Lesson No. 26.

BIBLE SECRETS AND SURPRISES

GENESIS, WHERE A DAY IS NOT A DAY, and that makes
the creation account different from what you were taught.
Widespread misinformation about what the Bible really teaches begins with the book of
Genesis. When most people are taught the Genesis account about creation, they learn a
version that the Bible itself does not confirm. They are led to believe the earth and
everything on it was somehow instantaneously created in six twenty four hour days. For
thinking persons this presents a problem. For if we look at nature around us, we are hard
pressed to find anything that occurs instantly. Human Embryos take nine months to
develop, trees take years to mature, landscapes take millenniums to change and
everywhere we look elapsed time plays an essential part in gradual development and
change. While religionists everywhere say the Bible teaches creation took place in six
twenty four hour days, and most believers accept this as fact it is not what the bible
actually teaches.

THE IMPORTANCE OF TIME IN THE GENESIS ACCOUNT

In the book of Genesis, the way we understand time will dictate how we understand Gods
creation of the heavens and the earth. Traditional religionists claim that according to the
Genesis account, God made the heavens and the earth and all life on earth in six days, in
literally less than a week as we know it, and that God rested on the seventh day.
This understanding is rejected entirely by most of the scientific community which holds
that there is no God, because they are able to prove the earth took hundreds of thousands
of years, if not millions of years to evolve to its current state and also that humans have
been on earth far longer than Bible believers claim.
One may conclude there is an obvious disparity between what the Bible teaches and what
science believes. But, IS THERE? Is the disparity in what the Bible actually says or in what
religious and scientific authorities claim it says?
The answer to this question can go a long way in resolving differences between the
scientific community and Bible supporters.
A crucial point to any discussion about the Bibles version of creation revolves around a
question regarding the element of time. If we examine what the Bible actually says in
Genesis against what people claim it says, we find a key reason why disparity between
scientific and faith based communities exists. If the Bible is truly Gods Word and true
science is also Gods brainchild there should be no disparity at all between the two.

A careful study of the scriptures will reveal that the disparity has its initial roots in
misunderstanding how the Bible measures elapsed time.
Lets take a look at what the actual description of the historical version of creation
furnished by Gods spirit as found in the Bible.

WHAT THE CREATION ACCOUNT ACTUALLY REVEALS

The Bible account starts out as a historical narrative at Genesis 1:1 where we find a first
surprise. Surprising only because so called Bible experts have been negligent in the way
they translate original scripture.
Most Bible versions typically translate Genesis 1:1 along the following lines;
MKJV Genesis

1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

This starts these versions off with an opening misstatement, for the original writings
say; In the beginning Elohim (
) created the heavens and the earth. It did not say;
In the beginning God (
) created the heavens and the earth. Some religious scholars
may tell you there is little or no difference between these two words, but as the last
lesson showed, there is a very important difference in how we understand who was
actually involved in the process of creation described in the bible.
This single opening example demonstrates how a misconception may enter into bible
translations and how this can change the understanding one takes away from them.
God, YHWH, (Hebrew) is singular and found over 6,800 times in original scripture. When that
word appears, it applies to the father of Jesus Christ. Elohim, found over 2,500 times, is plural
and applies to the father and his son Jesus in partnership. Original scriptural writers understood
this and some versions accurately attest to the difference between YHWH, Eohim and The
Word, Jesus Christ. (see John 1:1, Col.1:15,16. and 1 Cor.8:6,7a.
(Barclay NT 1969) JOHN 1:1 When the world began, the Word was Already there. The
Word was with God, and the nature of the Word was the same as the nature of God.
BNT

CEV Colossians

1:15 Christ is exactly like God, who cannot be seen. He is the first-born Son,
superior to all creation. GNB 16 For through him God created everything in heaven and on earth,
the seen and the unseen things, including spiritual powers, lords, rulers, and authorities. God
created the whole universe through him and for him.
1 Corinthians 8:6, 7a 6 But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created
everything, and we exist for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God
made everything and through whom we have been given life. 7 However, not all Christians
realize this. . .
NLT

