Gap creationism (also known as ruin-restoration creationism, restoration creationism,

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wanderer6059

Senior Member
Oct 27, 2013
1,282
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#1
what are everyone's thoughts on this, really just thought about it a little more
this is a theory to so dont freak out ok.
 
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wanderer6059

Senior Member
Oct 27, 2013
1,282
57
48
#2
[FONT=&quot]The Gap Theory suggests that there is a gap of time between a distinct creation event in the first verse of Genesis and the second recreation in the second verse of Genesis, explaining the age of the Earth.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Gap Theory suggests (Gap creationists) that science has proved that the Earth is far older than can be accounted for by adding up Biblical chronology.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Gap Theory maintains that the Genesis creation account is inerrant in matters of scientific fact, and Gap creationists assert that there is a gap of time in the Biblical account that lasted an unknown number of years between a first creation in Genesis 1:1 and a second recreation in Genesis 1:2-31. This allows for various observations, including the age of the Earth, the age of the universe, dinosaurs, oil formation, ice ages, and geological formations to have occurred as outlined by science without contradicting a literal belief in Genesis.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Gap Theory differs from day-age creationism, which suggests that the ‘days’ of creation were much longer periods (of thousands or millions of years), and from young Earth creationism, which although it agrees concerning the six literal 24-hour days of creation, does not suggest a gap of time. The gap theory puts forward that a cataclysmic judgment was pronounced upon the earth during the period between the first and second verse as the result of the fall of Lucifer. And that the other verses of Genesis describe a reforming of the earth from a chaotic state.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The six days of genesis are the account of a re-creation, or regeneration of a previously existing heavens and earth, not the original creation, and that genesis chapter one’s seven creative days are not a geological history of the earth![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Gap Theory relies upon specific linguistic reasoning behind the Hebrew Scriptures. First, a newly created earth should not have been without form and void. Second that the word “was” in Genesis 1:2 is more accurately translated “became”. The English word “was” is haw-yaw’ in Hebrew which means “become”, or come to pass. Third, the Hebrew words for “create” and “made” are different.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Hebrew word “create” (bara in Hebrew) means to call forth out of nothingness. We get the Christian doctrine “Ex nihilo” a Latin phrase meaning “out of nothing” from this Hebrew word. Subsequently in the text the words “make” or “form” (asahin Hebrew) mean a re-fashioning or making from pre-existing material. This pre-existent material is the substance remaining after the earth underwent Lucifer’s judgment. In Hebrews 11:3 we read, “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” I understand this to mean that the heavens and the earth came into existence by divine command and was not assembled from preexisting matter or energy. Further support can be seen in Isaiah 45:18 where it is stated that the earth was not created in “vain” (tohu), “He (God) formed (asah) it (the earth) to be inhabited.”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The word “was” in Genesis 1:2 is more accurately translated “became”. This, of course, allows a change of state to occur from verse one to verse two. That is, the initial, perfect creation of verse one “became” without form and void, indicating a transition to have occurred.[/FONT]

Andthe earth was(had become) 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.”(Genesis 1:2 )
[FONT=&quot]Additional support is seen from the phrase “without form and void.” Consider other Biblical texts in which these words are found together, Isaiah 24:1 and Jeremiah 4:23, which are judgmental in character and context.[/FONT]
I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. 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. For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end. For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.” (Jer 4:23-28)
[FONT=&quot]The Gap Theory was an integral part of the original Scofield Bible notes. And, it should also be remembered that Adam is told to “replenish” the Earth in Genesis 1:28. It should also be noted that DNA remains actually older than 6,000 years (like “Neanderthal” and “Cro-Magnon”) will be found to have no genetic connection to any people living on the Earth today.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Questions answered by the Gap Theory: 1). How can the Earth be only 6,000 years old according to the Bible chronology when the forensic evidence of Geology and the fossil record reveals that the Earth is very ancient? 2). How could death have only started with the fall of man at about 6,000 years ago when evidence for death is found in the Pleistocene geologic era, and a long reign of death across ancient ages past? 3). How can Man have been on the Earth for only about 6,000 years when there is evidence of man-like creatures inhabiting the Earth for hundreds of thousands of years?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]What happened during this Gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Lucifer fell. It happened around the Cambrian geologic period (about 500 -600 million years ago), because that is when we see an explosion of death of well-developed life forms in the fossil record, with no antecedent fossils in the more ancient Precambrian, except for what could be primitive cell remains. Consequently, what appears in the fossil record as an explosion of life is, actually an explosion of death. Things that are alive do not leave remains until they die. The Cambrian geologic period, therefore, marks the first record of death and the fall of Lucifer. Because Lucifer was the steward of the whole creation under heaven when he fell, all things under his rule were also subjected to corruption.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Adam’s sin brought death into our world (Rom. 5:12). Therefore, it is no contradiction with the Bible that Earth’s geology shows an ancient track record of death on this planet long before Adam. As we have seen, throughout the geologic record there is evidence of mass extinction and geologic catastrophes.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Recapping, in Gen. 1:1 the word created is baw-raw’ and it means to create out of nothing. After, Gen. 1:1 the word “made” is used. It is a different Hebrew word. It is aw-saw’ and means “to make out of existent materials”, it is translated made instead of create so the reader knows it is a different word. Therefore, God created in verse 1, and God made or recreated from existent material in six days the Earth from older material he had Created in the first verse.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]G.H. Pember wrote about the Gap between 1:1 and 1:2, “It is thus clear that the second verse of Genesis describes the earth as a ruin; but there is no hint of the time which elapsed between creation and this ruin. Age after age may have rolled away, and it was probably during their course that the strata of the earth’s crust were gradually developed. Hence we see that geological attacks upon the Scriptures are altogether wide of the mark, are a mere beating of the air. There is room for any length of time between the first and second verses of the Bible. And again; since we have no inspired account of the geological formations, we are at liberty to believe that they were developed just in the order in which we find them. The whole process took place in pre-adamite times, in connection, perhaps, with another race of beings, and, consequently, does not at present concern us.”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The science behind both Carbon and Argon dating is flawed, but not by millions of years. Carbon and Argon dating based upon radioactive decay may have been accelerated in the recent past. However, the vast age assigned to the earth based on radioactive measurements is by no means set aside.[/FONT]
 

