Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them. But you are always the same; you will live forever. The children of your people will live in security. Their children’s children will thrive in your presence. (Psalm 102:25-28 NLT)
Scientists estimate earth to be close to 4.5 billion years old — based on dating techniques used on rocks and minerals — while many Christians estimate it to be between 6000 and 7500 years old, and the Hebrew calendar begins at 3761 BC, making earth 5775 years old. Whichever date is true, the fact is that the oldest minerals to be analyzed are small zircon crystals from the Jack Hills of Australia. When scientists compare the brightness of our sun to that of other stars, they conclude that our solar system cannot be much older than those Australian crystals.
If the earth is in fact that old, then creation was not simply 6 normal-length days, but 6 periods of time involving billions of years. If creation was 6 normal-length days, then God would have had to create earth, and the universe, as already mature planets, stars, and galaxies. Either way, God is the creator, the Bible is true, and this world has been here long before we ever came along. Astronomers have invented powerful telescopes to study the universe, some have even been placed in outer space to avoid the limitations of the earth’s atmosphere, but the more they search, the more they find. No one has ever discovered the end of the universe, it seems to be endless.
All this is mind blowing stuff. The world we live in is amazing, and the universe beyond understanding. But even with all this beauty and permanence, compared to God, this universe is a robe that He will one day take off. At the flick of His finger all this will one day disappear, and be transformed into a new world, yet God will never change. God is always the same. Before what we know was ever created, He existed. Even before what we know as time was created, He existed. And like the Bible says, for God one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. God is so great not even time effects Him.
What does all this mean to us? It should burn into our consciousness that what God did in the past He is ready and willing to do today. He is ready to open the Red Sea again, or to do something even greater; He is ready to raise up another Lazarus or to transform another Mary Magdalene. We need to be very careful about limiting God or making silly assumptions about Him. He is a great God that has done wonders in the past, is ready to do wonders today, and will continue to do wonders in the future. We just need to be sure we are not left out of an exciting and secure life with Him.
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