Another example may be seen in a flawed assumption one makes about the Bible from
the opening statement in Genesis. That is, when the Bible says In the beginning it
means the beginning of creating everything which is to follow. It does not. It is merely a
statement of precondition for what is to follow. The Bible was written for human

consumption on the earth so what follows in the Bible account refers to that which is in
relation to the earth after that point (the beginning) on forward.
The way we understand the Genesis account of Creation is largely dependent on how we
understand the concept of time and the flow of time, in Bible terms. Misunderstanding
the way the Bible portrays time in Genesis has led to confusion and conflict among Bible
readers and even more so among those of the scientific community who are dedicated to
defending truth.
Sad to say, the misinterpretation of just two simple three letter words can be found at
the root of the entire dispute between religion and science when it comes to
understanding creation as found in the Bible account. Unfortunately, those on the side
of religion bear the greater responsibility, for they are the ones who taught a version of
creation based on faulty interpretation, a version which a careful investigation of the
Bible itself proves to be untrue, and one which violates a direct scriptural admonition by
God Almighty to speak truth with one another. (Eph.4:25, Zech. 8:16)
The two words are Day in English, translated from the Hebrew word yom, in the
Bible, for which there are a number of other meanings than the 24 hours most speakers
attribute to it, and the Hebrew WAW, (AND in English, which is used to connect words
or phrases together.

THE ELUSIVE WAW

The English word and which is in Hebrew waw can have two entirely different
connotations. When used incorrectly the meaning of an entire sentence changes. A waw
can be conjunctive or consecutive and the way in which it is used will influence the
meaning taken away from a sentence or statement.
The yaw conjunctive (and) implies; along with, as, together with, as well as, in addition as a
part of, besides, also, indicating something which is added to that which is already existing. A
waw consecutive (and) can likewise be used as then, denoting a new future action, as well as
also denoting in addition to, adding something new which comes after that which is already
existing. The difference between the two can be summed up in that in one instance (waw,
conjunctive) the word and means what follows is a part of what preceded and in the other case
(waw, consecutive) means what follows is something new and distinct from what preceded.

It is the mis-applied meanings of these two words which has stoked a raging fire separating
religionists who support the Bible from Scientists who deny the Bibles truth.
Let us now consider the word day as it appears in the Genesis account:
Most religions teach the word Day as it applies to the six periods of creation are literal
twenty four hour days. However, the Bible actually teaches the Hebrew word for day, yom
has a number of different meanings and the context it is used in determines which meaning
is appropriate to the verse in which it appears.

In Hebrew, the language of the Bible, it can apply to a 24 hour period starting after sunset
(night time), and include the daylight time after sunrise, until the sun sets again. That is
essentially the meaning religionists have applied to those periods of creation they refer to as
creative days in Genesis.
However, while this 24 hour interpretation may be correct in some instances in the Bible,
It is not the only one which the Hebrew language attributes to the word yom.

DEFINITIONS FOR THE WORD DAY (Yom) AS FOUND IN THE BIBLE

A Bible dictionary discloses at least seven different meanings which may be attributed to the
Hebrew word yom as it is found in the Bible.
1. Yom (Day), meaning a specific Calendar day, consisting of 24 hours; (Dan 10:4,
Eccl. 7:1, 1 Exodus 12:3).
2. Yom (Day), denoting an un-disclosed duration of elapsed time during which
something occurred or is occurring. (Gen. 5:1YLT, 2 COR. 6:2NJB, 2nd PE. 3:18 NAB, Zec.
4:10 AMP)
3. Yom (Day) meaning a point in time denoting a start or end of something which
had occurred or will occur. Col. 1:6NIV, Eph. 4:30 NJB, Est. 5:1DBY..

4. Yom (Day), meaning an Age, Epoch or Era in time:

a. A particular period of time marked by distinctive features, events, etc.
b. A long period of time marked by some predominant or typical
characteristic; era. (Gen. 2:4 NAS , Zeph. 1:8NLT, Zeph. 3:8 NJB.
5. Yom (Day), meaning specifically that daylight part within a twenty four hour
cycle, a time during which things are more visible. 1 Thess. 5:4 NKJ Gen 1:5 KJV , Num.
10 :10 YLT
6. Yom (Day), a general term for time. Matt 24:37NIV, Heb 3:8 NAB

7. Yom (Day) as being the equivalent of a thousand years

Limiting the definition of Yom (Day) as exclusively meaning twenty four hours in the
Bibles creation account (Genesis 1:1-31), while context at Genesis 2:4 demonstrates the
error in this, self-styled Bible scholars have distorted truth in the versions of creation
versions they teach.
In the second instance, misusing the waw conjunctive at Genesis 1: by turning it into a waw
consecutive, translators have given an erroneous impression about what the sequence of
events the Genesis account was intended by God to reveal to us.