wanderer6059

Senior Member
Oct 27, 2013
1,282
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#3
[h=1]Old Earth Creation Science[/h][h=2]The Gap Theory[/h]
The Gap theory, also known as the Ruin-Restoration theory, is a form of Old Earth Creationism that accepts the creation days of Genesis as being literal 24-hour days. To account for the scientific record which shows the universe is billions of years old, the theory states that there is a gap of time in between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. This form of creationism gained widespread acceptance after it was included in the 1917 Scofield Reference Bible. By the 1950's, is was widely popular.
Gap creationists believe that science has proven beyond reasonable doubt
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that the Earth is far older than can be accounted for by the Biblical genealogies and recorded history. To maintain that the Genesis creation account is inerrant in matters of scientific fact, Gap creationists suppose that certain facts about the past and the age of the Earth have been omitted from the Genesis account; specifically that there was a gap of time in the Biblical account that lasted an unknown number of years between a first creation in Genesis 1:1 and a second creation in Genesis 1:2-31. By positing such an event, various observations in a wide range of fields, including the age of the Earth, the age of the universe, dinosaurs, fossils, ice cores, ice ages, and geological formations are allowed by adherents to have occurred as outlined by science without contradicting their literal belief in Genesis.
 
Jan 15, 2011
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#4
The "Gap Theory" of Creation essentially establishes God's narrative of the Creation as a lie.

It is an attempt by people to harmonize what they believe in the natural with what the Bible establishes as historical truth.

Even if you look at it by science, Gap Theory really doesn't make any sense as certain created elements are needed to maintain others... that were created much later. Insects, for example, pollinate flowers... but the insects were not created according to Gap Theory until thousands if not millions or billions of years later.

Do we believe that God has the power to establish everything by 6 literal days and take 1 literal day of rest? Could He have not done it in an instant? The Creation occurred as God said for a reason, and that was to establish the concept of Sabbath. It was also done as He said it was done to establish His power, so that it is unmistakable as to who the Creator is.
 

wanderer6059

Senior Member
Oct 27, 2013
1,282
57
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#5
yeah but he could have made insects the and the flower of the gap theory ant then made the ones as we know it? and i seriously do contemplate the fact that God does not make anything bad, and how could the earth be tohu wabohu right after HE made it?
 

Zmouth

Senior Member
Nov 21, 2012
3,391
134
63
#6
Recapping, in Gen. 1:1 the word created is baw-raw’ and it means to create out of nothing. After, Gen. 1:1 the word “made” is used. It is a different Hebrew word. It is aw-saw’ and means “to make out of existent materials”, it is translated made instead of create so the reader knows it is a different word. Therefore, God created in verse 1, and God made or recreated from existent material in six days the Earth from older material he had Created in the first verse.
Good point, the term 'create' has a specific implication, to bring into existence something that has never existed in either substance of form before. While the term create is commonly misapplied to in reference to things made, such as I create a new line of clothing, well if might be new but clothing existed so it really isn't a new creation.

But look further and you will see that God created man.

