The Gap Theory

[Assyrian]

Jeremiah 4:23, "I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without form (tohu, waste) and void (bohu, ruin): and the heavens, and they had no light."

This was not Noah's flood

It is not about Genesis 1:2 either, it is about the Babylonian invasion of Judah.
Jer 4:16 Warn the nations that he is coming; announce to Jerusalem, "Besiegers come from a distant land; they shout against the cities of Judah.

for it you continue reading in verse 25, it says "and lo, there was no man."

...and all the birds of the air had fled Jer 4:25. Where did the birds flee to if Jeremiah was talking about a global cataclysm that left the earth covered by the the watery deep of Gen 1:2? This is a vision of the kingdom of Judah devastated by the Babylonian invasion.
Jer 4:26 . ...I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger.
27 For thus says the LORD, "The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end. This is the cities and fruitful land of Judah the Jeremiah saw devastated, yet the vision came with a promise that the coming destruction would not be the end of their people.

 

[hagiazo7]

Assyrian:
It is not about Genesis 1:2 either, it is about the Babylonian invasion of Judah. Jer 4:16 Warn the nations that he is coming; announce to Jerusalem, "Besiegers come from a distant land; they shout against the cities of Judah.

I don't think it is talking about a babylonian invasion. The word babylon isn't mentioned in chapter 4. Matter of fact, babylon isn't mentioned at all until chapter 20 verse 4.

...and all the birds of the air had fled Jer 4:25. Where did the birds flee to if Jeremiah was talking about a global cataclysm that left the earth covered by the the watery deep of Gen 1:2? This is a vision of the kingdom of Judah devastated by the Babylonian invasion.

They drowned with the water. Jeremiah never said he saw a "vision" of babylon destroying Judah in chapter 4.

Jer 4:26 . ...I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger.
27 For thus says the LORD, "The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end. This is the cities and fruitful land of Judah the Jeremiah saw devastated, yet the vision came with a promise that the coming destruction would not be the end of their people.

Jeremiah didn't have a "vision". God is speaking in verse 22 and it is He that "beheld the earth and lo it was without form and void," not Jeremiah.

 

[hagiazo7]

One question: Today, are we able to see any of the chaotic relics on earth, which was caused by whatever happened during the Gap? Or are those imperfect things all wiped out during the renovation?

No they weren't wiped out. Think of the dinosaur fossils and insects that are imbedded in amber. These were animals that lived before the earth "hayah tohu va bohu" took place (before the earth "became waste and ruin.)"

 

[benelchi]

No they weren't wiped out. Think of the dinosaur fossils and insects that are imbedded in amber. These were animals that lived before the earth "hayah tohu va bohu" took place (before the earth "became waste and ruin.)"

First, the phrase is "vaha'aretz heyetah tohu vavohu." "aretz" (earth) is feminine and so the form of the verb is also feminine. Also, "and" (va) is always prefixed onto Hebrew words, it never stands alone and when it is prefixed to "bohu" the Hebrew letter "bet" changes to the soft sound of 'v'

Second, while heyetah (feminine form of hayah) can mean "became", it most commonly means "was." One must demonstrate that the context demands an understanding of "became," it cannot simply be assumed.

For example, in this verse "Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance." (Gen 29:17 ESV) translating "hayetah" as "became" would hardly make sense at all.

 

[Assyrian]

I don't think it is talking about a babylonian invasion. The word babylon isn't mentioned in chapter 4. Matter of fact, babylon isn't mentioned at all until chapter 20 verse 4.

No but Jeremiah is warning about a coming invasion of Judah, that was Babylon.

...and all the birds of the air had fled Jer 4:25. Where did the birds flee to if Jeremiah was talking about a global cataclysm that left the earth covered by the the watery deep of Gen 1:2? This is a vision of the kingdom of Judah devastated by the Babylonian invasion.

They drowned with the water. Jeremiah never said he saw a "vision" of babylon destroying Judah in chapter 4.

Did you see the verse I quote next? Jer 4:26 ...the fruitful land was a desert. Turning the fruitful land into a desert does not sound like flood to me, nor is there any reference to flood or flood waters that I can see in the whole chapter.

It seem odd to describe the birds as having fled if they really drowned, not to mention the difficulty of drowning in a desert

Jeremiah didn't have a "vision". God is speaking in verse 22 and it is He that "beheld the earth and lo it was without form and void," not Jeremiah.

It doesn't actually say it was the Lord who saw this, though it does fit a prophetic vision Zech 1:8 "I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse!" There may be a change the form of the prophecy in these four verses, but there is not indication of a complete change in subject from the coming destruction of Jerusalem Jeremiah is talking about immediately before and after the vision. And when we do switch back from vision to future tense description, the description continues on as if it was dealing with the same subject as the vision For thus says the LORD, "The whole land shall be a desolation..."Jer 4:27 .

 

[Papias]

Thanks for the Hebrew details, everyone!

Papias