WHAT THE BIBLE REALLY REVEALS IN GENESIS CONCERNING CREATION

The Bible account in Genesis does not disclose how long creation took. Interestingly, what
the Bible does reveal confirms tenets of true science in this day of information proliferation.
The Bible teaches the truth about the passage of time in the creation account while in most
instances Bible Teachers do not. Let us consider ways in which the Genesis account reveals the
truth about elapsed time for the creation. The account starts at Genesis 1:1 with a statement of
historical fact which has no time element attached to it.
Genesis 1 :1, from three different versions of the Bible, [brackets added];
In the beginning of God's [Elohim] preparing the heavens and the earth YLT
IN THE beginning God [Elohim] (prepared, formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and
the earth. [Heb. 11:3.] AMP
In the beginning, when God [Elohim] created the universe, GNB
A crucial Hebrew word found in this verse is bara. In one translation it is rendered; prepared,
in another, prepared, formed or fashioned, in a third it is simply defined as created

A Bible dictionary gives the following, among its definitions for bara.
H1254 bara' {baw-raw'} 1) to create, shape, form, 1a) to shape, fashion, create (always with
God as subject), 1a1) of heaven and earth, 1a2) of individual man, 1a3) of new conditions and
circumstances, 1a4) of transformations, 1b) (Niphal) to be created, 1b1) of heaven and earth.
1b2) of birth, 1b3) of something new, 1b4) of miracles.

By examining the above three different Bible versions, the intended meaning behind this
verse is clearly evident.
At Genesis 1:1 we have a definitive statement of who was responsible for what we know
as the universe, including the planet earth, as a beginning point for what is to follow.
In a universe already existing, we are told what the specific condition of the earth was at
the time God turned his attention to the planet earth in a special way.
Genesis 1:2 - and the earth being without form and empty, and darkness on the face of the deep,
and the Spirit of God moving gently on the face of the waters, LITV

Here we have the first two waws (ands) in the account. In both instances they carry a
meaning of that which was synonymous with a planet already in existence. They are Waw
conjunctives in that they refer to what preceded their use, namely Gen 1:1.
There is no element of elapsed as we know it, attached to this condition, for during that
period, there was no need to measure time in human terms, as there were no human
beings in existence.
ASV Genesis

1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Here we have the next waw; and (other versions read; then), indicating something
done concurrently with the conditions already existing at the time.
At that point God causes something (not explained) to happen other than a less than
obvious allusion that the light is going to have an effect on what is to follow. Whether it
has to do with placing the sun in its position, the exact position of the earth in relation to
the sun or the earths tilt or rotational speed, around the sun, we can only guess for we
are not given any details.
However, in the next verse we find profound meanings beyond what is obvious:
God was pleased with what he saw. Then he separated the light from the darkness

1. There is no reference to passage of time attributable to events up to this point.

2. As an omniscient God, we cannot say that he was unaware or did not see what was
going on during the process of creation. Therefore we must insert the idea that at this
point when it says God was pleased with what he saw there must be some additional
meaning. This may have been a time of evaluation when he analyzed and even possibly
tweaked what had been done before being fully pleased by what he had brought into
existence. Again the Bible makes no inference to an elapsed time attributable to such
analytical evaluation or as to what had transpired up to that point.
The Bible comments;
Genesis 1:4 God was pleased with what he saw. Then he separated the light from the darkness GNB
Genesis 1:4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. NRS

However, with the next verse, the account switches from what was already in existence
to what God was to do in connection with the planet we know as earth.
TNK Genesis

1:5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was
evening and there was morning, a first day.

There is no night and day in outer space, it remains essentially dark, everywhere, with
light being furnished by energy emitting sources like the sun. Other bodies appear to
glow due to reflected light from suns throughout the universe.
This verse contains easily overlooked meanings. It verifies at least two different
definitions given for the word yom (day). In this verse, that portion which constitutes
light during the twenty four hour cycle is called a day (see definition no. 5, above). Also
the whole twenty four hour period is likewise referred to a day (see definition no. 1,
above).
Additionally, that phrase first day is preceded by a waw (and) represents a twenty four
hour period at the conclusion, not the whole of what has transpired till then, as most
people suppose it to be. As such, it acts as a point in time, a point of separation between

