In Touch Questions and Answers

Does the creation in ‘six days’ rule out the theory of thousand years to a day?

Question:
Exodus 20:11 mentions a ‘six day’ creation. Does this rule out the ‘thousand years to a day’ theory for creation?

Answer:
A brief study of three different Hebrew words is necessary here. The first word BARA is used in two ways: (1) to bring into being where nothing was before and, (2) to change or alter what already exists. The second word ASAH means: to make from existing materials. It is very similar to (2) for BARA but it never means (1) to bring into being where nothing was before. So, BARA is sometimes used just like ASAH but ASAH is never used just like BARA. The third word YATSAR means: to form, or to fashion. This word is found in Genesis 2:7.

Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The word “created” is BARA. God brought the universe into being where there was nothing before, that is, except Himself.
Genesis 1:3-2:3 is God’s work of six days. He “made” (ASAH) everything out of existing materials, with two exceptions. They are found in verses 21 and 27. And BARA, “created” is the word used in these.
Notice that in verse 3 of chapter 2 it says: “Which God created [BARA] and made [ASAH].” In the six days’ work, He both brought into being what did not before exist and He changed things that already existed. Since both words are in this verse they cannot be equivalent.
In Exodus 20:11 the word “made” is ASAH. This verse speaks about God’s work of the six days when the earth was made the “very good” habitation for man, and refers to Genesis 1:3-2:3.
Each day of the six days’ work had an evening and morning. They were, therefore, periods of 24 hours each. The “thousand days to a year” theory comes from the lack of understanding of 2 Peter 3:8. This verse does not say: one day = 1,000 years. It does say a day is “as” a thousand years. That the Lord’s concept of time is different from ours is what the verse means, I believe. I suppose that in eternity we will have His concept of time.

One more interesting thing is that the three Hebrew words we have noticed are all found in one verse: Isaiah 43:7: “Even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” – “created” (BARA), “formed” (YATSAR) and “made” (ASAH). That these three words are in one verse, is applied to every believer and is further proof that each word has its own meaning and are not interchangeable.