Creationism

What is your interpretation of scripture?
I have provided the following options...

1.) Young Earth Creationism
2.) Day-Age Creationism
3.) Old Earth Creationism
4.) Gap Theory

All of the above options are compatible with scripture. I did not include Theistic Evolution, because it isn't consistent with a literal reading of the Bible.

I believe God, in the beginning, made the heaven (note the singular) and the earth, as the domain of God and the angels, some considerable time before he renovated that already existing heaven and earth in the six (literal twenty-four hour) days of Genesis chapter one.
When God renovated the already existing earth, he said "let there be light", and he made the dry land appear, where there had been formerly an earth without form and void, and with darkness upon the face of the deep. And when God renovated the already existing heaven, he 'heaved it up', so that it now serves as the third heaven or the body (container) of the two more recent heavens of the atmosphere and stellarsphere, and the border between the stellarsphere and the celestial spirit sphere, which is yet the regular domain of God and the angels.
How the earth was or became without form and void, during the pre-Adamic dispensation of angels who inhabited the original heaven and the earth, is not made plain in scripture. However I believe it was as a result of a watery Atlantis-like cataclysm, which God caused to pass over the sancturies of Lucifer on the pre-Adamic earth, where he (Lucifer) was trading in a corrupt way with other angels in precious minerals.

Originally Posted by diamondjoust

I believe God, in the beginning, made the heaven (note the singular) and the earth, as the domain of God and the angels, some considerable time before he renovated that already existing heaven and earth in the six (literal twenty-four hour) days of Genesis chapter one.
When God renovated the already existing earth, he said "let there be light", and he made the dry land appear, where there had been formerly an earth without form and void, and with darkness upon the face of the deep. And when God renovated the already existing heaven, he 'heaved it up', so that it now serves as the third heaven or the body (container) of the two more recent heavens of the atmosphere and stellarsphere, and the border between the stellarsphere and the celestial spirit sphere, which is yet the regular domain of God and the angels.

We are in perfect agreement.

Here is a summary of my interpretation:

In Genesis 1:2, it says "the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep." A simple reading of this verse would seem to indicate that God created the world without form and void. But in Isaiah 45:18, it says "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." The word 'vain' in Isaiah 45:18 and 'without form' in Genesis 1:2 are both translated from the same word: the Hebrew tohuw. In order to put this into perspective,

"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 [without form], he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else."

This demonstrates that the Earth was not created without form. Thus, the creation of the Earth must have taken place at an earlier time, namely, Genesis 1:1; and it was created to be inhabited. In order to be inhabited, it could not have been void and without form.

[bible]Genesis 1:1[/bible]

There is a 'gap' between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2.

During that gap, which may have spanned for several million years, Lucifer and his Angels inhabited the Earth (and probably other planets as well, as indicated by Ezekiel 28:14-16 and Job 38:7). This was prior to the rebellion. Once Lucifer rebelled, God poured out judgment upon the Earth, leaving it "without form, and void." That is the starting point for Genesis 1:2.

Gap Theory explains the old appearance of the Earth, the fossil record, and various cosmological observations, all while interpreting the Bible literally.

How the earth was or became without form and void, during the pre-Adamic dispensation of angels who inhabited the original heaven and the earth, is not made plain in scripture.

I believe it was a combination of meteorite impact and global flood. In Peter 3:5-7, it says, For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

The majority of Christians believe Peter is referring to the Noahic flood. I disagree, for two reasons. First, Peter compares "the heavens ... of old" to "the heavens ... which are now." The Noahic flood, to my knowledge, had no impact whatsoever on the heavens.(It may, however, been influenced by heaven (singular), which is the atmosphere; more specifically the canopy which may have enveloped the Earth prior to the Noahic flood). Thus, Peter must be referring to an earlier point in time, when the heavens were "of old."

Second, Peter emphasizes that the Earth was "standing out of the water," yet no such event occurred during the Noahic flood. This indicates that there was an even greater catastrophe at an earlier time in world history.

