Why the Gap Theory is unacceptable

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Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,167
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113
#1
There are some Christians who believe that the creation account in Genesis is actually a “re-creation” account, and that there was an inhabited earth BEFORE Adam and Eve were created. In order to reconcile the Bible with the extended geological ages proposed by evolutionists, some Christians began to teach that there was a gap between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. Hence “The Gap Theory”.

This idea was originally promoted by a 19[SUP]th[/SUP] century Scottish clergyman named Thomas Chalmers, who credited it to a 17[SUP]th[/SUP] century Dutch theologian named Simon Episcopus. But it was really the Scofield Reference Bible of the early 20[SUP]th[/SUP] century which popularized this idea, as well as writers such as Clarence Larkin (who was generally sound in his Christian beliefs but way off base in this regard).

After admitting that “The manner of the "creation" of the Pre-Adamite Earth is not revealed in the Scriptures” Larkin presented the following hypothesis in Dispensational Truth:

1. The original earth existed in the “dateless past” as the “pre-Adamite earth”
2. Satan was placed “in charge” of the original or primeval earth.
3. Satan sought to be equal with God, therefore the earth was “thrown into a chaotic state”
4. Satan and his evil angels were cast out of Heaven to dwell in the second heaven
5. Satan then sought to regain control of the earth through the Fall of Adam and Eve
6. There may have been humans on earth before the creation of Adam, and dwelling in cities, and their bodies are buried under the Atlantic and Pacific oceans when God brought judgment on this “pre-Adamite earth
7. The reason the earth was “without form and void” (Gen 1:2) is because there were violent sub-surface convulsions, and the oceanic waters covered the whole earth until the time of “re-creation”, when “darkness was upon the face of the deep” (Gen 1:2).

While it is true that Satan and his evil angels were cast out of God’s Heaven, and it was the Devil who deceived Eve (in the form of a serpent) and thus brought a curse upon God’s creation, everything else postulated above is pure conjecture and speculation.

However, when we turn to the creation account in Genesis 1 & 2, we find that the whole universe (since the stars are also mentioned) was created in six literal 24 hour days (bounded by “evening and morning”) and that God saw everything which He had made and it was “very good” (perfect).

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day... Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 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. 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. 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 1:31-2:4 KJB).

“In the DAY that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens” does not mean one day but is a metaphor for the six-day Creation Week. Also the fact that “the heavens” are mentioned means that the atmosphere, the stratosphere, and outer space were all created within that time frame,

We also know that everything was created out of nothing (Latin ex nihilo), but this can only be understood “through faith”:
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Heb 11:3). As we can see in Genesis chapter one, “God spake and it was done”. Thus we have “and God said” repeated nine times. And we know from many other Scriptures that God can simply speak things into existence and they come into being.
But one of the most critical confirmations of the six days of creation is to be found in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20), which were carved in stone by the finger of God:

8
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.


9
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:


10
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger thatis within thy gates:


11
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.


Those who claim that there were human beings on earth who died before Adam was created actually contradict Scripture (Rom 5:12-14; 1 Cor 15:21,22):

Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come... For since by man [Adam]came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.


 

MarcR

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2015
5,486
183
63
#2
There are some Christians who believe that the creation account in Genesis is actually a “re-creation” account, and that there was an inhabited earth BEFORE Adam and Eve were created. In order to reconcile the Bible with the extended geological ages proposed by evolutionists, some Christians began to teach that there was a gap between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. Hence “The Gap Theory”.

This idea was originally promoted by a 19[SUP]th[/SUP] century Scottish clergyman named Thomas Chalmers, who credited it to a 17[SUP]th[/SUP] century Dutch theologian named Simon Episcopus. But it was really the Scofield Reference Bible of the early 20[SUP]th[/SUP] century which popularized this idea, as well as writers such as Clarence Larkin (who was generally sound in his Christian beliefs but way off base in this regard).

