In regards to Earth and the Universe, we cannot separate the physical existence we enjoy
from the necessary cause for its origin.
Likewise we cannot separate the physical matter of the Universe apart from the physical laws
that govern its behavior.
And as we observe the order and design in our incredible Universe,
we also see that we cannot separate the function and the complexity,
and still maintain the fine-tuned balance of the entire system.
Now when we look at our Universe, we see a fully-functioning, complete system,
from the largest galaxies to the smallest bacteria,
from the vast multitude of existing stars to our single, complex planet Earth.
And of all the places to consider, it is here on Earth
where the full-functionality and completeness are most obvious,
especially demonstrated in pristine clarity in the processes of life.
The multitude of necessary systems and physical cycles form a web fine-tuned for life.
If one cycle or condition is missing then life’s possibility vanishes.
So when we observe and evaluate our amazing existence here on Earth, and we consider
what best explains the mountain of evidence for function, complexity, order and design,
that of an intelligent and purposeful Creator provides the consistent answer,
one that the random, chaotic, mindless evolutionary processes cannot.
But what does the necessity of a fully-functional Cosmos tell us about its age?
How old is the Universe?
First, being the product of an intelligent Creator, we would expect each physical process
within the Universe to have all of its constituent parts--both matter and law--
from the very beginning of Creation.
The precise characteristics of subatomic particles, like protons, neutrons, and electrons,
they must exist simultaneously with the physical laws of electricity and magnetism.
The existence of radiation-- such as heat and visible light--
must exist simultaneously with the laws of thermodynamics.
And for life to exist on Earth, there must simultaneously exist
all the fundamental laws of nature along with all of the forms of matter on which life depends:
from the basic atoms to the highly complex molecules.
The Universe and Earth, therefore, were created in a mature form with fully-functioning processes.
And for life on Earth, our observation of its design tells us that life could not have
waited billions of years for the Sun to evolve,
for water to arrive, or for the atmosphere to stabilize.
Rather all the processes on Earth are so interdependent and fine-tuned
that they must function together.
Life exists within the precise arrangement of Earth’s cycles,
which only exists within the precise arrangement of the Sun, Earth, and Moon system,
which only exists within the precise order of the Universe’s laws.
The timing for the creation of life and planet Earth was synchronized from their beginning.
Observing that life, Earth, and all the natural laws of the Universe have a common beginning
provides us their relative ages.
That is, relative to each other they have the same age.
Now this is a very important observation,
because it serves as a distinguishing characteristic for the history of our Cosmos.
Was the history of our Cosmos one of a long, slow, incremental development,
where separate fundamental processes were accumulated
and set in motion billions of years apart from each other?
Or, does a coordinated beginning where physical matter, natural law,
life-sustaining processes exist together provide a more accurate history for what we see?
Here our inquiry has shown us what the relative age and history of the Universe looks like,
one which matches the history of Creation that the Bible describes:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth.”
In short succession, the Earth was formed and fashioned for an atmosphere,
for a water-dominated surface, for the existence of plant and animal life, and for mankind;
Earth and its systems were created together to function in a physical relationship
with the Sun, the Moon, and the stars--
all designed as complements within a functionally-complex Universe.
Now the next question that follows then is: "When did this common created origin happen?"
Was it billions of years ago or was it a timespan more in line with records of human history?
Well, scientific study is excellent for making comparative observations,
for relating the quantities and values and characteristics of different components.
However, science requires a standard or a set of known values when establishing
an absolute measurement, such as an absolute age.
Yes, we can record the time of events that we directly observe,
such as how long a process took to complete from start to finish.
Yes, we can pinpoint events in civilization’s history
through the records of participant observers.
But what about when we do not have first-hand records or first-hand observations?
This is where we use the power of scientific comparison.
We perform a first-hand experiment and we use this known observation
as a standard to compare to what we have not seen.
For example, having studied the life-cycles of animals around the world,
we can identify the age of a living creature even though we did not see it born.
We can look at various plants and understand the limits of their age
by comparing previous life-cycles that we have observed from seed all the way to maturity.
However, when it comes to an entire planet-- like Earth--relative age comparisons fail.
We have never seen one, let alone repeated, full, development cycles of an entire planet.
Do we see other planets in the Universe? Yes.
Numerous others are right here in our own Solar System.
But apart from the living organisms on Earth, the structural makeup of our planet is not living.
Planets are not truly born, they do not develop through adolescents or grow into maturity,
and they do not die ceasing to exist.
Rather, like a rock that you hold in your hand, Earth itself is made of inanimate matter.
It exists in a certain form now, and can over time through internal or external processes
have some alteration to its form, but the rock is still a rock.
What this means is that science does not offer some absolute age marker for the Universe,
merely it limits on internal processes.
Yet, it absolutely provides evidence for its designed origin,
and the level of intelligence and power and authority of its Creator.
The Bible then comes into our discussion as an externally and internally verified source
of divine information.
When we look to its record for when the Universe came into existence,
we see the focus of Scripture being Jesus-- the Son of God--
who lived roughly 2000 years ago.
His parents’ lineage is clearly recorded, stretching back through the royal line of David,
back to the beginnings of the tribe of Judah, the great-grandson of the patriarch Abraham,
who lived about 2000 years before Christ.
Following Abraham's lineage we trace back through Shem, the son of Noah who was saved
from the catastrophic global flood.
From Noah we trace back through men like Methuselah and Enoch
until we arrive at Seth, the son of the very first couple Adam and Eve,
who were created by God in the Garden of Eden roughly 2000 years before Abraham,
4000 years before Christ, and 6000 years before our current time.
The Genesis record provides for us the culmination of the Cosmic Creation period,
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them.
Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.
So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”
As the New Testament states,
“And he has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth,
and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
so that they should seek the Lord.”
Humanity’s common origin, then, was on the sixth day from the common origin
for our planet Earth and the Cosmos.
This historical event, as described biblically and consistent scientifically,
occurred only thousands of years ago, not millions or billions.