And God made the beast of the earth after his kind,Gen 1:25


And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: Gen 1:26


So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him;
male and female created he them.Gen 1:27

That is where 'scientists' come up with the evolution of man from beast thru Mitochondrial Eve, to the first humans.
 
T

Tintin

Guest
#7
yeah but he could have made insects the and the flower of the gap theory ant then made the ones as we know it? and i seriously do contemplate the fact that God does not make anything bad, and how could the earth be tohu wabohu right after HE made it?
In the beginning (at the point God created time) He created the heavens and the earth (space and matter). Ancient Hebrew has no word for 'universe', but 'heavens and earth' refers to 'the all' (universe). The earth was formless and desolate. An incomplete creation, not bad. 'Formless' just means the earth had no shape yet and 'desolate' just means it wasn't inhabited yet. Again, it was a work in progress. Once God had given the earth form, He called it good. Once God had inhabited Earth with flora and fauna, He called it good. Once God had created the first two humans - Adam and Eve, He called it very good. There's no need for a gap theology. It's not biblically tenable.
 

Zmouth

Senior Member
Nov 21, 2012
3,391
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#8
In the beginning (at the point God created time) He created the heavens and the earth (space and matter)..
If it was heavens then that means the Kingdom of God beyond the heaven of this world is fabricated.

2 Peter 3:12
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?


Yet Jesus said heaven and earth shall pass away. hummm
 
T

Tintin

Guest
#9
If it was heavens then that means the Kingdom of God beyond the heaven of this world is fabricated.

2 Peter 3:12
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?


Yet Jesus said heaven and earth shall pass away. hummm
Of course, God created heaven and the angels. He created everything. He is the Creator and everything else is the created. But let's not forget that while the old heaven and earth will pass away, there will be a New Heavens and New Earth to look forward to. That is the eternal hope of Christians.
 

wanderer6059

Senior Member
Oct 27, 2013
1,282
57
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#10
In the beginning (at the point God created time) He created the heavens and the earth (space and matter). Ancient Hebrew has no word for 'universe', but 'heavens and earth' refers to 'the all' (universe). The earth was formless and desolate. An incomplete creation, not bad. 'Formless' just means the earth had no shape yet and 'desolate' just means it wasn't inhabited yet. Again, it was a work in progress. Once God had given the earth form, He called it good. Once God had inhabited Earth with flora and fauna, He called it good. Once God had created the first two humans - Adam and Eve, He called it very good. There's no need for a gap theology. It's not biblically tenable.
its clear though in context there is an aspect of ruin to it tho? i mean i've read this and wondered, why would God use words like this, in this matter to describe His work in construction? even something half done by Him wouldn't us terms like this. unless He was the one to bring it to ruin.

The Beginning
1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earthwas formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. 3Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.…

Strong's Concordance
tohu: formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness
Original Word: [FONT=&quot]תֹּ֫הוּ[/FONT]
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: tohu
Phonetic Spelling: (to'-hoo)
Short Definition: waste

[SIZE=+1]1[/SIZE] formlessness, of primaeval earth Genesis 1:2 (P), of land reduced to primaeval chaos Jeremiah 4:23 (both + [FONT=&quot]וָבֹהוּ[/FONT] and voidness), Isaiah 34:11 [FONT=&quot]׳[/FONT][FONT=&quot]קַותֿֿ[/FONT] ("" [FONT=&quot]אַבְנֵי בֹהוּ[/FONT]), Isaiah 45:18 [FONT=&quot]בְרָאָהּ[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]׳[/FONT][FONT=&quot]לֹא ת[/FONT]("" [FONT=&quot]לָשֶׁבֶת יְצָרָתּ[/FONT]); Isaiah 24:10 [FONT=&quot]׳[/FONT][FONT=&quot]קִרְיַתאתּ[/FONT] city of chaos (of ruined city); = nothingness, empty space, Job 26:7 [FONT=&quot]תֹּלֶה אֶרֶץ[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]׳[/FONT][FONT=&quot]עַלתּֿ[/FONT]; of empty, trackless waste Deuteronomy 32:10 ("" [FONT=&quot]מִדְבָּר[/FONT]), Job 6:18; Job 12:24 = Psalm 107:40.

