132 



E. WALTER MAUNDER^ F.R.A.S.^ ON 



VI. — "IN SIX DAYS THE LORD MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH." 



What was the nature of these days of creation ? What was 

 their length ? And where are we to place them in the course 

 of time ? Many different opinions have been formed upon 

 these questions, which may be summarized as follows : — 



(a) "At one time the chapter was interpreted to mean 



that the entire universe was called into existence 

 about 6,000 years ago in six days of 24 hours each. 



(b) " Later it was recognized that both geology and 



astronomy seemed to indicate the existence of matter 

 for untold millions of years instead of some 6,000. It 

 was then pointed out that, so far as the narrative was 

 concerned, there might have been a period of 

 almost unlimited duration between its first verse and 

 its third ; and it was suggested that the six days of 

 Creation were six days of 24 hours each, in which, 

 after some great cataclysm, 6,000 years ago, the face 

 of the earth was renewed and replenished for the 

 habitation of man, the preceding geological ages being 

 left entirely unnoticed. 



(c) " Some writers have confined the cataclysm and renewal 



to a small portion of the earth's surface — to ' Eden ' 

 and its neighbourhood. 



(d) " Other commentators have laid stress on the truth 



revealed in Scripture that ' one day is with the Lord 

 as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day/ 

 and have urged the argument that the six days of 

 Creation were really vast periods of time, during 

 which the earth's geological changes and the evolution 

 of its varied forms of life were running their course. 



(e) " Others again have urged that the six days of Creation 



were six literal days, but instead of being consecutive, 

 were separated by long ages. 

 (/) " And yet, again, as no man was present during the 

 Creation period, it has been suggested that the Divine 

 revelation of it was given to Moses or some other 

 inspired prophet in six successive visions or dreams, 

 which constituted the ' six days ' in which the chief 

 facts of Creation were set forth." {Astronomy of the 

 Bible, pp. 20-21.) 



It does not lie within my province to discuss the bearing 

 upon these interpretations of tlie meaning of the Hebrew word 