an existing Yom (epoch or era) already in place and a new Yom (epoch or era) in time,
which is to follow. see (Yom- definition no. 4. Above)
Pointing back by means of the waw (and) conjunctive it refers to a time period of
undisclosed length which had come before and was already in existence as the first
day.
After inserting a yom at that point, it betokens that the earlier era was closed and hat is
to follow was seen by God as a new era, commencing after that twenty four hour long
punctuation point. There is no inference in this that events to follow were to take place
in a 24 hour period nor is there any predetermined time element assigned to them.
At that point, the Bible begins a new yom (epoch or era). Again, the amount of time
the last epic took is not disclosed, nor can the time before the beginning of the new epic,
after a dividing Yom was inserted, be ascertained from what is written. The only
reference to actual time is the twenty four hour day inserted as separation point between
two Yoms (epochs or eras)
From three versions of the Bible;
And God said, Let there be a firmament [the expanse of the sky] in the midst of the waters, and
let it separate the waters [below] from the waters [above]. AMP
Genesis 1:6 God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the water, that it may separate
water from water." TNK
Genesis 1:6 Then God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it
separate the waters from the waters." NAS
We have the presence of another waw (and) , attaching what follows to what is existing
NLT Genesis

1:7 And so it was. God made this space to separate the waters above from the waters

below. NLT
Genesis 1:8 God called the expanse Sky.

With the words God called the expanse Sky, the activity of that Yom (Era or epoch) ends
with the insertion of another waw conjunctive, (And)
And there was evening and there was morning, a second [Link]

Thus, the events described before that waw are included in the second day (yom) and
events to follow the dividing yom (twenty four hour period) will be included with the
next era (epoch). Which begins at Gen 1:9;
Gen 1:9-12 And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together to one place, and
let the dry land appear; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land, Earth. And He called the
gathering together of the waters, Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11 And God said, Let the
earth bring forth tender sprouts (the herb seeding seed and the fruit tree producing fruit after its
kind, whose seed is in itself) upon the earth; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth tender

sprouts, the herb yielding seed after its kind, and the tree producing fruit after its kind, whose seed
was in itself. And God saw that it was good. MKJV

So we have events described which saw seas and lakes formed, vegetation sprouting,
bearing seed and producing fruit, all during an undisclosed length of time concluding in
athe twenty four day which is used to separated one era from the next. Thus, the Bible
employs another waw (And) as a conjunctive tying Genesis 1:13 (a third yom), to the
events preceding it as a twenty four hour day.
Gen 1:13 And the evening and the morning were the third day. MKJV

or as another version states;

Genesis 1:13 Evening came and morning came: the third day. NJB

With this statement the yom day, or era) has ended, when a twenty four hour yom has
been inserted as a dividing marker and a new Yom, (day or era) begins with Genesis [Link]
Then God commanded, "Let lights appear in the sky to separate day from night and to show the
time when days, years, and religious festivals begin; GNB

Another version states;

BBE Genesis

1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the arch of heaven, for a division between
the day and the night, and let them be for signs, and for marking the changes of the year, and
for days and for years:
Gen 1:15-18 And let them be for luminaries in the expanse of the heavens, to give light on the
earth. And it was so. 16 And God made the two great luminaries: the great luminary to rule the
day, and the small luminary and the stars to rule the night. 17 And God set them in the expanse
of the heavens, to give light on the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night; and to
divide between the light and the darkness. And God saw that it was good. LITV

With this creative process, God institutes a means by which elapsing time may be kept
and recorded on the earth, a method which humans anywhere on earth may relate to.
Again, no time duration is attached to this process. Only a 24 hour long dividing day was
mentioned, after an evaluation by God that expresses his satisfaction with what had
been accomplished.
Then a waw conjunctive (And), when God confirmed it as satisfactory; And God saw that
it was good.
The Bible states:
NLT Genesis

1:19 This all happened on the fourth day.

ASV Genesis

1:19 And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

Then, another waw, this time consecutive, at the start of a fifth creative day (yom, era or
epoch).

Genesis 1:20 Then God said, "Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures, and on
the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky." And so it happened: NAB

Or, as other versions state:

Genesis 1:20 Afterward God said, Let the waters bring forth in abundance euery creeping thing
that hath life: and let the foule flie vpon the earth in the open firmament of the heauen. GNV
And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly and swarm with living creatures, and let
birds fly over the earth in the open expanse of the heavens. AMP
Genesis 1:21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with
which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind.
And God saw that it was good. ESV
ASV Genesis

1:22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in
the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.
Or as another versions states;
NLT Genesis

1:22 Then God blessed them, saying, "Let the fish multiply and fill the oceans. Let the
birds increase and fill the earth."

