Compromise between Creation and evolution is not possible. The Bible clearly states that Creation occurred in one week, in a sequence that does not match up with natural selection or other evolutionary processes.
Six Literal Days
Some scientists try to find common ground between Creation and evolution by converting the seven days of Genesis 1 into long time periods. This change allows for evolution to occur within the framework of the Creation story.
However, Genesis 1 clearly indicates that the Creation was in fact seven literal 24-hour days.
Consider verses 5, 8, and 13 as examples:
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day...
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day...
And the evening and the morning were the third day.
The use of the definite article "the" in the designation of the days implies a literal 24-hour day. Also, the specific mention of the day cycle, "the evening and the morning" further proves that the author implies literal days.
The Order of Creation
Evolution clearly cannot fit into the Creation paradigm because of the time constraints of the seven-day Creation period. Moreover, the sequence of events suggested by evolution do not align with the order in which Creation occurred. Read the Creation account
The first three days of Creation involve the physical environment, and the next three days involve the filling of that environment.
On day one God creates light, on day two He creates the sky. On the third day, God creates the terrestrial environment by gathering the water into one place and letting dry land appear in another. He then creates the plants, which are to serve as food for the life forms to be created on the subsequent days.
This order of Creation leaves no room for co-evolution of plants and animals, which is a basic premise of the evolutionary theory. Here the plants are designed as a source of food and the animals that will make use of these for sustenance are specifically created to occupy the prepared niche. Any co-dependence is thus by virtue of Design rather than evolution.
On the fourth day, God creates the sun and the moon. If we were to suggest that the days of Creation represent long periods of time, our dilemma would be that the plants, created on day three, would have had to exist without a sun for millions of years.
On the fifth day, God creates all the creatures that swim and fly, and on the sixth day, He creates the land creatures. Here again we cannot reconcile the Biblical record of the days of Creation with the long time periods needed for evolution.
According to the theory of evolution, birds and mammals evolved from reptiles. However, birds and flying mammals were created on the fifth day—before the terrestrial reptiles created on the sixth day. Birds and flying mammals would thus have preceded their ancestors.
A similar problem is encountered when we consider the marine mammals such as the whales, dolphins, and seals which would also precede their ancestors. According to the evolutionary theory, these marine mammals evolved from land mammals that were forced to move to marine environments. But we know that sea mammals were created before land mammals.
A Big God and a Good Creation
As we can see from Genesis 1:2-5, God Himself is the source of light, and the source of life:
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
The world was created intentionally by a loving, powerful God. We are no mistake—Earth is not the product of a series of cosmic accidents, nor is humanity the result of a million-year happenstance evolution. God loves every creature on Earth, and has a hopeful future waiting for you (Jeremiah 29:11).
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This article is adapted from The Genesis Conflict by Professor Walter J. Veith, PhD Zoology, renowned author, scientist, and lecturer from South Africa’s Cape Town University. Veith believes that the theory of evolution does not provide a plausible explanation of our origins. His findings are also available on DVD or online through Amazing Discoveries™.
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Creation and Evolution: Is Compromise Possible?
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The Rise of Evolutionary Thinking
Geocentricity: It's Time to Face the Facts
Earth's History: Conflicting Paradigms
Lamarck Proposes Natural Selection
Age Of The Earth Is Carbon-Dating Accurate?
Flood Chronology
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Persecution in the First Centuries
An Era of Spiritual Darkness The Waldenses
John Wycliffe Huss and Jerome
Luther's Separation From Rome
Luther Before the Diet The Swiss Reformer
Progress of Reform in Germany
Protest of the Princes The French Reformation
The Netherlands and Scandinavia
Later English Reformers
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The Pilgrim Fathers Heralds of the Morning
An American Reformer Light Through Darkness
A Great Religious Awakening A Warning Rejected
Prophecies Fulfilled What is the Sanctuary?
In the Holy of Holies God's Law Immutable
A Work of Reform Modern Revivals
Facing Life's Record The Origin of Evil
Enmity Between Man and Satan
Agency of Evil Spirits Snares of Satan
The First Great Deception
Can Our Dead Speak to Us?
Liberty of Conscience Threatened
The Impending Conflict
The Scriptures a Safeguard The Final Warning
The Time of Trouble God's People Delivered
Desolation of the Earth The Controversy Ended
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