Please note: I'm not an old-earth creationist. I just like for my arguments to be well-vetted.
And good for you that that is your attitude.
One thought that we should all keep in mind is that Creation was a miracle. Why is that important?
As we can clearly see in many other miracles, the result of a miracle is outside of the set of things we can learn from God's Book of Nature. There is simply nothing that empirical scientific methods can test. NOTHING!
I only have a minute right now, but let's consider just one of Jesus' miracles. On two occasions, Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes. What would the scientific method reveal about one of those many fishes?
An honest appraisal of the fish would determine at least the following with absolute certainty: The fish was about three years old and was caught x number of hours ago, then cleaned and cooked previously to the disbursement among the crowds. The man of science might notice some anomalies, like the absence of mercury in its cells, the perfect teeth with no indication of normal wear, etc. But wait a minute. Do you know that a miracle would have these anomalies? Might it not have all the signs of age? Who knows?
But generally speaking, even a scientist who
saw Jesus' miracle with
his own eyes would still necessarily conclude the findings I mentioned above according to established rules of science. Why? Because miracles are totally outside the realm of science.
Dare any of us presume a set of rules God must follow?
Which of you was an eyewitness of Creation? I can almost hear God's rebuke for thinking we know anything at all beyond what is written in Holy Writ.
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter V. Of Providence
I. God, the great Creator of all things, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.
II. Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and infallibly; yet, by the same providence, he ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.
III. God in his ordinary providence maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at his pleasure.
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Job 38:1–34 KJV
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel
By words without knowledge?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man;
For I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Declare, if thou hast understanding.
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest?
Or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened?
Or who laid the corner stone thereof;
7 When the morning stars sang together,
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Or who shut up the sea with doors,
When it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof,
And thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,
10 And brake up for it my decreed place,
And set bars and doors,
11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further:
And here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days;
And caused the dayspring to know his place;
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
That the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14 It is turned as clay to the seal;
And they stand as a garment.
15 And from the wicked their light is withholden,
And the high arm shall be broken.
16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea?
Or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?
17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee?
Or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth?
Declare if thou knowest it all.
19 Where is the way where light dwelleth?
And as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof,
And that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?
21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born?
Or because the number of thy days is great?
22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?
Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble,
Against the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is the light parted,
Which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters,
Or a way for the lightning of thunder;
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is;
On the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground;
And to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
28 Hath the rain a father?
Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice?
And the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
30 The waters are hid as with a stone,
And the face of the deep is frozen.
31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades,
Or loose the bands of Orion?
32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season?
Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven?
Canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds,
That abundance of waters may cover thee?
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