How many Christians here on CFbelieve in the "Gap Theory" in Gen 1?

[LittleLambofJesus]

How many Christians here on CF believe in the "Gap Theory" in Gen 1:1,2?

I am interested in knowing how many Christians on CF believe or not believe in the "Gap Theory".
Below is a synopsis of it from one site, for those unfamiliar with that view, tho there are a plethora of resources on the Net concerning this topic. Let the discussion begin......

Gap theory creationism - CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science

Gap Theory Creationism, also known as the Ruin-Reconstruction interpretation of Genesis, is a belief system which holds that there is a "gap" of time inferred from the Bible during which the Earth became "ruined", and was then "reconstructed" during the six days of creation described in Genesis. The gap theory claims that God pronounced a cataclysmic judgment upon the earth during this period (Gap) as the result of the fall of Lucifer (Satan) and that the verses following Genesis Chapter 1:2 describe a re-creation or reforming of the earth from a chaotic state; this re-creation, then, is not the first creative work of God.

The gap theory allows for both the geologic evidence of an old earth and the literal wording of the Holy Bible. It does not need to appeal to evolution, parable, symbolism, or allegory, nor does it deny accepted scientific data. Therefore, proponents believe it deserves full consideration..........

Proponents of the Gap teaching point out that the men that 'could not be found' & the cities that were destroyed were not men from the seed of Adam. In agreement with natural geological studies, the 'men' that rebelled were beings that lived during the Ice Age period. Where science does not have an answer for the spiritual events on planet earth, it inserts it's opinions & hypotheses. However, in their study of the 'men' during the Ice Age, they have found beings with a genetic code unlike ours, yet very human-like.

It is important to study the Hebrew definitions in both Genesis & Jeremiah as to why the earth became this way. These two Scriptures are the only reference where the earth, or the physical ground, is described as 'without form and void'. The Hebrews Strong's definition for 'without form' is 8414, are the following:
“

1. formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness

a) formlessness (of primeval earth): nothingness, empty space
b) that which is empty or unreal (of idols) (fig)
c) wasteland, wilderness (of solitary places)
d) place of chaos
e) vanity
”
In God's dealings with sin & rebellion, sinful beings were destroyed by their nature's becoming violently perverted to Lucifer's propaganda against the Godhead. In the widely understood & excepted judgment in Noah's day, there is a detailed event of the race of men that refused to follow God. In the not-so detailed judgment in Lucifer's day, we rely on the harmony of Scriptures to ascertain why the LORD had fierce anger to the point of taking the earth to a place that was made an 'empty formless space'.

In enters the apostle Peter in the New Testament, who expounds even further on the judgment of Lucifer's rebellion.

Objections to the Gap Theory
Critics of the Gap Theory would say that the compromise of the gap theory is that it attempts to allow for both the supposed geologic evidence of an old earth and the literal wording of the Holy Bible. It claims not to need to appeal to evolution, parable, symbolism, or allegory, yet it accepts many evolutionary concepts of scientific data, such as millions of years.

A primary error of the Gap theory is that it asserts that the earth "became" without form and void as a result of this supposed prior catastrophe. If this is true, it would have annihilated the geologic, fossil and other evidences which the theory was invented to explain. In short, we have no evidence whatsoever for the Ruin-Reconstruction nature of this theory because it was annihilated before Genesis 1:2. If a theory needs anything, it's evidence for support.

The Gap Theory attempts to fork-lift the Earth's geology and fossil record into a prior time which is just as unmeasurable, untestable and un-observable as evolution itself.

The proponents of this theory are merely saying they don't believe the plain text of Scripture, so now give themselves the permission and authority to alter earth history with another version. They don't propose this theory in order to help them believe the Scripture more, but to believe it less.

Another error of the gap theory is seen in that it allows for millions of years of death and suffering before the fall of Adam. Yet Romans 5 (and I Cor 15:21-22) makes it clear that death came into the world through Adam.[2]..................

 

[dreadnought]

My cousin used to work at The Gap.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

My cousin used to work at The Gap.

That is nice to know.......

 

[dreadnought]

That is nice to know.......

Thank you.

 

[Sorn]

Its certainly entertaining to think there was a gap and what may have been before and during the 'gap'.
Lots of vids on youtube on it.
In the end most unlikely we'll ever know this side of the 2nd coming one way or the other.

 

[2tim_215]

I believe in the possibility but probably not enough evidence to prove it. It would explain some things that are hard to explain if true especially for those who have a problem with the "6 day creation".

