How Old Is the Earth?

Does the Bible tell us how old the earth is?

Does Scripture Reveal Earth’s Age?

The Bible states that earth was made on day one. Adam was made on day six, and his son Seth was born 130 years later. By adding the figures in the genealogies in Genesis 5 and 11, we discover that approximately 2,000 years passed before Abraham. Abraham lived roughly 2,000 years before Jesus Christ. And there have been about 2,000 years from Jesus until now.

The idea that the earth was created about 4,000 years before Christ is nothing new. Throughout church history, people have attempted to calculate the age of the earth based on the Bible.

A couple of factors account for most of the differences in the range of dates given. First, one must choose which manuscript tradition to base the calculations on. The Greek translation of the Old Testament, known as the Septuagint, includes an additional 1,250–1,380 years in Genesis 5 and 11. Second, the meaning of certain passages is debated. For example, were the Israelites in Egypt for 215 years or 430 years?

Whichever options one favors, there is simply no legitimate way to make the Bible teach that the earth is tens of thousands of years old, let alone millions or billions.

Are There Gaps in the Genesis Genealogies?

Some Christians have attempted to add long periods of time to the Bible by asserting that gaps of indeterminate length could be added to the genealogies of Genesis 5 and 11.

We know gaps exist in certain biblical genealogies, such as Matthew 1, but gaps of time cannot be added to the Genesis 5 and 11 genealogies because the text explains how old each person was when their son was born. For example, Adam was 130 years old when Seth was born, and Seth was 105 when Enosh was born. So even if it were possible to insert an extra generation or two in between Adam and Seth, it would not change the timeline—Adam was still 130 years old when Seth was born.

Start planning your visit to the Creation Museum today, and learn more about what the Bible teaches about the age of the earth.