animals and plants proceeded along natural lines (after an initial, miraculous creation). If this were all the information with which we were provided, it would be best to side with the calendar-day interpretation, for it seems more probable that “there was evening and there was morning” has reference to the length of the days at this point of the narrative than does the language which is used to describe the bringing forth of the plant and animal …show more content…
22 began to be fulfilled even on the fifth day. Assuming that the animals’ processes of reproduction proceeded along normal lines, this would mean that very little actual progress was made towards fulfilling this command on the fifth day, if in fact the day was only twenty four hours in length. The fulfillment of v. 20’s decree was twofold, and was accomplished in part by the fulfillment of the subsequent decree of v. 22, all of this apparently transpiring – on the basis of what we know of the authority of God’s spoken word and creative decrees – on the fifth day. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to think that the fifth day was also longer than twenty four hours, significantly
On the one hand, the continued presence of evening and morning after the appearance of the Sun suggests that the days are only twenty four hours in length, and that, as such, the appearances of the various living things were miraculously hastened so as to occur within the allotted amount of time. On the other, the text itself makes no explicit mention of the duration, timing, or nature of the first appearances of the various life forms, and as actually worded seems to suggest that the processes in question were natural (and therefore slow). At the least, it leaves open the possibility that the first appearance and development of animals and plants proceeded along natural lines (after an initial, miraculous creation). If this were all the information with which we were provided, it would be best to side with the calendar-day interpretation, for it seems more probable that “there was evening and there was morning” has reference to the length of the days at this point of the narrative than does the language which is used to describe the bringing forth of the plant and animal …show more content…
22 began to be fulfilled even on the fifth day. Assuming that the animals’ processes of reproduction proceeded along normal lines, this would mean that very little actual progress was made towards fulfilling this command on the fifth day, if in fact the day was only twenty four hours in length. The fulfillment of v. 20’s decree was twofold, and was accomplished in part by the fulfillment of the subsequent decree of v. 22, all of this apparently transpiring – on the basis of what we know of the authority of God’s spoken word and creative decrees – on the fifth day. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to think that the fifth day was also longer than twenty four hours, significantly