Fall into THE GAP

Is there a gap of time between Gen1:1 and Gen1:2 as the Scofield Bible,Larkin,BJU and various modern authors claim? Just how old is the Earth, and was there a Pre-Adamite race that was drowned in a flood? Any thoughts?

 

Soulman,
I've studied this topic for quite some time, and it actually goes back(as far as I can tell) to Rashi(a Jewish scholar)in A.D.1105. Though he wasn't a proponet of the ruin/reconstruction theory of Larkin, Ruckman, and Bob Jones University, it does show there is nothing new under the sun. I also don't believe in the gap, but I was curious wheather anybody has any bible verses that CONCLUSIVLY prove it a heresy?? I believe I might, but I wanted the input of other believers before I post it.
In Christ's service,
David Scott

 

aefting,
Thanks for the info. That hsn't always been the position held by all their Professors. It's good to hear they have corrected this.


To Gap Or Not To Gap
By: David C Scott

When were the foundations of the Earth laid. Determining the answer to this question by using the bible, one can determine whether certain doctrines are true to the word of God. Consider the following:

Job38:2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?


In the above text does it not say "ALL the sons of God"? Would evil, wicked, fallen sons of God be shouting for joy if the Earth were in a fallen state? Exactly when were these foundations laid? Below we will see that the book of Proverbs gives us a clue.


Prov8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

That this covers "before" Gen1:1 and goes up to the "foundations of the earth"(verse29) is 100% without controversy. Now examine the following:

Gen1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.(SEAS REQUIRE BASINS)
Gen2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Notice that Day, Night, Heaven(1st and 2nd), Earth, Seas, and Woman??? Notice that they are all in capitals??? Know why??? Because previously to them being named they never existed!!! Pretty cool or what?!?! Now, in the light of GOD'S word lets look at the following:

2Peter3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 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(Which is exactly what Gen1:6-1:10 is describing):
6 Whereby the world that then was(GEN1-Noah), being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens(PLURAL) 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.

You can’t FLOOD air and space!!!!

The text says the WORLD was overflowed with water (see 2PETER2:4,5),never the less the heavens were MOST DEFINITELY affected. Read the following:

Gen7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
Gen2: 6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

Talk about going to 7:11 for a big gulp!!!!! THAT’S A LOT OF WATER!!! from above AND below!!!

Check this out!

Rom8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Did you catch it???? The heavens went through another traumatic experience even BEFORE the flood, it was caused by the FALL OF MAN, NOT SATAN. Gen1:1 says heaven(ABODE OF ANGELS), not heavens(WHEN THE WATERS WERE SEPERATED FROM THE WATERS).

1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

A TEXT OUTSIDE IT'S CONTEXT IS A PRETEXT

Praise God I am not "willfully ignorant"

Mark10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.

Y'all catch that, FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION

Rom3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Is there a GAP of time when Satan ruled the Earth, fell, and caused the world to be flooded in between Gen1:1 and Gen1:3, absolutely NOT! There is a GAP in Ezekiel:
Eze 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
Let us, as Christians focus on the GAP that has promise, INTERCESSORY PRAYER for the lost, that they might get saved through the glorious gospel of grace, by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gen2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. As in the beginning God created….

 

Great recommendation!!! Henry Morris also has an exceptional website. ICR's link below.

Institue for Creation Research

 

Paul,
The typical arguement goes something like this;
1. God created a perfect heaven and earth Gen1:1
2. Something went wrong and the earth "becomes" void and without form. Prooftext Isa 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.
The Hebrew word ("tohu"in vain) is the same as void in Gen1:2. This is how you become a Hebrew scholar, get a concordance, look up the word you don't like, see all the translations possible and pick the one that best fits your opinion. Voila, you are now a bonified respected usurper of the Holy Ghost, and respected by everyone you can sucker into believing what you say.
3. God starts re-creating the univers in verse three.

Moral of the story, let God's word correct your doctrine, Don't let your doctrine correct God's word.

Gen2:1 ¶ Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

No Greek, No Hebrew, no college degree, just good ol' fashioned KJB.
Compare scripture with scripture, the only way to grow.

 

Richard, There is a verse in Romans that seems to say exactly what your saying:

Ro 4:17 ¶ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were