When understood appropriately, the account given in Genesis 1 (as well as other creation passages in the Bible) are in great harmony with what scientists have found about the history of the earth and of life. The fact that a book that was written thousands of years before modern science accords so well with what science has discovered in the last few hundred years strongly attests to the same Divine Author for the Bible as well as nature. As science progresses, if this Divine Authorship is true for both the Bible and nature, then we can expect even greater harmony between the Bible and scientific discoveries.
Time spans are rough estimates for the different 'days' or 'time periods' of creation (either 'day' or 'time period' can be valid interpretations of the Hebrew word 'yom' used in Genesis 1).
Passages below are from The Living Bible (TLB) and the English Standard Bible (ESV).
When God began creating the heavens and the earth... (TLB)
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (ESV)
Genesis 1:1
~ -13800 to -4500
Big Bang
This chronicles the creation of the entire universe (heavens and earth) within one statement. This describes a Creator who was outside of space and time and harmonizes well with what is known about the Big Bang. The Bible is the only religious document which makes such a claim about a Creator being outside (or transcendent of) space and time (see the end of Journey Towards Creation video below for more discussion about this).
Big Bang (~ -13800)
First Stars (~ -13400)
A journey through what happened at each stage of the evolution of the universe from Old Earth creationist perspective, and how astronomical findings support the Biblical perspective of the fine-tuned nature of earth and life. 1:39:55
Overview of content with start time in video.
Dr. Ross explains how science is finally converging on what
Genesis and the Bible have already described for thousands of years.
Overview of content with start time in video. 1:33:49
Dr. Ross explains how space, time, and new scientific discoveries strongly suggest the presence of God. 1:41:14
The Big Bang to the Present. Animations but no narration. 3:39
The history of the entire universe. 8:02
National Geographic video about the Big Bang and the origin of the elements. 5:49
Animations and explanations about what happened during the Big Bang. 5:54
Animations and explanations of the evolution of the universe. 2:48
Lecture covering the history of how humans have studied the universe. 1:21:43
...the earth was a shapeless, chaotic mass, with the Spirit of God brooding over the dark vapors. Then God said, "Let there be light". And light appeared. And God was pleased with it and divided the light from the darkness. He called the light "daytime", and the darkness "nighttime". Together they formed the first day. (TLB)
The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light", and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. (ESV)
Genesis 1:2-5
~ -4500 to -3000
Hadean, Archean
This chronicles the beginning of the earth and the original opaque atmosphere ("the dark vapors" [TLB] or "darkness over the face of the deep" [ESV]). Then there was a thinning of earth's opaque atmosphere to a translucent atmosphere, leading to a cycle of light and dark ("Let there be light") and the conditions for anaerobic life. This also provides the critical frame of reference for describing all the days of creation - that the Spirit of God was "hovering" or "brooding" over the face of the waters, i.e., the waters of the primordial earth. So, the frame of reference is above the earth and the descriptions then describe what is happening directly above and on the surface of the earth. Not understanding the appropriate frame of reference has caused much misunderstanding and rejection of the accuracy of the Genesis account. With the correct understanding of the frame of reference as stated in these verses from Genesis, the descriptions in Genesis 1 align very well with what scientists have found and continue to discover about the history of earth and life on our planet.
Earliest earth (~ -4540)
Early moon collides with earth (~ -4500)
Earliest water on earth (~ -4300)
Earliest life (Anaerobic) (~ -3400)
Earliest atmosphere of hydrogen and helium which went into space
Secondary atmosphere consisted mostly of Nitrogen and Carbon Dioxide from volcanic activity
Meteorite Bombardment (~ -3800)
Simple overview of why the geological time scales were created (eons, eras, periods, epochs). This also covers the names of the major time scales as well. 6:13.
Technical overview of the geological time scales by a professor at Cornell, covering how these time scales evolve over time as we discover more details. 9:35.
Very technical description from a college lecture about the stratigraphy of the geological formations, which are the basis for the various time periods of the earth's history. 27:30.
The 4.54 billion years of Earth history in 9 minutes. 9:15
Birth of the solar system, birth of the Earth, and evolution of life on Earth. 1:05:54.
