Re: context (was craters)

Blaine D. McArthur (bjmcarth@pacbell.net)
Wed, 17 Mar 1999 16:10:32 -0800

I have no problem accepting an ancient earth and universe. I believe
the geologic, and astronomic evidence is credible; the YEC literature I
have read has not convinced me that it is wrong. I do, however,
continue to have a problem with just one area and that is in regards to
this current discussion on the interpretation of the word yom.

YEC's claim that yom in connection with an ordinal number always refers
to a 24 hour period. I have discussed this with my pastor, who IS NOT a
YEC advocate, and is not merely a seminary graduate, but has a PhD in
theology. He has told me that his own studies of the word indicate that
the YECs may be right in this case - yom used in conjunction with an
ordinal number is a 24 hour period. I have read a few responses to
this claim, but none of them seems to me to be watertight. I guess I
have not yet heard a credible refutation of this claim.

Can anyone on the list address this issue? Is there an instance
anywhere of yom and an ordinal not referring to a 24 hour period? How
times does the bible use yom and an ordinal together? Can we look at
extrabiblical Hebrew literature and get a reliable answer to this
question?

Blaine

David Campbell wrote:

> >Another passage in the
> >> Pentateuch requiring a non-24 hour rendition is the description of
> the year
> >> of Jubilee-it follows a day of 49 years.
> >>
> >> David C.
> >
> >I confess I hunted through concordances and dictionaries for the
> Jubilee
> >reference, without success. Could you be more specififc please? I
> find it
> >most interesting.
>
> As it might be difficult for others to locate, too, the reference was
> Leviticus 25:8. Unless you have a very literalistic translation, yom
> is
> likely to be rendered "time", "period", or the like.
>
> It is also translated "year" in several places in some translations,
> but
> usually in the phrase "many years". Obviously, many years is also
> many
> days, so one could apply a 24 hour interpretation in these passages.
>
> David C.