Question:
I have read in your magazine that you do not believe in “a literal creation 6000 years ago.” I believe there was a literal creation as recorded in Genesis 1, and according to the center references of KJV. It was in 4004 B.C., which would have been almost 6000 years ago. When do you people think the creation was?
Answer:
We certainly believe that God is the creator of all that we see about us. However, we do not believe that Genesis 1 is telling us principally about that literal creation and therefore do not believe that the literal creation took place a mere 6000 years ago. In the first of Genesis the inspired writer is describing a special, on-going, spiritual creation which is revealed throughout the entire Bible as His plan of salvation for humankind. His great purpose is to fill the earth with His glory, a righteous people, who will be eternally blessed (Num. 14:21).
There are many instances in the Bible where God is spoken of as the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, but we have no reason to believe that this creation took place only 6000 years ago. The evidence of rocks and fossils testifies to a planet that is billions of years old, and there is nothing in the Bible to contradict this. (Refer to our booklet God’s Spiritual Creation).
You say that according to the center references in the KJV the creation occurred in “4004 B.C., which would have been almost 6000 years ago.” The dates in most common publications of the KJV, such as you cite, were not part of the inspired revelation from God but were added by a Bible scholar named James Ussher in the 17th century. Mr. Ussher did many calculations and figured out a time scheme which he thought realistic; but he did not claim it was infallible nor is his dating accepted by Bible scholars today. It is still, however, printed in many Bibles.