By Hank Hanegraaff

It is frequently argued that God created the universe with the appearance of age. Does this notion correspond to the reality of Scripture and science?

First, some creationists suggest that Adam was created with the appearance of age. In truth, however, we simply do not know. Did he have a belly button? Baby teeth? Calluses on his feet? The Bible doesn’t tell us.

Furthermore, the notion that God created His handiwork with the appearance of age is logically unfalsifiable: you can neither prove it nor disprove it. Just as you cannot prove you were not created five seconds ago and that your recollection of the previous paragraph is just an implanted memory, so, too, you can neither prove nor disprove that Adam was created with the appearance of age. To believe that you were created five seconds ago is to live in massive deception. Far better to trust that all such notions are inconsistent with our knowledge of God.

Finally, consider an observable astronomical event such as Supernova 1987A—an event with an identifiable before and after. Prior to 1987, this supernova was a star in a distant galaxy 168,000 light-years away (a light-year is not a measure of time but distance—specifically, the distance light travels in a year). On February 23, 1987, the star exploded in spectacular brilliance. In other words, 168,000 years ago the star exploded, and in 1987, the light of that event finally reached earth— unless, of course, God created the universe only six thousand years ago. Then the supernova might well be likened to a documentary film of an event that never really happened.

In sum, the notion that the universe is not authentically old but merely appears to be old creates more conundrums than it solves. Indeed, what good teacher would ask a student to put faith in a textbook intentionally filled with lies? Moreover, we should bear in mind that whatever our notions of age, the universe is finite.

In part adapted from The Creation Answer Book

It is impossible for God to lie.

Hebrews 6:18 NKJV

For further study, see Hank Hanegraaff, The Creation Answer Book (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2012).

 

***Note the preceding text is adapted from The Complete Bible Answer Book: Collector’s Edition: Revised and Expanded (2024). To receive for your partnering gift please click here. ***