Peter was a Gap Theorist.

However I believe it was as a result of a watery Atlantis-like cataclysm, which God caused to pass over the sancturies of Lucifer on the pre-Adamic earth, where he (Lucifer) was trading in a corrupt way with other angels in precious minerals.

This is where you've lost me. Could you explain?

Hi Brent...

In reply to your request for an explanation of my statement relating to why and how the earth became or was without form and void, before the six days of re-creation or renovation, as related in Genesis chapter one, I will detail what I know from scripture, rather than provide conjecture.
1. Angels had a dispensation in the domain of the original heaven (note the singular) and the earth for some considerable time before the six days of re-creation or renovation, as related in Genesis chapter one (c.f., Job 38.4-7).
2. The original earth was not created without form and void, because God didn't create it in vain (i.e., vacant, fruitless) and formed it to be inhabited, as you pointed out (Isa.45.18). And note that Isaiah refers to the original earth, even if what he says is equally applicable to the renovated earth.
3. Angels have, since ancient times, traversed (in a transdimensional way) the 'web' of the space-time continuum between the celestial spirit sphere and the earthly physical sphere in an Einsteinian-type 'wormhole' or 'space-time tunnel', mentioned in scripture as the "ladder" Jacob saw at Bethel, and alluded to by Jesus Christ. (Gen.28.12; Jn.1.51).
4. Lucifer had high rank among the angels before he fell by transgression, and he "covered" (i.e., had dominion over) "the stones of fire" (i.e., brilliant and precious mineral stones of God) when he was put on probation before God in the domain of the pre-Adamic heaven and the earth, as a prototype of Adam who was put on probation on a renovated earth with dominion over the plant and animal life of God. (Ezek. 28. 12-13).
5.Lucifer evidently had dominion over the brilliant mineral stones of God on earth, and not in heaven as is commonly supposed; because mineral stones are physical and therefore incompatible with the celestial spirit sphere, even if they are used in scripture to exemplify the attributes of persons and things in heaven in a figurative way.
6.Lucifer had "sancturies" or sacred palatial places, when he had dominion over the brilliant mineral stones of God; and he frequented the "holy mountain of God", which appears to refer to what is now mount Zion on earth, as the counterpart of mount Zion in heaven. (Ezek. 28.14; Heb. 12.22).
7. Lucifer evidently fell by transgression on earth, and not in heaven as is commonly supposed; because he said in his heart: "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God... I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the most high" (Ezek. 28.15-19; Isa. 14.13, 14). Note his fall from heaven in Isaiah fourteen is moral not actual, because he continues to have access to heaven until cast out as is related in Rev. 12.7-9.
8. The root of Lucifer's transgression was his love of money (mammon) and not pride; or his corrupt traffic in the brilliant mineral stones of God, which was serving mammon for the love of it, which lifted up his heart in pride against God (Ezek.28. 15-18; 1 Tim. 6.10; 3.5).
9. A watery cataclysm passed over the sancturies of Lucifer, leaving the original earth, which was created of God to be inhabited (i.e., initially by angels), "without form or void", until it was renovated and replenished in the six days of re-creation in Genesis chapter one. Note especially the use of the word "replenish" in Genesis 1.18, which indicates that something substantial with order and design, that God had created, was indeed on earth some considerable time before it became or was "without form and void".

I am really supprised you didn't include a fifth option, other.

I'm one who holds to the opinion that both young and old have their credits. However, being Fundamentalist, I do not see it as an issue. Genesis 1 & 2 give us the account of the creation. And I accept it as such. To me it does not matter whether it took God a milli-second, six seconds, six minutes, six hours, six days, six months, six years,or six billion years. What is of utmost importance to me is that God created it. That is all that matters to me. One day we will be able to ask the who, what, when, where, and how's, but till then, all I need to know is that my God created it. plain and simple.

To me it is a simple matter, God said it, Jesus created it, and the Spirit moved upon it and from chaos came order.

