One of the most frequent questions I hear regarding the Creation/evolution discussion concerns the appearance of age. How can the universe be so young when it looks old?

Taken at face value, Genesis presents us with a dilemma. If we read the Creation account literally, we find that the earth and the universe were created around 6000 years ago. This is in direct opposition to what the evolutionary model of our origins tells us. Currently, the evolutionary model estimates that the universe is 13.6 billion years old. But which view is correct?

If we truly accept God’s Word as infallible, then we need to trust it in all matters, including science. Anytime science disagrees with Scripture, we have to assume that science doesn’t have all the facts. Throughout history, the Bible has repeatedly been shown to be accurate in scientific matters, as well as all manner of other areas. So, Genesis must be correct concerning the age of our universe as well. Our knowledge is limited, finite. We need to trust that God knows all the answers, even though we may not. Why are we so quick to ignore the God of Creation concerning matters that he obviously know more about than we do?

So why does the universe have the appearance of age? I think there are two main reasons why Creation appears old.

First, the universe looks old because God created it as complete and whole. When God created trees, he created them as mature, living things, not as a seed or sapling. When God created Adam, he created him as a man, not as an infant. By our understanding, these things would have taken time to happen, to grow old. But God created man in mature form, and placed him in a Garden that was fertile and flowing with mature growth, not merely a mud bed full of seeds.

Second, the universe appears old because it is functioning under the weight of three curses, or judgments. The first was the Fall, when mankind sinned originally. The second was the catastrophe of Noah’s Flood, which destroyed the earth completely, and has had repercussions ever since. The third was at the Tower of Babel, when God judged and dispersed the nations. Because of these three judgments upon sin, all of creation appears aged. Sin has taken its toll on God’s creative work. In fact, Romans 8 tells us that all of creation is groaning because of the consequences of sin. Were it not for this, our universe might appear far different than it currently does. But instead, it awaits God’s redemption, just as we do.

Don’t be fooled; just because something has the appearance of age doesn’t necessarily mean that it is old. In spite of the apparent visual contradictions, a young earth view fits the framework of Genesis far better than any other interpretation. And when all things are made new, when Christ returns, just imagine how incredible it will look then!