What’s the age of the earth?

The age of the Earth, as derived from the Bible, is an important topic for both theologians and scientists. The biblical timeline has traditionally been interpreted to suggest that the planet is approximately 6,000 years old. This interpretation focuses primarily on the age of life on Earth rather than the planet itself, which is not explicitly stated in the Bible. This article will explore the biblical basis for the 6,000-year timeline, using various references from Scripture.

Biblical Genealogies and the 6,000-Year Timeline

The primary method by which some scholars and theologians arrive at the 6,000-year age of life on this planet is through a detailed examination of the genealogies recorded in the Bible. These genealogies are found in several key passages, including the books of Genesis, Chronicles, and the Gospels. They add up to approximately 2,000 years. Most Bible scholars agree that Abraham lived around 2,000 B.C. (about 4,000 years ago). Therefore, adding the time from Christ until today results in an estimated age of life on Earth of about 6,000 years.

Notable works for these calculations were conducted by Dr. Floyd Jones in his book “The Chronology of the Old Testament” (A.D. 1993) and Archbishop James Ussher in his book “The Annals of the World” (A.D. 1658).

The Genealogy from Adam to Noah

The first significant genealogy is found in Genesis 5, which lists the descendants of Adam, the first man, up to Noah, who survived the great flood.

• Genesis 5:3-5 (NKJV): “And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. After he begot Seth, the days of Adam were eight hundred years; and he had sons and daughters. So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.”
• Genesis 5:6-8 (NKJV): “Seth lived one hundred and five years, and begot Enosh. After he begot Enosh, Seth lived eight hundred and seven years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died.”

The genealogy continues in this manner, listing each patriarch’s age at the birth of their son and their total lifespan, leading up to Noah.

The Genealogy from Noah to Abraham

After the flood, the genealogy continues in Genesis 11, from Noah’s son Shem to Abram (later Abraham).

• Genesis 11:10-11 (NKJV): “This is the genealogy of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begot Arphaxad two years after the flood. After he begot Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.”
• Genesis 11:12-13 (NKJV): “Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begot Salah. After he begot Salah, Arphaxad lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.”

This genealogy, like the one in Genesis 5, provides the ages of the patriarchs at the birth of their sons and their total lifespans.

Calculating the 6,000 Years

By adding the ages given in these genealogies, scholars have attempted to create a chronological timeline from the creation of Adam to significant biblical events such as the birth of Abraham, the Exodus, and beyond.

From Adam to Abraham

Adding the ages from Adam to Abraham gives a total of approximately 2,000 years. For instance:

• Adam to Noah (approximately 1,056 years, calculated by adding the ages from Adam to the birth of Noah).
• Noah to Abraham (approximately 950 years, based on the genealogies from Shem to Abraham).

From Abraham to Jesus

The timeline from Abraham to Jesus is estimated to be around 2,000 years. This estimate is based on genealogical and historical records in the Old Testament and extrabiblical sources.

• Abraham to the Exodus (approximately 400 years).
• The period of the Judges and Kings (approximately 1,000 years).
• From the Babylonian exile to Jesus (approximately 600 years).

The Creation Week

The account of creation in Genesis 1-2 describes the creation of the heavens and the earth in six days. Bible students understand these days as literal 24-hour periods, leading to the belief that the planet and all life on it were created in six literal days.

• Genesis 1:1 (NKJV): “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
• Genesis 1:31 (NKJV): “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”

The belief in a young Earth, therefore, stems from a literal interpretation of the creation week combined with the genealogical records.

The Age of the Planet

The Bible does not specify the age of the planet itself. Biblical scholars are uncertain whether this planet was created at the beginning of the creation week or if it existed before that time. The Book of Genesis states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2). This verse indicates that the planet was shapeless and lifeless, with its elements mingled together, completely unorganized and inanimate, but it does not specify when it was created.

Secular scientists claim that the planet is about 4.5 billion years old, basing their calculations on radiometric dating and other methods. However, these methods rely on evolutionary assumptions that are often deemed unreliable and unproven, making their calculations questionable.

Interestingly, cultures around the world have similar calculations regarding the age of humanity, often in the thousands of years rather than millions. For example, the Irish chronology approximates the time from Adam to Christ at about 4,000 years.

Regarding the origin of fossils found in rock layers around the world, this can be explained biblically by the flood of Noah (Genesis 6-8). The flood could have removed rock layers and redeposited them in different locations in a very short time, collecting various life forms in between these layers. The immense water force during the flood could have carved canyons and created mountains in a matter of days or weeks (Genesis 7:19).

The age of the Earth, according to the Bible, remains a significant topic of discussion. The traditional 6,000-year timeline for the age of life on this planet is derived from a literal interpretation of the genealogies and the creation account in Genesis. However, the Bible does not explicitly state the age of the planet itself or whether it was created at the beginning of the creation week or before that time.