Thus, during the fifth yom, day (Era, epoch), God causes life forms to develop and
flourish in the waters on earth. Also, during the same era God (Elohim) causes creatures
which fly to come into existence on the earth. All this is accomplished during an
undisclosed amount of time. And, once again we see the expression it was good (some
versions and He approved it. In others). Again there appears to have been some kind of
evaluation process and possibly adjustments or tweaks to what had been brought into existence.
No time element is assigned to this either.
Then, there is the insertion, once again of a demising day (Yom, 24 hours), at the end of this
period and before the beginning of the next creation Yom (Era or epoch). Once again, there is no
time duration attached to the old Yom or the new one. However it is scientifically evident that
they could not have been twenty four hours. It is more likely, a long duration transpired,
perhaps even an unmeasurable length of time.

Once again, we see a familiar refrain where a 24 hour yom is introduced as a separation
between the Eras or epochs (yoms).
NIV Genesis

1:23 And there was evening, and there was morning-- the fifth day.

Or as another versions states:

NLT Genesis

1:23 This all happened on the fifth day.

Then activity during new yom, (era or epoch) is described, the sixth creative day.
NAB Genesis

1:24, 25 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures: cattle,
creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds." And so it happened: NLT 25 God made all sorts of
wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to reproduce more of its own kind. And
God saw that it was good.

Again, there is no information stating how long this took for the activity described. And,
the account goes on to speak of human creation as occurring in that same yom (era or
epoch)
From three versions;
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves. They will be
masters over all life-- the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the livestock, wild animals,
and small animals." NLT
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have
dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over
all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. ASV
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, like us: and let him have rule over
the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the earth and over
every living thing which goes flat on the earth. BBE
Gen 1:27-30 So God created human beings, making them to be like himself. He created them
male and female, 28 blessed them, and said, "Have many children, so that your descendants will
live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge of the fish, the
birds, and all the wild animals. 29 I have provided all kinds of grain and all kinds of fruit for
you to eat; 30 but for all the wild animals and for all the birds I have provided grass and leafy
plants for food"---and it was done. GNB

With this day (yom) or epoch of undisclosed duration God concludes the work of natural
creation in regard to the earth. At this point we find a familiar but slightly different
concluding phrase. At the end of this yom, he addresses everything that was
accomplished during all six epochs, of creation. This time, instead of seeing his
accomplishments as good or merely approvable, he sees them as very good or
excellent. Some commentators see this as indicating approval tantamount to a
statement inferring perfection.
Genesis 1:31 And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And
there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. ASV

Here we have the presence of another waw (And), employed to attach what follows to
what preceeded. While the American Standard and other translations are less than
definitive on this, the next two translations clearly show it to be a waw conjunctive, not a
waw consecutive.
Gen 1:31 God looked at everything he had made, and he was very pleased. Evening passed and
morning came---that was the sixth day. GNB
Genesis 1:31 Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was excellent in every
way. This all happened on the sixth day. NLT

The Creation is summed up in the following verses:

Genesis 2:1-4 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. NIV [Link]
God finished on the sixth day his works which he made, and he ceased on the seventh day from
all his works which he made. Brenton 3 And God gave his blessing to the seventh day and made it
holy: because on that day he took his rest from all the work which he had made and done. BBE

In a final statement about the entire creation, the bible dispels the false notion that a
day must be assumed to be twenty four hours long, including one dark portion, (night)
and one daylight portion. In the following statement the entire process of creation,
consisting of eons, of countless years is defined as a single day, denoting an undisclosed duration of time during which something occurred.
Genesis 2:4 These are the histories of the heavens and the earth, when they were created, in the
day that Jehovah Elohim made earth and heavens, DBY

While there are also some bible scholars who interpret the creative days of Genesis to be
1000 years each based on 2 Pe. 3:8, where it says one day is like a thousand years to
God, this too is wrong, for this verse cannot be seen as a rule, rather as a comparison. As
such it is merely one of the seven definitions cited earlier. As is the case of a day being
confined to twenty four hours, a creative day being a literal 1000 years long does not
conform to the truth found in nature. True science attributes millenniums when it
comes to changing the nature of things on earth. And true science cannot be denied, for
it is based on the same truth of God as inspired scripture is.
The Difference between what the Bible and what religions teach.
In conclusion, while religionists claim the earth and its environs were made by God in
six twenty four hour days, the Bible does not assign a time element to the creative days
themselves, (Yoms denoting an era or epoch). It inserts day (yom denoting a twenty four
hour period,) at the end of each creative day, which acts a separating or demising point
for the next Yom (era or epoch). Therefore, the Bible does not conflict with Science
when it assigns eons of time to the development of the earth and its environs as we
know it today.