Did The Sun Stand Still For A Million Years?

by John Henry

August 19, 2000

     Some brethren have decided that it is unreasonable to believe that God created the earth in six literal days. Consider this: Joshua records God's awesome power when he says, "And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day." (Josh 10:13).

     Did God cause the sun to stand still for one day, a week, a year, or a million years? How do we know for certain it was just a day here, if days are millions of years at creation? (Gen.1:1-ff). And, why must there be millions of years between days in the Genesis account? Why must the six days of creation be anything more than "an evening and a morning?" Isn't that what the Bible says?

     The Bible teaches that between man and the mind of God there exists an inaccessible gulf (Isa.55:8-9) that we cannot bridge by scientific investigation, or speculation. The mind of God can only be known through Divine revelation (1 Cor.2:7). Everything God wants us to know, He has revealed to us in His word (Deut.29:29). Here is the problem, since all things were created full grown, some have no faith in God who said He created all things in six literal days. Instead, of placing our faith in God (1 Cor.2:5), many place their faith in scientific theory. Is it not evident, that God did what He did when He created all things to try one's faith? Only those who are smarter than God would try and tell us something contrary to what God has already spoken about creation. Did not God say, "He would destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent?" (1 Cor.1;19). I wonder, if God has to laugh at the complete foolishness of man, who thinks he can figure everything out without the help of God! God is without limitations and superior to man. God is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, eternal, unchangeable, and He created all things! It was God who created all things by His power. "For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." (Psa 33:9). Therefore, God must tell man how He created all things, for it was never left up to man to tell God how He created all things, was it?

     To believe there are millions of years between days of creation is foolishness, yet, God has said that He, "hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty" (1 Cor 1:27). One of the problems with man is that he allows his wisdom to "exalt himself above God; so that man as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God" (2 Thess.2:4). Let me give you an example of what the Holy Spirit is talking about here in 2 Thessalonians 2:4. Look at Joshua 10:14 which reads, "And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel." (Josh 10:14). Among other things, I understand this to say, "There never occurred another day like this, either before it or after it in which God lengthened a day." Would that not apply to the beginning, when God created all things in six days? (I am not denying that the Hebrew word for "day" is sometimes applied figuratively, as it is in Genesis 2:4).

     Can't see it yet? Let's bring into focus another passage. "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 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: 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." (Exod.20:8-11). Here Moses compares the six days of creation to the six days of Jewish labor. And as God rested on the seventh day from His labor, so were the Jews to rest from theirs. Now, how could Moses draw a direct comparison between the days of creation and the days of the Jewish week if millions of years existed between the "days" of creation? Could it not be that what Joshua said was right? "There never occurred another day like this, either before it, or after it, in which God lengthened a day."

by John Henry

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