what the bible says
The world has seen significant economic progress over the past few decades, yet inequality remains a pressing issue. According to the World Inequality Database (WID), the top 1% of earners globally now capture nearly 20% of total income, while the bottom 50% account for just 8%. This disparity is even starker in wealth distribution—the richest 10% own 76% of global wealth, leaving the remaining 90% with only 24%.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
I would imagine these opening words in Genesis are recognisable the world over. They set the stage for how the Bible shares the beginning of our world. Many wonder if the account fits what we now know from science. Well, let’s look at a few examples together.
The Universe Had a Beginning
As we know, Genesis 1:1 says:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
For a long time during the last century, scientists believed the universe had always existed. However, discoveries in recent years have led most experts to agree that the universe did have a starting point.
The Early Earth
Genesis 1:2, 9 paints a picture of the early earth:
“Now2 the earth was formless and desolate, and there was darkness upon the surface of the watery deep.” Then God said, “Let9 the waters under the heavens be collected together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so.”
Science supports this view. Research suggests that the early planet had no oxygen in its air and was covered in water—no continents or islands yet. Patrick Shih, a biologist, describes the earth then as having “an unbreathable atmosphere devoid of oxygen … overall looking more like a science fiction landscape.” Astronomy magazine wrote that the world may have been almost entirely ocean.
The Atmosphere Transforms
Genesis 1:3-5 describes a time when light began to reach the earth, though its source wasn’t yet visible from the ground. Later, the sun and moon appeared as distinct objects in the sky.
3 And God said, “Let there be light.” Then there was light. 4 After that, God saw that the light was good, and God began to divide the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, but the darkness he called Night. And there was evening, and there was morning, a first day.
Science agrees that the early atmosphere was thick with methane and haze, letting only diffused light through. The Smithsonian Environmental Research Centre explains that a global haze once shrouded the Earth, and only after the haze cleared did blue skies appear.
The Stages of Creation
Genesis explains the order of events —
- Day One: Diffused light begins to reach the surface (Genesis 1:3-5).
- Day Two: Water covers the earth, enveloped in thick vapour, which separates into clouds and sea (Genesis 1:6-8).
- Day Three: Water pulls back, and dry land emerges (Genesis 1:9-13).
- Day Four: The sun and moon become visible from the ground (Genesis 1:14-19).
- Day Five: Marine life and birds appear, able to reproduce in their kind (Genesis 1:20-23).
- Day Six: Land animals appear, both large and small, finishing with the first people (Genesis 1:24-31).
Genesis 1:20-27 mentions that fish and birds came first, followed by land animals, and finally humans. Modern research also places fish far earlier in Earth’s history than mammals or people.
The Bible’s View on Change in Living Things
“Genesis does not claim that every living thing was created as it now exists, nor that this happened in six 24-hour days. It describes creation as unfolding over six “days”—that is, long periods. Each “day” could be thousands or even millions of years.“
“In the day that Jehovah God made earth and heaven.” (Genesis 2:4)
The term “kinds” in Genesis applies to broad groups, not strict scientific categories. So, changes and new species could have developed within each “kind” over time, fitting what science observes.
Clearing Up Misunderstandings
Some say the Bible’s account clashes with science, but often this belief comes from not reading what the text actually says.
- The Bible never claims that the earth or universe is just 6,000 years old. Genesis only states they were created “in the beginning” (Genesis 1:1), leaving the timescale open.
- It does not say that all life appeared in less than a week. Instead, it uses “day” for much longer stretches of creation.
Physicist Gerald Schroeder remarked that the sequence described in Genesis and the findings of modern science match in a way that is “phenomenal.” The Encyclopædia Britannica adds that the idea of life starting through a unique event does not conflict with scientific knowledge.
Comparing Creation Accounts
Ancient cultures told many stories about how life started. The Babylonians believed people came from the remains of gods. The Egyptians thought humans sprang from the god Ra’s tears, and in China, legends said the earth and people came from the ‘body of a giant.’ When we read Genesis 1:1–2:4, we see a different approach—free from fables of violence or tears, focusing instead on a series of ‘ordered events.’
A Thought to Consider
The Bible gives a straightforward account of how our world and life began. Its description fits with what science now uncovers. We’re left to consider—could the One who created all things truly be the source behind this simple yet striking record?