Why do some believe that the earth is 20K + years old?

[BrotherTony]

I am coming across more and more Christians who believe the Earth is anywhere from 20K to 250 billion years old. What Biblical basis would they possibly have for such beliefs? I could possibly understand the 20K range, but longer? It's highly debatable. I don't understand where they could get such a notion. Any reasonable explanations in your minds?

[Pastor Scott Markle]

3 hours ago, BrotherTony said:

I am coming across more and more Christians who believe the Earth is anywhere from 20K to 250 billion years old. What Biblical basis would they possibly have for such beliefs? I could possibly understand the 20K range, but longer? It's highly debatable. I don't understand where they could get such a notion. Any reasonable explanations in your minds?

Influenced by the bombardment of evolutionistic science, which is now societally portrayed as a given fact and as the intelligent person's choice (in contradiction to "Biblical mythology").

[Jerry]

They don't get it from the Bible - the Bible taken by itself gives approximately 6,000 years for the age of the earth. Perhaps it is easier to go with the flow and accept an older age to fit in with everyone, including their denomination, college, or "Christian" group. It is just choosing to believe man over God, to please man more than God. The sad thing is so many professing Christians don't even care enough to check what the Bible says for itself in this area (and of course, there are many who won't even bother checking out the Bible for itself in any area).

[Hugh_Flower]

Lots of people ‘get it from the Bible’, however wrong the interpretation of Genesis may be. Most people don’t read the Bible literally. 

[Jerry]

Twisting the Bible and taking things out of context is not getting your beliefs from the Bible - even if someone wants to call it that.

[Hugh_Flower]

1 hour ago, Jerry said:

Twisting the Bible and taking things out of context is not getting your beliefs from the Bible - even if someone wants to call it that.

No one hear would argue that

[MikeWatson1]

Bombardment by general news and other media always speaking of long ages is a factor. Its saturation. 

Then you have famous Christians who adhere to God using evolution and they are trusted by many.

 

[HappyChristian]

It is supposedly the mark of an intellectual. Those who believe they are pursuing the "deeper life" are many of the ones who fall for the lies of an old earth - because it is a way to (again supposedly) align scripture and science. And those whom I personally know who now adhere to an old earth belief are condescending and unkind to those who disagree. Because they are "smarter."

[BrotherTony]

1 hour ago, HappyChristian said:

It is supposedly the mark of an intellectual. Those who believe they are pursuing the "deeper life" are many of the ones who fall for the lies of an old earth - because it is a way to (again supposedly) align scripture and science. And those whom I personally know who now adhere to an old earth belief are condescending and unkind to those who disagree. Because they are "smarter."

You'll need to give an explanation of what you consider "old earth." 20K years isn't that old, and isn't that far away from the 6k-8k year old range. Old Earth to me is anything over 100K years old. I'm not saying I don't hold to a 6-8K year old Earth...but I can see where others might differ.

[Jerry]

No offense, some might differ - but the Bible teaches approximately 6000 years of earth's history. Anything else is just plain wrong and disbelief in the Bible.

[HappyChristian]

On 11/6/2021 at 5:52 PM, BrotherTony said:

You'll need to give an explanation of what you consider "old earth." 20K years isn't that old, and isn't that far away from the 6k-8k year old range. Old Earth to me is anything over 100K years old. I'm not saying I don't hold to a 6-8K year old Earth...but I can see where others might differ.

While 20K might not seem that old, it is older than what we know from timelines given in scripture (timelines meaning genealogies that we are given). "Old earth," however, references the millions/billions of years idea that evolutionists originated and far too many Christians swallow, thinking they are intellectuals. 

[SureWord]

It's possible the Earth as far as the ground and rocks is very old but the human race and everything else  only 6,000 years old.

I tend to go with Lucifer and his angels ruling over the Earth then rebelling and God destroying everything.

Can I prove it? Nope. But it sounds cool and it makes sense for the time and place of the fall of Satan.

 

[Jerry]

Why would God destroy the earth because of Satan, but then not destroy it because of man's rebellion.

Sounding cool is not a good gauge of Bible doctrine or whether something is true/Biblical or not.

Also, the same passages that speak about creation week (not just in Genesis 1-2) also teach that everything, including the sun, moon, and stars was made during that literal 6 day week. And Genesis 1 teaches the landmasses, oceans, atmosphere, etc. were all created during those six days. No reason to have a lifeless lump of rock floating in space for untold millennia just waiting for God to finally start the rest of His creation. BUT this verse says even the earth was created in those six days (ie. at the start of them), not prior to them.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Then the chapter goes on to say what He did with this earth He created (ie. added atmosphere, separated continents from the oceans, created life and vegetation, etc.).

[Jim_Alaska]

20 minutes ago, SureWord said:

It's possible the Earth as far as the ground and rocks is very old but the human race and everything else  only 6,000 years old.

I tend to go with Lucifer and his angels ruling over the Earth then rebelling and God destroying everything.

Can I prove it? Nope. But it sounds cool and it makes sense for the time and place of the fall of Satan.

 

Hebrews 11:3 (KJV) 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.

[Jerry]

Yes, I agree, Brother Jim. We need faith to believe the true Gospel, faith to believe in the literal 6 day creation out of nothing - and without faith...

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

1 Corinthians 2:11-16 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Without faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ alone we cannot be saved - therefore cannot have the Holy Spirit dwelling within. Without the Holy Spirit opening up the Word of God to God's children, it is impossible to understand the Word of God. Therefore if someone is trusting another gospel than that of the finished work of Christ on Calvary, they will not have the faith to please God or to believe what God has commanded us to believe in His Word.

It is interesting to not that the word "impossible" in Hebrews 11:6 is the negative form of one of the words for "power" in the New Testament. It is impossible to please God without faith - because we literally will not have the power to please Him, we will be powerless without Biblical saving and living faith.