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'An Independent Baptist Church'
CREATION / GAP THEORY
Creationism Science believes that the heavens and the earth were created originally in six twenty four days and that there is no gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. Creationism Science says that the earth is relatively young, being only 6,000 to 10,000 years old, and that Lucifer rebelled and fell sometime after the six days of creation and before his appearance to Adam and Eve in the Garden. They claim Lucifer's fall could not have occurred before or during the six days of Creation because God said everything was GOOD when He rested on the 7th day. They claim that Adam and the original creation of the earth were both in that original creation week, because Jesus said in Matthew 19 that man and woman were created 'in the beginning'. They would say the ICE AGE science speaks of occurred for a few hundred years after Noah's worldwide flood, and was caused directly by the flood itself, and this ice age left only a livable area near the equator and Bible lands during this time. They would say Dinosaurs and mammoths, even the frozen ones, existed during the Noah's day, and since Adam brought death into the world, no life existed and died on a Pre-Adamic earth. When God used different words such as create, make, and form in Genesis one, these words were used in an interchangeable way, and all meant basically the same thing. When God told Adam to replenish the earth, it did not mean to 'refill' but simply meant to fill, because before 1650 'replenish' meant 'to fill', and only after 1650 did it take on the meaning of 're-fill'. Creationism Science says that the fossil record was put in the earth by the flood in Noah's Day and the Grand Canyon was caused by the ICE AGE which resulted after the flood. Many good Godly men believe the Bible teaches Creationism Science, and it is certainly the most popular interpretation held in Christian circles today.
"GAP THEORY"
Another Theory, known as the 'Gap Theory' is held by many good and Godly Men of the past. While there have been several variations of the Gap Theory over the years, I will present the most commonly held aspects of this theory today. Proponents of this view believe many of the points of Creationism Science, but differ in that they believe there was a gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 in which Lucifer reigned over this Pre-Adamic earth with a host of angels and that his rebellion and fall occurred and God Judged this sin resulting in a chaotic and ruined earth in Genesis 1:2. Gap Theorists believe what we see in rest of Genesis 1:3-31 is 'reconstruction' or re-creation of earth to make it livable for man.
(Donald Grey Barnhouse, The Invisible War, page 21-26)
Genesis 1:1-2 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."
After many years of careful study, I tend to believe aspects of both of these views are the correct one. We must be careful to note there are many "Gap Theories" out there, and we must not lump them all together. Many 'Gap Theory' teachings are not correct, but I believe some the teachings do line up with the Creationism Science. In summary, I believe Satan did fall between verses 1 and 2, and was over a civilization of angels on a Pre-Adamite earth which was created in verse one. We don't know how much time transpired between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 while Lucifer was on this earth, but it need not be a very long period of time at all, certainly not the billions of years evolutionists tell us about! I believe the 6 days of Genesis 1:3 thru 1:28 are indeed six 24-hour days of RE-creation. We see 'Create' (out of nothing) used only 3 times in this chapter, and other times the words 'made' and 'formed' are used, meaning already existing materials are used. Now to me, this is a hard argument to overcome. Why is 'Create' only used 3 times, and all the other things already existed but are just 'made to appear'? I believe all the animals and dinosaurs lived with Adam on the Pre-flood earth and that Adam is only around 6000 years old. Many Aspects of an 'ICE-AGE' science talks about, I believe, were the result of the World Wide flood of Noah's Day. Carbon-Dating that shows dinosaurs and animals living millions of years ago is about as reliable as a 3-dollar bill. Carbon Dating has recently showed freshly killed animals to be thousands or millions of years old! Below we will look at aspects of the Gap Theory and show which ones actually fit with Creationism Science, thus giving us the correct Biblical View of Creation, I believe.
Proponents of this 'RECONSTRUCTION' view or GAP THEORY believe that the heavens and the earth were created in Genesis 1:1 at some undisclosed time in the past, and that Lucifer was put in charge of the earth along with a host of his angels. Due to Lucifer’s rebellion as described in Isaiah 14:12-17 and Ezekiel 28:12-17, God brought Judgment upon the earth and the universe where it became waste and desolate as described in Genesis 1:2. Isaiah 14:12-17 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; 17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
Ezekiel 28:12-17 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
Was Lucifer on a Pre-Adamic Earth?
Notice from these two passages we see they seem to teach Lucifer was ON THE EARTH when he rebelled. God evidently placed him on earth to rule it and an angelic civilization.
