Interesting post Russ. Cause for thought, thanks for sharing. I'm not too sure about the days of creation though. Consider the order of things that were created on each day and how (for me at least) it makes sense that they would be 24 hour days, rather than a thousand years or more. Why do I say this? Each aspect ofcreation relies upon the other. They work together in sync and are necessary (e.g. our Sun). To create one aspect and leave a LONGGGGGGGG time before creating the next makes little sense to me. How would any of those things survive before the next essential was created and why would God do this, when nothing is beyond Him? It doesn't take an eternal God thousands of years to create anything or perform a miracle. Usually it's instantaneous.

That's just my opinion guys. I know everybody thinks differently and it's very hard for us to prove either way, but I believe in God's word exactly as stated. I have no reason not to. Apart from the actual age of the universe/matter etc which I am really interested in what you guys have stated about that (Jeanie included). But the days of creation? I believe set up our 24 hour day week and resting on the Sabbath, just as God Himself did for our example.

If one believes in instant creation then for what purpose would God leave a gap of thousand/s of years inbetween each and how would they have lived in such a "paradise" of missing aspects and waiting for another thousand years or so before the next?

To me, I have no issue taking the biblical word at face value, since it makes a lot more sense.