Gap Theory

[Gregory Thompson]

*silently continues to watch in interest*

 

[Mathetes the kerux]

Our pastor believes this. I don't really understand what it is. Can someone please explain this to me and how they come to that conclusion?

The basic premise in the "gap theory" is that there is an undetermined amount of time between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2.

From there, there are several types of spins that folks put on it, the most common that I have heard is that this is the period when God cast Satan from heaven and the result was the "formless and void." There are then several other nuances that are fleshed out from this point.

 

[Mathetes the kerux]

Another thing i've considered is the days of creation are based on the first morning and evening not the fourth day and evening .

this would allow for the conditions of the "Pangea Paradigm" to have happened

Truly. But even before that.

Genesis 1:1 is where all of creation leaps into being, planets, stars, even the angels themselves.

The passage has two Hebrew words compounded together. Mayim and eretz . . . where the statement is the "ha' sho mayim eretz" which we read in english as the four words "heavens and the earth."

Hebrew has about 3 or 4 words for each of these concepts (heaven and earth individually), but this compound usage means only ONE thing . . . it means EVERYTHING, IE in the beginning God creates EVERYTHING. All the substance of the created order (angels too, being created beings and even having substance of their own, tho of what that is no one knows) leapt into existence in Genesis 1:1 . . . IOW, in the beginning God created EVERYTHING.

The following days of creation are narrated from the perspective of the face of planet earth, where as the perspective from 1:1 is the entire scope of creation. So from 1:2 and onward you have the progression of what is seen from the face of the surface of the earth. So, tho the sun seems to be created on day 4 (which is so silly because plants exist before the sun which gives them life thru photosythesis) it actually exists at 1:1 and has its first influence on the face of the planet as the atmosphere goes from thick cloudy mass to opaque (which BTW is perfectly inline with planetary physics) in 1:3. Notice the verbage "let the light BE" (in Hebrew) vs the misleading English "let there be light" as if there were none before (further evidence from the verb "let there be" hayah which is distincly different from the creative barah which means to create brand new).

just FYI

 

[Yitzchak]

The word replenish in this verse is used as part of the arguement for the gap theory. The idea is that the earth needed to be "re" plenished suggesting it was filled once before.

Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

The theory is presented as a part of the war in heaven where the angels and lucifer fell. In that war the first earth was detroyed thus becoming without form and void. The theory also says that the first earth was more like the new earth will be after the second coming of Christ.

Rev 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
Rev 21:18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
Rev 21:19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
Rev 21:20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
Rev 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

The theory says that this was the first eden before the first earth was destroyed...

Eze 28:13 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.

It is all very interesting theory. It has been several years since I read about it in depth. So I may be a bit vague on some of the details at this point.

 

[Yitzchak]

The Gap Theory --- True or False

This site goes into some depth about it.


One point made is concerning the word waste in this verse. It is the same hebrew word used in Genesis where it says the earth was without form and void. Therefore the arguement is God didn't create the earth without form and void. It became that way later.

Isa 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens, He is God; that formed the earth and made it, He established it, He created it not a waste, He formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD, and there is none else.

This is one of the question asked by proponents of the gap theory.

E. If the "Gap Theory" is Not True --- When did the fall of Lucifer take place?

4. In 1814, Thomas Chalmers, a leading Scottish theologian, taught the gap theory --- Charles Darwin’s book, "Origin of the Species," was not published until 1859, 45 years later.

5. Arthur Custance, in his book "Without Form and Void", shows that this interpretation has its roots in early Jewish tradition and through out the history of the church.

6. It is safe to say that the gap theory was not developed in an effort to solve apparent problems between the Bible and Science. It is not of recent origin and can easily be traced back to beyond the 19th century.

 

[For_Crying_Out_Loud]

I don't buy it. I've never heard of it before and it seems to hang on the word "became" that didaskalos quotes below.

In verse two we see that this creation "became" without form and void. Hence the gap. The "gap" is the answer to the question "what happened" between verse one and verse two that caused the earth to get all messed up from it's former condition.

I just read the ASV, CEV, DRB, ESV, GNB, GW, KJV, KJVR, LITV and MKJV versions and it doesn't say it "became" in any of those versions.

The Hebrew word it comes from is: H1961
היה
hâyâh
haw-yaw'
A primitive root (compare H1933); to exist, that is, be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary): - beacon, X altogether, be (-come, accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), continue, do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, X use.

 

[For_Crying_Out_Loud]

Alsothis reliance on the word "replenish" in verse 28.

H6509
פּרה
pârâh
paw-raw'
A primitive root; to bear fruit (literally or figuratively): - bear, bring forth (fruit), (be, cause to be, make) fruitful, grow, increase.

God is simple black and white, tells us what we need to know when we need to know it. There are a million possibilities that could be conceived by thinking on whats between verses, but one day all things shall be revealed.

Ever heard the ludicrous doctrine of the serpent seed? Same thing, different name.

 

[disciple-ofjesus]

thanks for the info. I am actually falling on the side of not believing it.

 

[Mathetes the kerux]

U dont need to buy the whole satan falling from heaven, etc. to believe that there is a Gap . . . that is only ONE of the theories.

Fact is that there is a Gap . . . what happened during that time period is unknown.

 

[mannysee]

I looked at the best from both sides some time ago.
Personally, I don't buy it.
Speculation.

One point to note: The earth "becoming" something does not necessarily imply that it became less (void and without form) than what it was (cities/civilisation) before. Keep that in mind.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Gen 1:1-2
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 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.

Isa 45:18
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.
​

Question 1.
The word for "without form" and "vain" here are the same Heb word: tôhû

If it was not created in tôhû (without form), how did it get that way?

Question 2.
If it was created not in vain and formed it to be inhabitied, then who, under that original creation, was supposed to inhabit it?