That's how I see it.

God Bless

Till all are one.

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Remember this Dean:

I respectfully disagree with this interpretation. I believe 'stones of fire' is alluding to Earth, Mars, and Rahab, and possibly Venus. These were the planets within Lucifer's dominion. Rahab was the 5th planet from the Sun. (According to my research in the Bible codes, it was sixth; apparently this includes the Sun, which is first). 'Stones' is translated from the Hebrew eh-ben, which is literally translated as "built stones (or rocks)." No translation, to my knowledge, acknowledges these stones as precious minerals. Furthermore, the phrase "of fire" seems to be referring to the light of the Sun reflected by these planets.

I believe God created in 6, 24 hour days. I believe this because I think the Bible is clear on the issue and science doesn't contradict it. I made a Powerpoint about this if anyone cares to check it out. You can download it here.

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Someone asked Will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved? It is more a question with me whether we -- who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not -- can be saved. Charles Spurgeon

I personally believe in YEC, but I have no problem with any other Christian view that does not allow for macro-evolution. When we give in to the lies of evolution is where I take my stand.

Hi Brent...

Lucifer "walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire" (Ezek. 28.14), which would tend to rationally preclude the possibilty that those stones are planetary objects. And he did that as administrator of certain brilliant and precious mineral stones of God, which are listed as his "covering" (i.e., that which he had dominion or jurisdiction over) in Ezekiel 28, as: "the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, and the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold". (v. 13).
The "fire" of the mineral stones in Ezekiel 28 evidently signifies something shining in its brightness with lightning-like flashes of splendour; and we speak of the brilliance of a gemstone, especially the diamond, as the "fire" of that stone.
I don't think Lucifer has had dominion over other planets in the physical universe, because he's called "the god of this world" (i.e., as a system of corrupt politics, commerce, and religion"), and "the prince of the power of the air" or the earth's atmosphere (see also Lk. 4.5-7). And it has always been God's purpose to focus on the earth only as the arena of the dispensations of the probation of angels and men, because that's where Christ died for fallen man. And even hell, in the nether parts of the earth, was prepared for the devil and his angels, and not for the offspring of Adam as is commonly supposed (Matt. 25.41); which further indicates that the first transgression of angels had affinity with the earth, rather than some other place in the physical or spiritual domains.
In Ezekiel 28, the prince of Tyrus had "gotten the riches of gold and silver into his treaures", and increased them "by his traffic", as an antitype of Lucifer who evidently multiplied brilliant and precious mineral stones of God to himself on the pre-Adamic earth.
When the Prince of Tyrus was ultimately judged of God, he "died the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas" (Ezek. 28.8); and historical records show that the city of Old Tyrus was broken up and submerged in its adjacent harbour. Just as Lucifer's corrupt traffic with other angels in precious minerals was doubtless judged of God, when his defiled sanctuaries were broken up and submerged on earth, some considerable time before the Spirit of God began to move upon the face of the waters of the deep, and renovate the desolated or formless and void earth.
We know fallen angels are presently incarcerated in "the deep", which is a subterranean sink or sea, called Tartarus; especially those that fornicated with women before the flood in the days of Noah (Gen. 6.1-4; 2 Pet. 2.4; Jude 6). Angels are also bound in the waters of the Euphrates at the present time (Rev. 9.14); and the devils or demons, which are part angel and part human, fear the deep, and pleaded with Jesus Christ not to torment them before the time, by casting them into it (Lk. 8.31).
Is the overthrow of the defiled sancturies of Lucifer on the pre-Adamic earth by a watery cataclysm the real solution to the Atlantis enigma? Plato said Atlantis was overthrown nine thousand years before the time of Solon, the Athenian statesman of the sixth century BC, which can be reconciled with the biblical dispensation of angels in the domain of the pre-Adamic earth, because Adam came on the scene circa 4000 BC.

Yes, that's how I understand the creation account as well...except that I don't really see any merit in YEC.

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Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (John 3:18)