Question:

I have the question of new earth versus old earth trouble me the most. I’m
pretty sure you know that the Bible is backtracked to 6,000 years old for
the earth. How is it that we find Neanderthals and “cavemen” that lived a
supposed 100’s of thousands years ago. And why did the Bible neglect to
put anything about dinosaurs in the text? It seems a big chunk of history
just left out of it. So with 6,000 years to millions of years that is
proven by scientists and dating, how can I believe in the book of Genesis?
There is no possible way to backtrack everything to 6,000 years in a
biblical reading of how the earth is of a younger age. Please clue me in,
or give me some literature.
Answer:

My quick little response is that you need to consider getting a copy of my
book “Is There a God?” I go into this question and the various
interpretations and explanations of Genesis chapter one in detail in this
book (available at www.ipibooks.com). I agree with you that there is no
way we can compact the whole of the apparent history of the earth into
6,000 years without completely distorting the scientific evidence.

Let me summarize briefly. It is not inconceivable that God created the
earth about 6,000 years ago with “an appearance of age.” Perhaps that is
what happened. I was not there! However, it seems a more reasonable
explanation that the “days” in Genesis 1 are metaphorical in that they
represent the stages or the eras over which God created the universe, the
earth, life and last of all human beings. The picture of Genesis one is
not like any of the “creation myths” of other peoples. In fact, as an
outline it is in agreement with science. God created light, then the
earth, then separated land from water, then life in the water, then, as
this life changed the atmosphere, the heavenly objects became visible,
then life on the land and last of all, human beings, made in God’s image.
Viewed this way, the Genesis account is strikingly accurate.

Why did God not mention dinosaurs? For the same reason he did not mention
trilobytes and amphipods and bacteria and a lot of other details which the
Jewish people to whom this creation account was given would not have
appreciated or understood. This is truly an outline. The point of this
story is not to give a detailed scientific treatise, but to give credit
and glory to God who created all these things. The story focuses in on
God, the creator and mankind, his greatest creation. To mention dinosaurs
would not have improved this story.

John Oakes, PhD