A Genesis Day and the Age of the Earth: what does the Bible say?

God's Day of Rest?Let's see if your Bible study rings true to the purpose of your argument. I prefer to begin with the Old Testament quotes and work forward.

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Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, [and] as [in] the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with [this] generation, and said, It [is] a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. Psalm 95:8-11 KJV

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One rather telling rendition of verse 11 which I like because it is true to the context (the entry into Canaan) reads:

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So in my anger I made a vow: `They will never enter my place of rest.' " Psalm 95:11 New Living Translation (NLT)

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The "rest" i.e. "place of rest" being the promised land.Now let us turn to what Paul is on about. I am going to continue with the NLT because it reads so easily by comparison.

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And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn't it the people who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom was God speaking when he vowed that they would never enter his place of rest? He was speaking to those who disobeyed him. So we see that they were not allowed to enter his rest because of their unbelief. Hebrews 3:17-19 NLT

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They were killed, or allowed to die, so they would not enter into "the rest" AKA "place of rest" AKA Promised Land.Paul goes on to draw a spiritual lesson from that wilderness experience, comparing the then modern Jews to those ancient ones, and faith in Moses, to faith in Jesus. The previous "rest" was a piece of ground, the very land of promise. Now, however, the "rest" is something else, something more spiritual, less tangible but none-the-less desirable. Even now, says Paul, it awaits the people of God.

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We know it is ready because the Scriptures mention the seventh day, saying, "On the seventh day God rested from all his work." But in the other passage God said, "They will never enter my place of rest." So God's rest is there for people to enter. But those who formerly heard the Good News failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering his place of rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David a long time later in the words already quoted: "Today you must listen to his voice. Don't harden your hearts against him." This new place of rest was not the land of Canaan, where Joshua led them. If it had been, God would not have spoken later about another day of rest. So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who enter into God's rest will find rest from their labors, just as God rested after creating the world. Let us do our best to enter that place of rest. For anyone who disobeys God, as the people of Israel did, will fall. Hebrew 4:4-11 NLT

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Note the expressions: "new place of rest" (described as different from the first); and "special rest" (which awaits the people of God); and "another dayof rest" different from the first. Note Paul's use of the past tense: "God rested," rather than the present tense which, if that day is ongoing, should read: "God is resting."This is clearly NOT about God having ceased his creative activity. If you doubt that, you can actually look at the universe and see that he continues to be rather busy.This is clearly about obedience to God, being in harmony with his will, the reward for which is - a "place of rest" - "still waiting for the people of God."I believe your hypothesis has just lost a leg.They shoot horses, don't they?

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Theology is the science of Dominion.
- - - My God is your god's Boss - - -

I wish I could say you have an hypothesis going but I'm afraid that is not the case.I have other problems with your OP but chose this one because no one had yet touched it. You seem to think it significant that the Scripture does not specifically say, "Day Seven Ended."Is it not enough that it says: God rested and was refreshed?

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For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but he rested on the seventh day and was refreshed." Exodus 31:17 NLT

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Notice the past tense. If what you propose were true then it should read: God is resting (present tense) and will be refreshed (future tense). That seems reasonable.It is also reasonable for the NLT to give "rest" {menukah (H4496)} as "place of rest" in this circumstance; for it fits the context and is translated that way in other places by the KJV:

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... the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them ... to search out a resting place for them. Numbers 10:33

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... my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; Isa 32:17,18

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... the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. Psa 37:11

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First you say the "rest" was NOT about the land, then you suggest that it IS about the land: the entire "earth."I am confused. You want this "rest" to be a chronological argument regarding the age of the earth. You also want it as a reward given to the faithful; a huge piece of real estate: an entire planet. On the other hand, you want the spiritual interpretation which Paul gives it: blessings enjoyed by those who "Become reconciled to God." The image this brings to my mind is: eons of unemployment benefits while hanging out with God until he decides to go back to work!That's probably not what you wanted me to think. Yes?Your campaign has been valiant and I would give you an 'A' for effort but so far I see no evidence nor logical progression which would lead me to your conclusion. Your premise regarding Ferris Bueller's God's Day Off does not appear to be supported by the textual materials which you have provided and I know of no other which might be put to the task. I find it odd that you think God is somehow on holiday and that you think the length of God's holiday can determine the length of the days of creation week. I also think it odd that you imagine "God's rest" in terms of real estate; how it was once in the land of Canaan but now encompasses "the earth." I also wonder what you think it means to have God "resting" from his work. Would that explain the presence of evil in the world?Yes. This leg is definately broken.

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Theology is the science of Dominion.
- - - My God is your god's Boss - - -

First let me say that Your formatting sucks!. Your paragraphs, quotes and comments all run together as if you have copied someone else's argument without cleaning it up for us; without considering how difficult it might be for your reader's to decipher what you have posted. Running with scissors, cutting-&-pasting like there's no tomorrow. A cut-&paste orgy. You know that's against our rules. Don't you? It is your job to find and present the gems you believe to be located in the ore of scripture. What I see resembles a worthless pile of tailings. You often fail to note the version you are quoting and you fail set your quotes apart from the body of your comments. There may be an argument in there somewhere but I am getting a headache looking for it. Is that your tactic? Are you afraid you haven't dazzled us with your brilliance so now you seek to baffle us with your bullshit? I'm sure you can do better. I believe I have seen you do better. Even so, for your sake, despite my annoyance and an increasingly negative opinion regarding your attention to detail, I will attempt to find your precious in this train wreck of a post. My reference was to Exodus NOT Genesis. Are you not concerned about the apparent contradiction this represents? And it is not an isolated incident, you know? Here's another, from the Ten Commandments no less:

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For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: ... Exodus 20:11

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And concerning that "rest" there are these clarifications:

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And he said unto them, This [is that] which the LORD hath said, To morrow [is] the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: ... Exodus 16:23

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Six days may work be done; but in the seventh [is] the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth [any] work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Exodus 31:15

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This "sabbath of rest" is clearly the seventh day of the weekly cycle. It memorializes creation week. There is no record of Jesus mentioning a "day" which is eons long. There is no record of Jesus mentioning that God has stopped creating things. There is a record of how Jesus related to the Sabbath: he is called "Lord of the sabbath," and was ressurected "in the end of the sabbath" - "when the sabbath was past." Seems to me this might suggest that the "sabbath" you imagine had come to an end like a lot of other things from the Old Testament are supposed to have done at the time of Jesus' crucifixion.

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In the end of the sabbath , as it began to dawn toward the first [day] of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. Matthew 28:1

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And when the sabbath was past , Mary Magdalene, and Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. Mark 16:1 KJV

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Says your favorite "translation" which you have yet to identify.

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Theology is the science of Dominion.
- - - My God is your god's Boss - - -