The Unyielding Rampart of Faith and Time: Montana's Chinese Wall

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Stretching for an impressive 20 miles through the heart of Montana's Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Chinese Wall stands as a monumental testament to the immense power and vast timescales of geological processes. This formidable limestone escarpment, rising a sheer 1,000 feet from the valley floor, presents an awe-inspiring spectacle of natural architecture. Composed of ancient Cambrian limestone, the wall is a segment of the Lewis Overthrust, a massive slab of rock that was pushed eastward for dozens of miles over younger Cretaceous rock layers around 60 million years ago. Subsequent sculpting by Pleistocene glaciers carved and sharpened the face of this immense rock wall, leaving behind the dramatic, near-vertical cliff seen today. Its sheer scale and the distinct layering of sedimentary rock, originally deposited in a shallow sea over 500 million years ago, tell a story of a deep and dynamic Earth history, a narrative read in the very stone of this wilderness icon. The wall is not merely a static landmark but a chronicle of mountain-building, erosion, and the slow, persistent forces that shape our planet.

A Global Flood and The the Chinese Wall

A global flood could not have produced a feature as intricate and ordered as the Chinese Wall. Such a cataclysmic event would result in a chaotic and poorly sorted mixture of sediments and debris. The distinct, thin layers of limestone that form the wall, each representing a specific period of slow marine deposition, would have been obliterated by the turbulent waters of a worldwide flood. Furthermore, the immense, solid structure of the wall, formed from lithified rock that was later uplifted and glaciated, requires millions of years of heat, pressure, and tectonic force—processes that are incompatible with the short timescale of a single flood event.

Old-Earth Creationism: a framework that Accommodates the Chinese Wall

Old-Earth Creationism provides a framework that accommodates the scientific understanding of the Chinese Wall's formation. This perspective accepts the geological evidence for an ancient Earth, viewing the vast ages of rock formation and erosion as part of God's creative process. The millions of years it took for the limestone to be deposited, for the Rocky Mountains to be uplifted, and for glaciers to carve the landscape are seen not as a contradiction to faith, but as the method through which God chose to work, revealing His handiwork over immense eons.

Old Earth Creationism and Genesis Days 

Within Old-Earth Creationism, the "days" of Genesis are not interpreted as literal 24-hour periods but as long epochs of creative activity. This view allows for the vast timescales required for geological marvels like the Chinese Wall to form. Each "day" represents a chapter in God's creative narrative, encompassing the geological ages that scientists have uncovered in the Earth's rock record.

The concept of "Sabbath" in the Bible carries various meanings, and understanding its context is crucial.

Weekly Sabbath:

  • This understanding, referring to the seventh day of the week (Saturday), a day of rest commanded. Ex 20.

Every Seven years:

Leviticus 25:3-4:

"For six years you are to sow your fields, and for six years you are to prune your vineyards and gather their crops. But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards."

God.

Indefinite Rest:

  • In Hebrews 4, the concept of Sabbath takes on an indefinite meaning to a "Sabbath-rest" for the people of God. This signifies a deeper, ongoing rest in God, beyond just a day of the week.

  • Hebrews 4 discusses entering God's "rest," which is not simply about observing a day of the week.

  • It speaks of a spiritual rest, a cessation from striving and finding peace in God.

  • The author uses the concept of the Sabbath to illustrate this deeper, more profound rest.

Therefore, while "Sabbath" can indeed refer to a 24-hour period (the weekly Sabbath) or a year (the sabbatical year), it also carries a meaning of indefinite, spiritual rest, as seen in Hebrews 4.

  • Old Earth Creationists see Job 14:18 "But the falling mountain crumbles away, And the rock moves from its place;" The verse describes mountains crumbling and rocks moving, processes that align with OEC's acceptance of an ancient Earth where geological formations change gradually over millennia. 

For Old-Earth Creationists, the grandeur of the Chinese Wall is a profound expression of God's glory. The sheer scale, the immense age, and the intricate geological history of the wall are not seen as random occurrences but as a testament to the Creator's power, patience, and artistry. The ability to study and understand the processes that formed this natural wonder is considered a way to appreciate the depth and majesty of God's creation.


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