Creation Account – Six Literal Days – Creation Lesson 3
The only place in the Old Testament that Christians as well as unbelievers seem to have a problem understanding what the word “day” means is in Genesis Chapter 1.
The Hebrew word for day (yom) in the singular or the plural form is used 2,301 times in the Old Testament.
First, let’s look at the uses of day outside of Genesis 1.
Whenever the word day (yom) is used with a ‘number’ (over 400 times) it always means an ordinary day, there are no exceptions.
Whenever the phrase ‘evening or morning’ is used without the word day (38 times) it always means an ordinary day-no exceptions.
Whenever the words ‘evening’ and ‘morning’ are used individually with the word day (in fact, 23 times each), the word day always means an ordinary day.
Whenever the word ‘night’ is used with the word day (52 times), the word day always means an ordinary day.
To repeat, whenever the word day is used with a number or with the words evening or morning or with the word night, outside of Genesis 1, the Hebrew word for day always means an ordinary (24 hour) day. And, whenever the phrase ‘evening and morning’ is used, it means an ordinary day.
Okay. Now let’s look at Genesis Chapter 1.
You will notice that the first time the word day is used, it is qualified with the words night, evening, morning and number.
Verse 5 “And God called the light Day and the darkness he called night. And the evening and the morning were the first day”
For each of the other times the word day is used for the six days of Creation, it is used with a number and the words evening and morning.
Verse 8 “And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.”
Verse 13 “And the evening and the morning were the third day.”
Verse 19 “And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.”
Verse 23 “And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.”
Verse 31 “Then God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”
In context, the use of the word day in Genesis Chapter 1 makes it obvious that our God wants us to understand that the word day in His Account of Creation is to be interpreted as an ordinary day and not as an extended period of time.
According to Exodus 20:9-11, God used the six creation days of Genesis as a model for man’s workweek: work six days, rest one.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. KJV
During the period of time the Holy Spirit was guiding me into recognizing the literal truth of the Creation Account, He spoke this phrase:
“BELIEVE HIS WORD, NOT MAN’S WORD.”
(Testimony-Dorothy von Lehe)
I pray this is helpful and a blessing to you. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for bringing us truth. Truth is only found in Your Word.