Reflection: Creation? How or Why?

When thinking of a position to take on creation it takes reflection on two parts: one’s natural understanding and experiences of the world as well as an understanding of those experiences in a context as a being of creation and a witness of testifying to creation as a created being. As a created being, the natural world is an obvious observation and often reconciling of how it all began or came to what it is in our present experiences is a difficult and often confusing task. In fact, preparing to take a ‘position’ on it is difficult for me – as I am not fully able to completely understand all the research and refutes of each major position that has been presented within the world of secular and faith based convictions and thoughts. For the sake of my attempt to find a personal value in this arena, my current persuasion is of a ‘day-age’ position.

Interpretation of ‘YOM’
One thing I have learned when studying the Word of God is that interpretation of the language can be difficult at times as an understanding of literary forms can be troublesome when attempting to discover the sender’s intended meaning either symbolically or literally (or both). In Genesis, the word ‘day,’ provides this dilemma for me. My initial interpretation is that it is a literal day – 24 hours, as God separating the light from the darkness and my natural observation and experience testifies to a 24 - hour day divided by the light and darkness. Could ‘YOM,’ or ‘day’ be a generic word to describe other amounts of time? My inclination is to say ‘maybe’ and wonder of other scriptures will provide hints to this inquiry. Psalm 90:4, the writers says, “For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it passes,” seems to me like a symbolic interpretation, as well as 2 Peter 3:8 when a day with the Lord is referenced with a 1,000 years. I do not interpret those passages in a literal sense, but one that affirms God’s majesty and eternality. My symbolic interpretation of ‘day’ and my understanding of my natural experience almost seem to conflict at that point – then to add an explanation of prehistoric creatures gets it spinning in different directions. My attempt to reconcile my understanding is to accept that each day is symbolically referenced as a period of time longer than our 24-hour experience because in accepting this it can then attempt to reconcile discoveries of life existing prior to 6,000 years ago.

Theistic Evolution
Another position that I am persuaded to along with a progressive creation perspective is that evolution is apparent in living organisms. Evidence for animal and plant life seems respectable and can hold weight to counterarguments. Perhaps the main question is if humans are part of this evolutionary process – and I hold that humans are not a species of primates. I think that using what contemporary science says about the high percentage of DNA and similarities of humans and great apes only seem to point to the obvious and that is humans are different – and have always been. I think that when God said “"Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds,” (Gen. 1:24-25) he created a separate species and in His image in vv. 26-27 was an exclusive part of His creation, perhaps the culmination of His work and everything prior was setting the stage for the main attraction – the subjects that His Word and Spirit were intended for: human beings.

So What Now?
I think that the debate about creation serves a great purpose like many other great works of people. The brilliancy of the human mind and its endeavors towards the quest for knowledge are truly spectacular, and for some, attempts to reconcile the mysterious and affirm us in the here and now. As a focus in faith and evangelism – this topic may be of high value of those who feel they need such an answer to a mystery. I am in no way minimizing the great research and work that many have given to this topic, but on a personal value scale I do not hold it as a “make it or break it” topic for affirming my salvation and belief in God. Instead of looking to Genesis for a hint of scientific inquiry for justifying human life, I hold that the culminating work of God in Genesis was to create man in His own image (vv.26-27) and give him authority and intimate relationship with his Creator, serves a unique purpose on the intended meaning of the sender – which is the beginning of purpose and how that purpose was postponed due to sin only to come back to which once was - a fulfilled promise to those who trust in this purpose – something that is excluded in the lens of scientific inquiry.