The days of the Bible's Creation account signify literal 24-hour
periods. Typical of how the Old Testament people of God measured
time the expression "the evening and the morning" [ GEN 1:5,8,13,19,23,31 ]
specifies individual days with the day beginning at evening, or sunset.
[ LEV 23:32; DEU 16:6 ] There is no justification for saying that this
expressions meant one literal day in Leviticus, for instance, and thousands
or millions of years in Genesis.
The Hebrew word translated day in Genesis 1 is YOM. When YOM is
accompanied by a definate number, it always means a literal, 24-hour day
(e.g. GEN 7:11; EXO 16:1) -- another indication that the Creation account
speaks of literal, twenty-four-hour days.
Creation week did not involve the heaven that God has dwelt in from
eternity. The "heavens" of Gensis 1 and 2 probably refer to our sun and
its system of planets.
Even considering that eacy day of Creation was a mere 1,000 years in length
would cause problems. With such a schema, by the evening of the sixth
"day" -- his very first "day" of life -- Adam would have been much older than
the total life span the Bible allots to him. [ GEN 5:5 ]
Those who cite 2 Peter 3:8, "with the Lord one day is as a thousand years,"
trying to prove that the days of Creation were not literal twenty-four-hour
days, overlook the fact that the same verse ends with "a thousand years" are
"as one day." The point being made is God is timeless.
Perhaps the galaxies and all that abounds existed well prior to our
being put here. (Speculation, nothing more.) Before the time of our
creation, as an example of sin, there may have been zillions of years
of peace and existance of other things; or perhaps the downfall of
Lucifier was instant.
There are two count of creation. The first is Genesis 1:1-2:3 and the
second, which is not in chronological order, but does provide more detail,
is in Genesis 2:4-25. And they harmonize.
One point often over looked is that God could have jump started the
universe into a stable condition. The light from the stars could have
been set into motion; but again, this too is speculation. The language and
scientific knowledge available at the time of the writings would have been
nearly impossible to describe with comprehension the full scientific account
of exactly how God did what He did. We know the steps, the reasons, the
purpose, the symbolism, the examples by doing it that way. As much as it
displeases us, we may not be ready for the full answer yet.
Already we do know that it IS possible to create something from nothing;
a large quanity of energy can be converted into matter and anti-matter. If
God has infinite power, then all that exists would be feasable under creation.