 

[Yitzchak]

I don't buy it. I've never heard of it before and it seems to hang on the word "became" that didaskalos quotes below.



I just read the ASV, CEV, DRB, ESV, GNB, GW, KJV, KJVR, LITV and MKJV versions and it doesn't say it "became" in any of those versions.

The Hebrew word it comes from is: H1961
היה
hâyâh
haw-yaw'
A primitive root (compare H1933); to exist, that is, be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary): - beacon, X altogether, be (-come, accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), continue, do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, X use.

Biblical hebrew does not have verb tenses like modern hebrew does.

There is no such thing as "tense" in biblical Hebrew. (Modern Hebrew, on the other hand, does have tenses.) Biblical Hebrew is not a "tense" language. Modern grammarians recognize that it is an "aspectual" language. This means that the same form of a verb can be translated as either past, present, or future depending on the context and various grammatical cues. The most well known grammatical cue is the "vav-consecutive" that makes an imperfective verb to refer to the past.

The word "hayah" in verse two is tranlated "was" because of context and interpretation by translators. It is possible to translate it as became.

This translation is not a popular one , but is possible.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the Earth. 2 And it came to pass that the Earth became a wasteland, empty and chaotic; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

My Orthodox jewish bible translates Genesis 1:2 as follows
"when the earth was atonishingly empty , with darkness upon the face of the deep , and the Divine Presence hovered opon the surface of the waters. "


Genesis 2:7 - The word translated as became inthis verse is the same hebrew word used in Genesis 2:1 "hayah " There are 66 times in the Old Testament where this hebrew word is translated as became.

Gen 2:7 Then the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Sometimes it is tranlated as "came to pass " as in Genesis 4:3

Gen 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

2 Now the earth was [a] formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

The [a] here is a footnote for the NIV version...

a.Genesis 1:2 Or possibly became

 

[Yitzchak]

The gap theory is not a sure thing. It is best to leave it where your pastor did , as an opinion or theory.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

I don't buy it. I've never heard of it before and it seems to hang on the word "became" that didaskalos quotes below.

I just read the ASV, CEV, DRB, ESV, GNB, GW, KJV, KJVR, LITV and MKJV versions and it doesn't say it "became" in any of those versions.

The Hebrew word it comes from is: H1961
היה
hâyâh
haw-yaw'
A primitive root (compare H1933); to exist, that is, be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary): - beacon, X altogether, be (-come, accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), continue, do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, X use.

Gen 1:2
(2) And the earth H776 was H1961 without form, H8414 and void; H922 and darkness H2822 was upon H5921 the face H6440 of the deep. H8415 And the Spirit H7307 of God H430 moved H7363 upon H5921 the face H6440 of the waters. H4325

H1961
היה
hâyâh
haw-yaw'
A primitive root (compare H1933); to exist, that is, be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary): - beacon, X altogether, be (-come, accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), continue, do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, X use.


I am not a Heb expect by any means... but I do not even see the word "was" in the concordance for H1961. All the words seem to imply some sort of movement or change from one form to another.


H1961
היה
hâyâh
Total KJV Occurrences: 1162
came, 538
come, 136
had, 83
have, 80
been, 77
become, 67
became, 66
wast, 14
am, 7
fell, 7
hath, 6
seem, 6
follow, 4
went, 4
when, 4
being, 3
continued, 3
endure, 3
abode, 2
becamest, 2
brought, 2
committed, 2
continue, 2
done, 2
followed, 2
go, 2
hast, 2
received, 2
seemed, 2
accomplished, 1
brake, 1
cause, 1
caused, 1
cometh, 1
conferred, 1
count, 1
did, 1
doing, 1
endured, 1
enjoy, 1
fainted, 1
give, 1
gone, 1
hang, 1
happened, 1
howsoever, 1
keep, 1
lasted, 1
made, 1
marry, 1
pertained, 1
pertaineth, 1
quit, 1
reach, 1
remain, 1
remained, 1
required, 1
take, 1
waited, 1
wear, 1
which, 1

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Jer 4:23-26
(23) I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
(24) I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
(25) I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
(26) I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.

Another question...
When in the history of the earth could the above happened?

 

[KleinerApfel]

One problem I have with gap theory is that it would mean death entered the creation before man sinned. I can't make sense of that.

I note that in the list of words used when translating "hayah" there are 14 instances of "wast" in the KJV. In modern English - was.

 

[disciple-ofjesus]

I agree Yitz. I am just leaving it. TLIMB, I agree.

 

[lismore]

One problem I have with gap theory is that it would mean death entered the creation before man sinned. I can't make sense of that.

That's a very wise post.

 

[Mathetes the kerux]

One problem I have with gap theory is that it would mean death entered the creation before man sinned. I can't make sense of that.

I note that in the list of words used when translating "hayah" there are 14 instances of "wast" in the KJV. In modern English - was.

Did Adam die the day that he sinned? No . . . so what is the death that is spoken of? Is it literal death? Cant be, otherwise Adam and Eve would have died the day that they sinned. So what sort of death is the meaning? Eph 2 . . . living dead . . . dead in trespasses and sin . . . it is spiritual death that entered the earth.

Physical death in the sense of the normal order of things is not what is meant. The fact that "death" enters with the sin of Adam does not preclude animals eating one another . . . or fruit falling from a tree and DYING as the bring forth another tree . . . or bugs getting squished under the feet of Adam (like microbes in the dirt) as he walks in the garden . . . or even better yet . . . ADAM EATING FRUIT . . . which is the death of the fruit (IE the cessation of its being).

 

[KleinerApfel]

The suffering and dying of sentient creatures started at the sin of Adam.
Trying to make death mean something spiritual that doesn't touch the physical doesn't make sense.