History of Earth with temperatures, eons, eras on rolling timeline. 11:35
Explanation of Eons, Eras, etc.. 12:07
A time-lapse description of the evolution of the Earth, with names of the periods, average temperature, and major events of that period. 5:43
About the history of earliest life forms and the human investigations and discoveries about that history. The life history covers about 4.6 bya to 540 mya. 59:32.
Covers the evolution of the earth from the perspective of the oceans from the earth's watery ancient history to speculations about the future. 42:49.
Covers the evolution of the earth from the perspective of the land masses (continents) from the earth's ancient history to speculations about the future. 48:45.
Covers the biosphere from the earliest eras of earth up until the present. Mentions the work of the entomologist Edward Wilson and the early microscopist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. 32:28.
Covers the history of investigations and the findings about the earliest fossils. 30:48.
Covers the history of investigations and the findings about the origins of the water on the earth. 31:30.
Covers the late heavy bombardment of about 4.1 to 3.8 bya (also called the lunar cataclysm). Covers not only the moon but also the earth and its nearest neighbors in space. 20:04.
History of investigations about what the earth was like 4 bya. 21:50.
Overview of how the earth is thought to have formed. 18:15.
Full documentary from National Geographic TV titled Earth - Making of a Planet. It has very professionally produced, detailed visualizations of how the earth formed and its different stages of development. 1:31:51
And God said, "Let the vapors separate to form the sky above and the oceans below." So God made the sky, dividing the vapor above from the water below. This all happened on the second day. (TLB)
And God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters." And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. (ESV)
Genesis 1:6-8
~ -3000 to -2400
Late Archean
Early Proterozoic
This chronicles the creation of the earth's atmosphere, the sky, between the thick opaque water vapors above the sky and the seas beneath the sky.
The videos are not too clear about the formation of the atmosphere from oxygenation. However, the New Scientist article shows how modeling based on ocean sediment samples strongly suggests that the haze of hydrocarbon fog was cleared from the early atmosphere and replaced with oxygen from photosynthesis during this time period.
Cyanobacteria/Green-blue algae (Aerobic) (~ -2700 to -2400)
Small plants appear
Oxygenation begins from photosynthesis actions of algae and plants, as evidenced by banded iron formation
Carbon also dissolves in oceans
Algae later become sediments at ocean floor
Evolution of the chemical components of the earth's atmosphere. 2:17
Big History presentation of Earth's atmosphere. Creation of an endless cycle of warming, cooling, and recovery. 5:32
First earth atmosphere. Collision, moon, Hadean. Cynobacteria. Banded iron formations. 12:00.
Description of the beginning of life in the seas, photosynthesis, and then the great oxidation event. 26:48.
Overview of what the earth may have been like from about 4.1 bya to 2.5 bya. 27:01.
An article from 2012 in the NewScientist references a study called "the best modelling effort that’s been done” to understand methane clouds during the period around 2.5 bya. The modeling study found that the haze cleared from the earth's early atmosphere of hydrocarbon fog about 2.4 bya due to the oxygenation produced by photosynthetic organisms.
Then God said, "Let the water beneath the sky be gathered into oceans so that the dry land will emerge." And so it was. Then God named the dry land "earth", and the water "seas". And God was pleased. And he said, "Let the earth burst forth with every sort of grass and seed-bearing plant, and fruit trees with seeds inside the fruit, so that these seeds will produce the kinds of plants and fruits they came from." And so it was, and God was pleased. This all occurred on the third day. (TLB)
And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth." And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. (ESV)
Genesis 1:9-13
~ -2400 to -580
Mid Proterozoic to Mid Phanerozoic
This shows a rise in the continental land mass as well as the earliest plant life.
Significant Rise of Continental Land Mass (-2000)
Earliest Fungi (-1500)
Sexual Reproduction (-1200)
Earliest Plants (-800)
Earliest Animals (-700)
3.3 Billion Years of Continental Drift. Note that as the video says at its beginning, it is difficult to talk with certainty about details before 1 Billion Years ago. 4:20
The earth at the "Boring Billion" years ago. 42:45
The earth from about 1800 to 800 mya, sometimes referred to the "boring billion" year period. 36:09
History of investigations about what the earth was like 2 bya. 32:10.