What's more likely is the earth's existence being as long as most scientists say but not necessarly with any gaps.

Plus God could annihilate the earth's surface but not necessarily destroy all remnants of life (underground) since He did do it apparently through a global flood.

 

[Hiscosmicgoldfish3]

I was thinking about the Gap Theory being true, but I dunno these days - and :

A primary error of the Gap theory is that it asserts that the earth "became" without form and void as a result of this supposed prior catastrophe. If this is true, it would have annihilated the geologic, fossil and other evidences which the theory was invented to explain. In short, we have no evidence whatsoever for the Ruin-Reconstruction nature of this theory because it was annihilated before Genesis 1:2. If a theory needs anything, it's evidence for support.

1. formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness

a) formlessness (of primeval earth): nothingness, empty space
b) that which is empty or unreal (of idols) (fig)
c) wasteland, wilderness (of solitary places)
d) place of chaos
e) vanity

The above would suggest nothingness, in the main, and - I think the text in Genesis has deeper meaning - that the earth was without form, a place of chaos - and not just land covered in water, but that there was an empty place of chaos (the abyss) and water.
Water was the material to build the world - God separated the waters and formed the space between - the land is said to have come out of the water - formed out of water.

My thinking these days is that the Old Earth is true - that creation was ex-nihilo many thousands of years ago. The sun, moon and the stars are within the firmament; not outside of it, so are close to the earth - no need for a very ancient earth, if that is the case, and it is.
Noah's Flood geology etc. doesn't make any sense to me: the Marsupials argument is a strong one; how did Koalas get to Australia? - for me, they were created in situ, along with all the other marsupials, and llamas in South America and so on.
How do the evolutionists explain the fossil record? - earlier ages, but according to uniformitarianism, which I don't accept - fossils form by the action of water-sediment covering creatures quickly.
- perhaps earlier ages, and floods or tsunamis in various places.

 

[GenemZ]

What is failed to be understood....

The GAP fact opens doors to explain the prehistoric angelic rebellion of Satan and his angels. Without understanding it? Believers see Satan and his demons are simply here wishing to do evil. No understanding why that is.

Without understanding this teaching it leaves Christians vulnerable and very stupid about certain issues that Satan loves us to be not ware of.

 

[GenemZ]

I was thinking about the Gap Theory being true, but I dunno these days - and :

A primary error of the Gap theory is that it asserts that the earth "became" without form and void as a result of this supposed prior catastrophe. If this is true, it would have annihilated the geologic, fossil and other evidences which the theory was invented to explain.

That's the Lie. It was NOT invented. The understanding was seen long before Charles Darwin was ever born. Why? Because the Scriptures (in the original languages) have always revealed that there had been another world created before this one. It was only rediscovered at the time Darwin began to make his aggression made known.

It was long before understood. It just was not controversial back then because no challenge to the creation account had yet been made. Scholars saw it and just wondered what it could mean.

One of the best works done showing that what we now call the GAP Theory was seen in the Scriptures long ago. Rabbis even saw it as well.

Look here and see what I speak of please... Without Form and Void - Frontpage

 

[joshua 1 9]

Jeremiah talks about this using the same Hebrew words that Moses uses in Gen1:2 "I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone." Jer4:23

"Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." Gen1:2

 

[GenemZ]

Jeremiah talks about this using the same Hebrew words that Moses uses in Gen1:2 "I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone." Jer4:23

"Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." Gen1:2

Wonder why Jeremiah was threatening the rebellious Jews with that term? The Hebrew -"Tohu wa Bohu" means much more than simply 'formless and empty." It means utter ruin, chaos...and having an eerie sense of emptiness about it.

Jeremiah was warning the degenerate people of Israel that their land was to be destroyed in a way similar to like the first creation was utterly ruined and destroyed. 'Formless and empty' is a lame translation into English. It misleads the English reader.

 

[joshua 1 9]

Wonder why Jeremiah was threatening the rebellious Jews with that term? The Hebrew -"Tohu wa Bohu" means much more than simply 'formless and empty." It means utter ruin, chaos...and having an eerie sense of emptiness about it.

Jeremiah was warning the degenerate people of Israel that their land was to be destroyed in a way similar to like the first creation was utterly ruined and destroyed. 'Formless and empty' is a lame translation into English. It misleads the English reader.

If we study evolution we see that there are extinctions where 10% of the population survives to repopulate the earth.

