Is the Bible compatible with science?

Today, a lot of people claim that science disproves the Bible’s creation account. However, the real contradiction is not between science and the Bible but between science and some Christian extremists. Some of these groups wrongly assert that according to the Bible, all physical creation was produced in six 24 hour days  10 000 years ago.

But what does the Bible really teach?

When was the beginning?

The Bible book of genesis opens with this simple yet profound statement, “ in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth @gen1:1.” 

Many Bible scholars believe that this statement refers to an action that is separate from the 6 creative days narrated from verse 3 onwards. Well, this is profound. In line with the Bible’s opening words,does it mean that the earth was in existence for an indefinite time before the creative days??

Scientists estimate the earth to be 4 billion years old.  Astronomers however, calculate the universe to be 15 billion years old.

But do these discoveries contradict Gen1:1 ?... certainly..no!!

In this context, the Bible does not specify the actual age of the heavens and earth before the creative days. 

But then, how long were the creative days??

Were they 24 hours long?

Some today assert that because Moses referred to the days following the creative days as the sabbath day, each creative day must’ve been 24 hours long. 

What does the Bible say?

The fact is that the Hebrew words translated “day” can mean various lengths of days and not just a 24 hour period.  As an instance, when summarizing all the six creative days at Gen 2:4, Moses referred to them all as one day. Additionally, at Gen 1:5, God called the light - day but the dark, he called night.

Hence, the day in this context is just 12 hours.

Certainly, there is no basis in the Bible to say that each creative day must’ve meant 24 hours.

It might’ve been more than 24 hours.