Covers how and why plate tectonics started. 10:29
Covers much of earth history and includes an overview of the uniqueness of plate tectonics 21:21
Then God said, "Let bright lights appear in the sky to give light to the earth and to identify the day and the night; they shall bring about the seasons on the earth, and mark the days and years." And so it was. For God had made two huge lights, the sun and moon, to shine down upon the earth — the larger one, the sun, to preside over the day and the smaller one, the moon, to preside through the night; he had also made the stars. And God set them in the sky to light the earth, and to preside over the day and night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God was pleased. This all happened on the fourth day. (TLB)
And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth." And it was so. And God made the two great lights — the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night — and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. (ESV)
Genesis 1:14-19
~ -580 to -575
Mid Phanerozoic / Late Proterozoic
This chronicles a further change of the sky from a translucent atmosphere, where the light from the sun, moon, and stars are weak and diffuse, to a transparent atmosphere, where the light from the sun, moon, and stars can be seen clearly and bring about the seasons and mark the days and years.
The scientific evidence for the clearing of the atmosphere comes from records for an increase in oxygen in the atmosphere and a decrease in methane. This blog shows how modeling these changes in oxygen and methane levels leads to a clarity in the atmosphere that would allow the sun, moon, and stars to be visible.
Formation of the ozone layer to protect life from harmful UV radiation
(~ -580 mya)
Plants develop the carbon dioxide-oxygen cycle
Stable oxygen levels of about ~ 1% to 10%
First earth atmosphere. Collision, moon, Hadean. Cynobacteria. Banded iron formations. 12:00.
Evolution of the atmosphere of the earth with chemical composition and the influence of temperature dependent reactions, volcanic activity, and living organisms. 13:08.
Another description of the chemical composition of the atmosphere of the earth and how that changes during earth's evolution. 10:10.
Then God said, "Let the waters teem with fish and other life, and let the skies be filled with birds of every kind." So God created great sea animals, and every sort of fish and every kind of bird. And God looked at them with pleasure, and blessed them all. "Multiply and stock the oceans," he told them, and to the birds he said, "Let your numbers increase. Fill the earth!" That ended the fifth day. (TLB)
And God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens." 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. And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. (ESV)
Genesis 1:20-23
~ -575 to -65
Mid to Late Phanerozoic
This chronicles the rise of the sea creatures as well as the flying creatures and birds and the plethora of life forms that began to proliferate with the Cambrian explosion.
Cambrian Explosion (~ -540)
Anthropods, Molluscs (~ -520)
Tetrapoda (~ -300)
Dinosaurs (~ -250)
Mammals (~ -200)
Flowers (~ -150)
Birds (~ -120)
Covers the period from the Cambrian Explosion to late Devonian extinctions of around 370 mya. 11:57
Cambrian Explosion and the evolutionary origin of animals - Professor Paul Smith. 1:26:27
The landmass of Pangaea is thought to have developed during the period of about 335 mya to 175 mya. This video explores what Pangaea might have looked like somewhere about 230 mya to 190 mya. 13:20
And God said, "Let the earth bring forth every kind of animal — cattle and reptiles and wildlife of every kind." And so it was. God made all sorts of wild animals and cattle and reptiles. And God was pleased with what he had done. Then God said, "Let us make a man — someone like ourselves, to be the master of all life upon the earth and in the skies and in the seas." So God made man like his Maker. Like God did God make man; Man and maid did he make them. And God blessed them and told them, "Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it; you are masters of the fish and birds and all the animals. And look! I have given you the seed-bearing plants throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I’ve given all the grass and plants to the animals and birds for their food." Then God looked over all that he had made, and it was excellent in every way. This ended the sixth day. (TLB)
And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds — livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds." And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Then 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 livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. 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. (ESV)
Genesis 1:24-31
~ -65 to ~0.1
Late Phanerozoic
This shows the rise of ants and beetles (creeping things), the modern order of mammals (livestock) and the pinnacle of God's creation with a human man and woman to populate and care for the earth and its creatures.
Rise of ants following angiosperms (~ -100)
Diversification of beetles (~ -100)
Primates (~ -60)
Modern orders of mammals (~ -55 to -33)
Modern man (Homo sapiens sapiens) (~ -0.2)
Evolution of Mammals and their dispersal. 15:08
Human Population Genetics. 11:08
Explanation of how the genetic trail of the Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA can be used to trace our ancestry back to some original humans. 9:31
* mya = Millions of years ago
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