 

[GenemZ]

If we study evolution we see that there are extinctions where 10% of the population survives to repopulate the earth.

What has that got to do with my answer concerning Jeremiah's prophesy? God was not going to destroy the earth, only most of Israel as it was known at that time.

 

[Hiscosmicgoldfish3]

If we study evolution we see that there are extinctions where 10% of the population survives to repopulate the earth.

What caused the extinctions?
I recently discovered that those human footprints with dinosaur prints, is a fake. If there had been people then, they would have found fossils of people in those rocks, along with ruins of bridges etc.

 

[GenemZ]

What caused the extinctions?
I recently discovered that those human footprints with dinosaur prints, is a fake. If there had been people then, they would have found fossils of people in those rocks, along with ruins of bridges etc.

I looked at the earth,
and it was formless and empty;
and at the heavens,
and their light was gone.
I looked at the mountains,
and they were quaking;
all the hills were swaying.
I looked, and there were no people;
every bird in the sky had flown away.​

That speaks of what we find the results for in Genesis 1:2.

Jeremiah 4:23-25 indicated that there were a type of humanoid living in the previous world. That creation was utterly destroyed and these "people" existed no more. Cave men types of which we now find fossils. The Hebrew uses a very generic term for "man."

What makes man now so special is the when God created our souls? He created our soul in His image. The previous humanoid was a highly developed creature that did not have a soul designed for eternal life. Evidently, that humanoid was the most intelligent creature of that world, but not the biggest and strongest.

Keep in mind, if God can take a prophet throughout any point in time.. Like He showed Moses the establishment of this current world? God could give Jeremiah a glimpse into prehistoric times! Just like Job saw prehistoric creatures that the cave men could not harm. Scholars are still perplexed about those Job passages. They forget that when God moves a person time ceases to be a prison. God can translate a person's mind into the future, and the far distant past! Job saw dinosaurs that men's weapons could not harm. Are you familiar with those Job passages?

 

[joshua 1 9]

What has that got to do with my answer concerning Jeremiah's prophesy? God was not going to destroy the earth, only most of Israel as it was known at that time.

This has to do with what they call remnant theology. Which is confirmed by science.

 

[GenemZ]

This has to do with what they call remnant theology. Which is confirmed by science.

I love the way you don't lift a finger to explain a thing. Too busy to be bothered?

 

[joshua 1 9]

Too busy to be bothered?

I did not know you cared.

I give you ONE word: Remnant. Now it is up to you to send the rest of our life here on earth to study and learn what that one word means. At the end of your life you will just be starting, just beginning to understand the meaning of that word. Because God is eternal. There is no beginning or end to God. He is the alpha and the omega and He knows the end from the Beginning. He wrote the book of our life before we were even born. He gives us our gifts talents and abilities and we need to develop them in a way that bring praise, honor and glory to God and not to ourselves.

Remnant is a nice word to learn in this day and age because very soon a Remnant is going to repopulate the earth as the earth will be cleansed with fire and very few people will survive. In the days of Noah a Remnant survived the flood to repopulate the earth.

2Peter3 The Coming Judgment
"5 But they deliberately overlook the fact that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6 through which the world of that time perished in the flood. 7 And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.…"

 

[joshua 1 9]

What caused the extinctions?
I recently discovered that those human footprints with dinosaur prints, is a fake. If there had been people then, they would have found fossils of people in those rocks, along with ruins of bridges etc.

People could not have been alive because the atmosphere was very thick with water. It is believed the footprints were the angels, the eyes of the Lord assigned to watch over the dinosaurs. Only crocodiles and turtles are still alive today. Like the dinosaurs they continue to grow and get bigger their whole life. Today they live in very wet swamp like conditions. To make up for the lack of water in the atmosphere.

The main extinction took place at the time Pangaea was broken up. Noah's flood was a shadow and type or a Paradigm of the flood that destroyed the dinosaurs.

 

[GenemZ]

I did not know you cared.

I give you ONE word: Remnant. Now it is up to you to send the rest of our life here on earth to study and learn what that one word means.

The remnant consists of usually a small segment of believers that succeeded by grace in reaching full maturity in Christ - including those heading to full maturity that God only knows them.

God preserves this remnant when the rest of his people must be disciplined and judged because they became apostate.

At the end of your life you will just be starting, just beginning to understand the meaning of that word.

NO! NOW is the time to understand the Word! In eternity there will be no remnant of believers, because all believers having received their resurrection bodies will never again enter into apostasy!