The Universe and Adam Appeared 'Old' Immediately
"You are so old dad." That sort of statement gets made all the time by young people. Dad might only be 45 years old. But to a teenager, that is "old."
Imagine if God had created children for Adam and Eve on the day God created man and woman. Those children might have thought their parents looked "old," even though they would have all been created on the same day. Adam and Eve were whole. They were adults. They were not created as infants.
Likewise, our universe including the earth looks very old. The geological record and the perceived age of the stars provide many "wrinkles" on the face of our planet and solar system. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) Just as He did with Adam and Eve, God created the universe and it immediately appeared "old."
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The first people God created were a man and a woman; not a baby boy and a baby girl. So also the world was not created as a "baby," but as an "adult." It was brand new at Creation, but that doesn't mean it looked "young."
Imagine if Adam and Eve's children had the Hubble Space Telescope to play around with "back in the day." And then imagine if they understood the meaning of a "light year." They might have said, "Hey mom and dad. The universe appears to be billions of years old." And imagine Adam responding, "I know, I know. But remember. You think your mom and dad look pretty old too. It is all part of God's design."
Dr. Albert Mohler gave a presentation several years ago in which he laid out reasons why the universe appears so old. (http://www.icr.org/article/5669/) "The universe looks old," Mohler stated, "because the Creator made it whole." Mohler provided terrific insights on this issue. We would be wise to embrace the perspective he presented on this controversial topic.
Many people today struggle with the scientific evidence for an "old earth" and the scientific evidence for a "young earth." How can you believe in a literal reading of Genesis and also believe that the earth appears old? Here is how you do it. Simply believe that God created the earth and Adam to be whole. He is God. That was His choice in Creation. He did it just the way He wanted it done.
Adam was not created to "look young." Nor was the earth created to "look young." God created the earth and Adam according to His divine wisdom and plan. While people wrestle with the scientific evidence regarding the age of the earth, many of them end up missing the fact that God did not create the world to look a certain age. And when God created it, sin had not yet come into the world through Adam and Eve's choice. After sin entered the world, the "age spots" on this planet only intensified. (see Romans 8:19-22)
At the end of the day, there are some issues far more important than the exact age of the earth. For example, God is real. Likewise, Adam and Eve are real people. (They live in heaven today.) Their sin in the Garden of Eden was real. And Christ's death on the cross 2000 years ago was real.
Perhaps you are finally ready to "get real" with God as you repent of your sin and trust in Christ's death as the payment for your transgressions. Or is this intellectual pursuit of guessing the earth's age going to save your soul on Judgment Day?