"That made the world as a wilderness, and
destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?"
(Isaiah
14:17) M.R. Dehaan believes Lucifer was placed over an Angelic civilization on this pre-adamic earth complete with 'cities' of angels in this angelic civilization with lush vegetation. (M.R. Dehaan, GENESIS & EVOLUTION, p26-28)
Notice Ezekiel 28:13-17 says Lucifer 'was' in the garden of Eden' BEFORE iniquity was found in him. Wouldn't this teach that he was in the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve, possibly on a Pre-Adamic earth? "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God..... from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee."
Some would argue that the Garden of Eden didn't exist until Genesis 2:8 when it says, "And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed."
Well, wait a minute....Here it says that God planted a Garden in Eden....
That doesn't mean there could not have been a garden
in Eden on the Pre-adamic earth too....Remember, if this 'Reconstruction' or
'RE-CREATION' view is correct, God 're-creates' and 'makes to appear again'
several things....in these first chapters of Genesis.... Isaiah 14:12 says that Lucifer declared he would 'ascend above the clouds' in his rebellion to be like God. This would imply he was on the earth BELOW THE CLOUDS would it not? How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
What Caused Chaos in Genesis 1:2?
If this is so, Lucifer's rebellion could have brought God's Judgment upon Lucifer and the Pre-Adamic earth and Universe! J.Vernon McGee describes the moon’s surface as a good example of this judgment from God in Genesis 1:2.
(From J.Vernon McGee, THRU THE BIBLE, vol 1 Gen-Deut, p13)
The Bible seems to teach in Isaiah 45:18 that God didn’t create the earth in this state originally, and that something happened later to cause the chaotic state.
(See H.A.Ironside, DR. IRONSIDE'S BIBLE, p25)
Could the whole universe, including the earth, have looked like the moon and other planets in our solar system, when God brought judgment upon the original earth?
(See Arthur Pink, GLEANINGS IN GENESIS, p10)
Isaiah 45:18 "For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else." Gap theorists deduce that if God didn't create the earth in this shape, in vain and without form, something must have happened to cause it to become that way in Genesis 1:2! It must have been due to Lucifer's fall!
(From Donald Grey Barnhouse, GENESIS, P10) (W.A.Criswell, Great Doctrines of Bible, vol 7, Angelology, p89)
Are Demons these Fallen Angels?
Are these angels who rebelled with Lucifer on the Pre-Adamic earth now the disembodied spirits we know as 'DEMONS' today? Many good Bible teachers believe so.
(See Curtis Hutson, DEMONOLOGY OUTLINES, p3A) (See Lehmann Strauss, DEMONS, YES, BUT THANK GOD FOR GOOD ANGELS, p9)
Some who hold to a 'Gap Theory', such as Clarence Larkin, that these disembodied spirits of demons today were from the race of "Pre-Adamic Men"....I just don't believe there were men on earth before Adam, because the Bible does say Adam was the FIRST man....I believe, like M.R. Dehaan, that Angels were on the earth with Lucifer in the 'Gap' between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.
This brings us to an important note. Just because one believes there could have been a gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2, that doesn't mean that ALL of the teachings of all Gap Theorists are correct. I believe this is were opponents of the Gap Theory have erred. In their writings I have studied, opponents take the wildest speculations of Gap Theorists and lump them all together as 'THE GAP THEORY' and use these to ridicule all aspects of the Gap Theory to show how ridiculous it is.
AN ICE AGE?
