We cannot be dogmatic about the "beginning" of the creation of earth except as we are guided by the inspired record and by the discoveries of science as man probes deeper into the mysteries of the universe. The evidence from astronomy and astrophysics points to an ancient universe of which our solar system is a part. Many theologians feel that this in direct controversy with what they consider a plain revelation of a relatively young earth that came into existence in six literal days some 6,000 years ago. However, it seems that most of the controversy centers around the definition of beginning in Genesis 1:1,2 and in the interpretation of what happened on the fourth day of creation as described in Genesis 1:16-19. The question of the source of light on the first day is easily answered if one assumes that the sun existed previous to creation week. Also the apparent great ages of some of the distant stars and galaxies would indicate that they existed long before creation week.
So, it seems that the problem is to harmonize what we know from science and our interpretation of what happened on the fourth day. I believe this apparent contradiction can be resolved by a close examination of what the Bible text actually says. There is the question of the difference in meaning between the word "made" and the word "create," along with an interpretation of what is meant by the word "rule." If we put the emphasis on "rule " rather than upon "made," we can assume that previous to the fourth day the atmosphere had been very murky and opaque so as to obscure both orbs. When the atmosphere cleared on the fourth day, the sun and moon would have appeared in all their full glory to rule.
The Hebrew language does not contain a distinction between the past and past perfect tenses. Thus, the word "made" could just as well be translated "had made." We could thus reword Genesis 1:16-19 to accommodate these modifications:
"God made to appear two great lights, the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. He had made the stars also. God had set them in the firmament of heaven to give light to the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness."
This cosmological model seems to accommodate the present picture from astronomy of an ancient universe, the problem of the source of light on the first day, the problem of when the solar system came into existence, the problem of the apparent age of earth's rocks, and a literal interpretation of a recent origin of life on earth.
