How long was this planet here before life?

[Faithbuilders]

3 hours ago, maryjayne said:

the king Tyrus was an "annointed cherub" ????

"perfect in his ways"?

he was "In Eden"?

no earthly king was those things.

God was talking about a proverbial Eden; That scripture as pointed out was very clear who it is talking about. Have you ever heard, "so-and-so is living in a paradise?" or "This is my Eden" The king was perfect before God, until he allowed sin to come into his life because of pride - He was called a cherub because he was a spirit being with wisdom - all poetic descriptions not to be taken literally.

[brotherdon]

4.5 billion by some, and 6 to 8,000 to others. doesn't seem like it matters. Eternity will last forever. 

[enoob57]

I know let's find someone who was there
Oh wait that would only be God! Anyone with long eons of time well you have already rejected His Word and Witness ….

[Uber Genius]

Revelation 12:7 records the defeat and expulsion of Satan and his angels. But this occurs during the incarnation of Jesus. We see references to the King of Trye in Exekiel 28:11-19 but the refence is controversial (many scholars reject the satanic reference), further it is not specific as to the timing. But it sure sounds like Satan in almost every verse. Clearly it is not an earthly king the passage is referring to. So we have no Biblical account that specifies Satan's fall. the OT has little to say about the figure. 

 

As as to timelines, again this is controversial, Earth is generally thought to be 4.6 billion years old. We have found life older than 3.2 billion but by some accounts we have bacteria at 3.8 billion years. Others claim that the scientific data is misrepresenting an actual young Earth where all creation took place within the last 10,000 years or so. Again we have no biblical record with these timelines but we do have the creation accounts of Genesis.

There are currently 7 conservative (beleive the Bible is the inspired word of God) views of how to properly interpret Gen. 1. All have various strengths and weaknesses. 

So your subject crosses several controversial areas that defy a "short answer."

 

https://www.reasonablefaith.org/podcasts/defenders-podcast-series-3/s3-doctrine-of-creation/

Edited November 13, 2018 by Uber Genius
Addition material added

[Faithbuilders]

16 minutes ago, Uber Genius said:

As as to timelines, again this is controversial, Earth is generally thought to be 4.6 billion years old. We have found life older than 3.2 billion but by some accounts we have bacteria at 3.8 billion years. Others claim that the scientific data is misrepresenting an actual young Earth where all creation took place within the last 10,000 years or so. Again we have no biblical record with these timelines but we do have the creation accounts of Genesis.

There are currently 7 conservative (beleive the Bible is the inspired word of God) views of how to properly interpret Gen. 1. All have various strengths and weaknesses. 

So your subject crosses several controversial areas that defy a "short answer."

Very basic math, proves the earth is around 8000 years old. The so-called carbon dating as been proven time, and time again to be inaccurate! Christian scientists have proven according to the oil in the earth, that the earth is between 8 - 10 thousand years old - what I figured out in grade 6! There is only one interpretation of Gen 1, Gods, He created the earth by his word in 6 days..... about 6000 years later Jesus was born..... about 2000 years later here we are discussing it!

[enoob57]

2 minutes ago, Yowm said:

I'd say so. I'd hate to build my theology upon what occurs in between two verses.

not even written but assumed I might add  

[Scott Free]

Life formed almost instantaneously after the Earth cooled. Scientist now believe life was artificially seeded onto the planet from elsewhere. Science is in alignment with the Bible in the order that life was introduced onto the planet: plants, aquatic life, dinosaurs, mammals then man last.

[Dennis1209]

11 hours ago, Cletus said:

Preface:  i do not support the gap theory...

 

Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Gen 1:2  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.

verse two says the earth was without form and void.  so something was there before God formed it up in the following 6 days of creation.  it continues on, darkness was upon the face of the deep.. deep what???...  and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.  ... so i guess deep water, if anyone has anything to add from scripture concerning deep what i am all ears.  now, nowhere can i find it says God made the water.  so this leaves open possibilities.  one the gap theory is true, which I am not promoting, or there was something already here and God just formed it or God already made it.  if we take a closer look at the word created in gen 1:1 its bara, strongs 1254. it means to form or fashion, to produce or create.  originally this verb carried the idea of carving or cutting out.  and we can find evidence of this in the intensive verbal form in Josh 17:18 referring to cutting down trees.  and clearing out land.  it could very well suggest creating or at least the use of the word in some forms could be similar to sculpting. much like God did when He formed man out of the earth and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils.  I am not suggesting God cant just speak it and there it is.  Its possible there was something already here and God just formed it up the way He wanted.  but then again God doesnt always tell us everything, does He?  (LoL)  He could have made it and just hovered over it for a while and then formed it.  traditionally its believed moses wrote genesis.  but thats not for sure.  we do not know what the author saw, if anything.  no one else was there, adam wasnt even made yet.  but in any way you look at this, gen 1:2 says a whole lot when you sit and meditate on it.    it brings up even more questions too. I do not see anyting to indicate for sure a time frame from gen 1:2 state of earth until life.

I don't support the 'gap theory either', but it's the one I personally lean to now based on studies like you've done and mentioned. There are just too many things to mention on why I switched views from young Earth to old Earth, but you mentioned one of them, "darkness". As a general rule, 'darkness' is seldom mentioned in favorable light in the Bible. Darkness is the absence of any light, in this instance I believe it's not referring  to visible light humans can see in the light spectrum, but covered in the darkness of evil. 

The deep, or abyss is a deep pit, cavity or chasm extending far below. Could that be a holding area for something until the day of judgment and the tribulation? With the exception of the comfort side of Hades (Abraham's bosom), which was cleaned out during the resurrection of Christ, what's left down there: punishment side Hades, Shoal (A place where the water of a river, lake or sea is shallow or af little depth; a sand bank or bar; a shallow. The entrance of rivers is often rendered difficult or dangerous by shoals.) Tartarus, Gehenna or by whatever culture name it's the abyss or the deep in my opinion.

Waters, Gen 1: 2 (the law of first mention). I think this is a metaphor for the pouring out and theme of the Holy Spirit. Waters, fountains, etc. are many times referring to the out pouring of the Holy Spirit.

Another tidbit of many I find interesting by omission is; Genesis 1: 6-8 the firmament, or where the birds fly. God did not say that was good, as He did with everything else. Might that be because of whom currently controls, the princes and powers of the air? 

It's also very interesting to note the things the Lord directly spoke into existence and those created by material mold. 

Job 38:7 (KJV) When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

We know the angels witnessed creation and 1/3 of them fell at some point, and in my opinion, it appears it could have happened between Gen 1:1 & 1:2. We'll only know for sure when we're with the Lord. 

[enoob57]

6 hours ago, SelahSong said:

In 2 Peter 3:5, notice that the verb is “were,” past tense.  In 2 Peter 3:7, the verb is “are,” present tense.  In 2 Peter 3:10, the verbs are, “will and shall,” future tense. (3 Earth Ages).  

Enoob, nothing here refers to the Flood of Noah.

The Bible speaks of only one flood whereby life perished.... so your argument at least from Scripture is moot!

[enoob57]

15 minutes ago, SelahSong said:

Just put it on the shelf for now, Enoob; no worries.

I rather you take it down and read it