If this GAP THEORY be true, than the “ICE AGE” science talks about could have been the result of this “judgment” in Genesis 1:2. Science says there was a catastrophic Ice Age on earth in the past. The Gap Theorists would also say it is possible for the 'ICE AGE' to have occurred after the FLOOD in Noah's Day as Creation Science claims, whereby the Northern and Southern parts of the continents experienced the "ICE AGE" due to the result of the world wide flood, yet area near the equator and Bible lands was still livable for Noah's ancestors. The Gap Theory allows for the ICE AGE to have happened at either of these times. If there were animals on this pre-Adamic earth, could this ICE-AGE be the result of God's Judgment upon Lucifer and the earth due to Lucifer's rebellion as described in Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14? Could that Ice Age have instantaneously killed the animals on the Pre-Adamic earth that Lucifer ruled? Scientists have found a huge mammoth frozen to death with undigested food in stomach eaten ½ hours earlier frozen in ice. Could this ICE AGE have done that? The Gap Theory would allow the possibility of animals on this Pre-Adamic earth with Lucifer and the Angelic 'civilization', or it would allow that no animals were on the Pre-Adamic earth, just Lucifer and the angels. I personally tend to believe the frozen mammath walked on the earth during the days of Noah, and the ICE AGE after the flood caused huge glaciers to slide down from the North and suddenly catch a mammoth off guard and entomb it in its icy grave, thoroughly preserving it. Dr. Hovind has a very interesting theory that an asteroid or meteor hit the earth to cause this extreme temperature that would freeze a mammoth so quickly. His theory makes sense to me. I'm told many such frozen mammoths are found in Alaska and Russia and the meat is so preserved it is served as Mammoth burgers today! No kidding. It is certainly possible that the mammoth and Dinosaurs existed only on the re-created earth with Adam and Eve until the flood too, or they could have existed BOTH on the Pre-Adamic Earth with Lucifer AND on the Re-created earth with Adam and Eve. Either possibility fits the Gap Theory. Footprints of humans have been found along side fossils of dinosaurs, showing that dinosaurs lived since Adam's creation, but many species still exist in parts of the world today!
'WITHOUT FORM AND VOID'
Gap Theorists would say that this phrase found in Genesis 1:2 ‘without form and void’ (TOHU WA BOHU) is found in 3 other instances in the Bible (Isa.34;11; 45:18; Jeremiah.4:23) and it always refers an act of Divine Judgment from God. They would also add that Hebrew wording “the earth WAS without form and void” COULD be read to mean SOMETHING caused this judgment upon the earth, as to read ‘it became that way’.
(See James M.Gray, CHRISTIAN WORKERS' COMMENTARY, P11)
This same Hebrew word is translated as such in Genesis 19:26 where it says “Lot’s wife BECAME a pillar of salt”.
(From E.Schuyler English, PILGRIM STUDY BIBLE, p1 footnotes)
We're not 'Changing' the words of the Bible when we make this distinction!
Now Bible-Believing Christians would protest that one is trying to 'Change' the Words of the King James Bible, just like the New Translations do.....
RESTORATION OR RE-CREATION OF EARTH?
When we come to Genesis 1:3-31 we see the ‘RE-CREATION’ or “RESTORATION” of the earth in 6 literal 24-hour days and it is here we have the creation of Adam.
(See William R. Newell, STUDIES IN THE PENTATEUCH, p34) (See Erich Sauer, THE DAWN OF WORLD REDEMPTION, p35)
The Six Days in this first chapter of Genesis, according to Gap Theorists, do not describe the original creation earth, but a 'reconstruction' with a view to it becoming the habitation of man.
(See J. Sidlow Baxter, EXPLORE THE BOOK, p35) (See Charles Baker, A DISPENSATIONAL THEOLOGY, p168)
This ‘re-creation’ in Genesis 1:3-31 occurred about 6000 years ago or so, but we don’t know when the heavens and earth were ORIGINALLY created in Genesis 1:1. If this 'gap' between v1 and v2 is correct, there could have been an unknown amount of years between the original creation and this 're-creation' or restoration in Genesis 1:3-31. It could have been millions of years OR just a short amount of time from Lucifer's creation along with the other angels and the fall of Lucifer.
(From G. Campbell Morgan [by Jill Morgan], THIS WAS HIS FAITH, p39)
Opponents would say Gap Theorists are just trying to appease Science and Evolutionists which say the earth is billions of years old. That is just not true. If the Gap Theory is true, and there is a gap between Gen. 1:1 & 2, then we just don't know how much times transpired between these verses....and neither does anyone else.
"REPLENISH THE EARTH"
This theory believes this is why God told Adam in Genesis 1:28 to “REPLENISH” the earth. There had to be something on the earth BEFORE in order for Adam and Eve to 'replenish' it, the Gap Theorists would say.
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it:
The same word 'replenish' is used in Genesis 9:1 AFTER THE FLOOD when God tells NOAH to 'REPLENISH' the earth.
Genesis 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
Now opponents would argue, and I believe correctly so, that 'REPLENISH' originally mean 'to fill' and only changed in meaning to 'refill' in the later 1600's.....just like many words have changed meanings today. I used to remember when 'cool' meant not not, and 'gay' meant to be happy...These words have changed today. Replenish seems to be an example of that too. Another Hebrew word meaning to 'fill again' could have been used, but it was not. I believe the opponents of the Gap Theory are correct here.