Strong's Concordance
bohu: emptiness
Original Word: [FONT=&quot]בֹּ֫הוּ[/FONT]
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: bohu
Phonetic Spelling: (bo'-hoo)
Short Definition: void

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[FONT=&quot]בֹּ֫הוּ[/FONT] [SIZE=+1]noun [masculine][/SIZE] [SIZE=+1]emptiness[/SIZE] (on form see Ges[SUP]§ 84a[/SUP], 1 b Sta[SUP]§ 95, 198 a, on usage[/SUP]compare Lag[SUP]Or. ii. 60 f.[/SUP]) always with [FONT=&quot]תֹּהוּ[/FONT] q. v.; — [FONT=&quot]תֹּהוּ וָבֹהוּ[/FONT] Genesis 1:2 of primeval earth; Jeremiah 4:23 of earth under judgment of [FONT=&quot]׳[/FONT][FONT=&quot]י[/FONT]; [FONT=&quot]קַותֿֿהֹוּ[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]וְאַבְנֵי בֹהוּ[/FONT] Isaiah 34:11, the line of wasteness and the stones of emptiness, i.e. plummets, employed, not as usual for building, but for destroying walls; compare Di & see below [FONT=&quot]אבן[/FONT] [SIZE=+1]6[/SIZE]

i.e. (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin
 

wanderer6059

Senior Member
Oct 27, 2013
1,282
57
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#11
shamayim: heaven, sky
Original Word: שָׁמַ֫יִם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: shamayim
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-mah'-yim)
Short Definition: heavenNAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
heaven, sky
NASB Translation
astrologers* (1), compass (1), earth (1), heaven (191), heaven and the highest (2), heaven and the highest heavens (1), heaven of heavens (1), heavenly (3), heavens (151), heavens and the highest (1), highest heaven (1), highest heaven (1), highest heavens (4), horizons (1), other* (1), sky (50).

Paul's Revelation
1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the thirdheaven. Whether it wasin the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows. 3And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows—…

Strong's Concordance
ouranos: heaven
Original Word: οὐρανός, οῦ, ὁ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: ouranos
Phonetic Spelling: (oo-ran-os')
Short Definition: the sky, the heaven
Definition: heaven, (a) the visible heavens: the atmosphere, the sky, the starry heavens, (b) the spiritual heavens.

heaven 1 our atmosphere 2 space 3 where God lives.
 

Zmouth

Senior Member
Nov 21, 2012
3,391
134
63
#12
yeah but he could have made insects the and the flower of the gap theory ant then made the ones as we know it? and i seriously do contemplate the fact that God does not make anything bad, and how could the earth be tohu wabohu right after HE made it?
But anyways, check this out in Genesis 1:1, in the beginning God created the "heaven and the earth."

And God called the firmament Heaven. Genesis 1:8
And God called the dry land Earth; Genesis 1:10

These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created,
in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
Gen 2:4
 

wanderer6059

Senior Member
Oct 27, 2013
1,282
57
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#13
But anyways, check this out in Genesis 1:1, in the beginning God created the "heaven and the earth."

And God called the firmament Heaven. Genesis 1:8
And God called the dry land Earth; Genesis 1:10

These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created,
in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
Gen 2:4
whats the image lol
 

Zmouth

Senior Member
Nov 21, 2012
3,391
134
63
#14
the pulse and the wave
 

Zmouth

Senior Member
Nov 21, 2012
3,391
134
63
#15
Of course, God created heaven and the angels. He created everything. He is the Creator and everything else is the created. But let's not forget that while the old heaven and earth will pass away, there will be a New Heavens and New Earth to look forward to. That is the eternal hope of Christians.
Right, but knowing that, don't you think that the LORD can resolve that which needs to resolved without destroying everything.

Maybe that is the reason for things as they are here, that in death the separation can be done in order where those who are worthy are raised up and those who fell short sleep it off?
 

wanderer6059

Senior Member
Oct 27, 2013
1,282
57
48
#16
oh, lol yeah i have read gen 1&2 like 3 times now and am thinking this is pretty cool to think about, imagining the war in heaven and the fall of lucifer being like the asteroid that took out the dinosaurs lol
 

Bladerunner

Senior Member
Aug 22, 2016
3,076
59
48
#17
oh, lol yeah i have read gen 1&2 like 3 times now and am thinking this is pretty cool to think about, imagining the war in heaven and the fall of lucifer being like the asteroid that took out the dinosaurs lol

wrong,,,,,,the dinosaurs came over with Noah.
 

Zmouth

Senior Member
Nov 21, 2012
3,391
134
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#18
Thought they walked over on the rainbow
 
Nov 1, 2016
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#19
Right-on Op.

I was hoping this topic would show up.

The fact that Jesus taught that there are gaps in the middle of verses just goes to show that maybe we overlooked something.

We are living in a two thousand year Gap right now.

Pretty compelling evidence if you ask me.

:cool:
 

trofimus

Senior Member
Aug 17, 2015
10,684
794
113
#20
The Gap theory originated in the 19th century with the purpose to put Bible and science together (nothing wrong with that).

But it failed. The 19th century science was not very developed and the theology behind this is very weak.

What they have created is neither biblical nor scientific.