A look at the Strong's Concordance does seem to indicate 'REPLENISH' originally meant 'to fill', but this fact actually is mute and does not prove or disprove either the Gap Theory or Creationism Science. In both cases, with Adam and with Noah, it means to FILL the earth. But please notice, With Noah it certainly did mean to fill the earth AGAIN. Would you agree? 'Replenish' the earth COULD be used to support the Gap Theory as well.
So from this passage we see REPLENISH certainly can mean to 'refill' in the Bible.
I personally believe this is one of the strongest arguments the opponents of the Gap Theory have to deal with. The fact that the word for CREATE is used only 3 times is Genesis 1 is one of the strongest arguments for the GAP THEORY and its belief that Genesis 1 desribes the 'Re-Creation' of the earth in 6 days!
This Gap theory would explain why ONLY 3 creative acts are found in Genesis chapter 1:
1. In verse 1 we see the word ‘bara’ (create out of nothing) used when the heavens and the earth were originally created.
2. It is again used in Gen. 1:21 in the creation of fowl and fish.
3. It is used again in Genesis 1:24-25 when referring to creation of animal and man. This word 'BARA' is not used in the other days where the sun, moon, stars were ‘made to appear’ on day 4. They already existed, having been originally created in Genesis 1:1 before Lucifer’s judgment in Gen. 1:2.
(from Arno C. Gaebelein, THE ANNOTATED BIBLE, P16,17)
As Merrill Unger notes, this is NOT the original creation of light in day 4, but it is 'made to appear' or 'become visible' on day 4. He notes the original perfect condition had been ruined by the sin of the earth's former angelic inhabitants.
(See Merrill Unger, UNGER'S COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT, VOL 1, p6)
Opponents to the Gap Theory would argue that the different words for 'create' and 'make' and 'form' are used interchangeably in the first chapter of Genesis and in Isaiah: 43:7 as an example:
Isa.43:7 "Even every one that is called by my
name: for I have CREATED him for my glory, I have FORMED him; yea, I have
MADE
him."
Gap Theorists would say, "Not So!" These 3 words have different meanings and all are correctly used in formation of man. Man's body was indeed MADE (ASAH) out of pre-existing materials (dust), but the LIFE PRINCIPLE itself, as in animal life, can only be 'CREATED' (BARA) by God. God Also 'FORMED' (YATSA) man, that is, shaped and fashioned man's body,as a potter does the clay.
(Above from John Phillips, EXPLORING GENESIS,p38)
In Conclusion, it would seem to be a pretty strong argument for opponents of the Gap Theory to answer.
Why are only 3 'creative' acts found in the first chapter of Genesis IF these are six days of 'ORIGINAL CREATION'????
Having already looked at some arguments used against the Gap Theory, such as the proper meaning of the word REPLENISH; the INTERCHANGEABLE use of the words CREATE, MADE, AND FORM; let's now look at.....
Some MORE arguments used against the Gap Theory:
JESUS SAYS HE MADE ADAM AND EVE IN THE BEGINNING
Jesus said in Matthew 19:4 “..He which made them in the beginning, made them male and female…” Some would say this proves there was no gap between Gen.1:1 and 1:2 because Jesus is saying he made Adam and Eve IN THE BEGINNING when he created (bara) heaven and earth.
Good Point. But could it be that there are different 'beginnings' in the Bible? Could it be that Jesus was referring to the 'beginning' of this new re-created earth with Adam on it...when he 're-made' the heavens and the earth?
We have several beginnings in the Bible. We have the beginning the LAW with Moses. We have the beginning of the Church Age in the book of Acts. Anyone studying the English Language and its use must admit that there can be different 'beginnings' of different things at different times. Ah, but opponents would say this says, 'The' Beginning... Well, yes it does, but does that prohibit if from meaning 'the' beginning of this new re-created earth? I don't think so.
Gap Theorists would reply: This ‘beginning’ Jesus is talking about here in Matthew refers to the ‘beginning’ of man on earth with Adam and Eve, not necessarily the beginning of heaven and earth in their original creation as in Gen. 1:1.
Moses also said in Exodus 20:13 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day:
Gap theorists would reply: Again, here the Lord is talking about the 'reconstruction' or 'making' of heaven and earth, NOT the original creation in Genesis 1:1.
Please Go to part two on this study on this website......
Creation/Gap Theory (part 2)
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