After admitting that “The manner of the "creation" of the Pre-Adamite Earth is not revealed in the Scriptures” Larkin presented the following hypothesis in Dispensational Truth:

1. The original earth existed in the “dateless past” as the “pre-Adamite earth”
2. Satan was placed “in charge” of the original or primeval earth.
3. Satan sought to be equal with God, therefore the earth was “thrown into a chaotic state”
4. Satan and his evil angels were cast out of Heaven to dwell in the second heaven
5. Satan then sought to regain control of the earth through the Fall of Adam and Eve
6. There may have been humans on earth before the creation of Adam, and dwelling in cities, and their bodies are buried under the Atlantic and Pacific oceans when God brought judgment on this “pre-Adamite earth
7. The reason the earth was “without form and void” (Gen 1:2) is because there were violent sub-surface convulsions, and the oceanic waters covered the whole earth until the time of “re-creation”, when “darkness was upon the face of the deep” (Gen 1:2).

While it is true that Satan and his evil angels were cast out of God’s Heaven, and it was the Devil who deceived Eve (in the form of a serpent) and thus brought a curse upon God’s creation, everything else postulated above is pure conjecture and speculation.

However, when we turn to the creation account in Genesis 1 & 2, we find that the whole universe (since the stars are also mentioned) was created in six literal 24 hour days (bounded by “evening and morning”) and that God saw everything which He had made and it was “very good” (perfect).

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day... Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 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. 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. 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 1:31-2:4 KJB).

“In the DAY that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens” does not mean one day but is a metaphor for the six-day Creation Week. Also the fact that “the heavens” are mentioned means that the atmosphere, the stratosphere, and outer space were all created within that time frame,

We also know that everything was created out of nothing (Latin ex nihilo), but this can only be understood “through faith”:
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Heb 11:3). As we can see in Genesis chapter one, “God spake and it was done”. Thus we have “and God said” repeated nine times. And we know from many other Scriptures that God can simply speak things into existence and they come into being.
But one of the most critical confirmations of the six days of creation is to be found in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20), which were carved in stone by the finger of God:

8
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.


9
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:


10
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger thatis within thy gates:


11
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.


Those who claim that there were human beings on earth who died before Adam was created actually contradict Scripture (Rom 5:12-14; 1 Cor 15:21,22):

Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come... For since by man [Adam]came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.


Despite the article by Lee Irons /www.oneplace.com/ministries/bible-answer-man/read/articles/the-gap-theory-of-genesis-12-16836.html which you extensively quote without giving credit. Irons fails to mention that Merrill F. Unger (Unger's Bible Dictionary) and the McClintock and Strong Bible Encyclopedia also propose a gap between verse 1 and verse 2 of Genesis 1.
did not come to my belief in a gap between verse 1 and verse 2 and/or between verse 2 and verse 3 from any of these sources. Before commenting on any chapter in my commentary, I parse the chapter in the original Language. When I did so with Genesis 1 the Gap suggested itself for reasons mentioned below.




I believe that the 6 days of creation in Genesis 1 are literal 24 hour days. I believe that this creation narrative speaks of re-creation after a cataclysmic upheaval.

Gen 1:2
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.
KJV


without form, and void תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ a desolation and a waste.

note that the waters are already present.

Gen 1:6-9
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

firmament לָרָקִיעַ means expanse or horizon

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.

made This is not בָּרָ֣א created this is יֲּ֣עֲשׂ called forth, made manifest, allowed to be seen.

The waters under the horizon are now divided (separated or distinguished) from the waters above the horizon [as fog or clouds].


Nothing in the Hebrew precludes this from being a previously created Sun now made visible. Also nothing in the Hebrew precludes the light in verses 3 and 4 from having come from a previously created Sun.


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.
KJV

Nte that the land is already present (as were the waters) and appears when the waters recede adding more order to the chaos.


Gen 1:11-12
11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

whose seed is in itself The way this verse is written requires that itself must refer to the earth. This means that the seed of all the plants is already present in the earth and is likely a vestige of a previous creation.

12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
KJV

Gen 1:21
21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
KJV

Here the word created is used for the first time since verse 1.

These facts do not require belief in a gap between verse 1 and verse 2; and/or between verse 2 and verse 3; but they certainly do not preclude it. If anything IMO they suggest it.



The best support for the 'Gap Theory' is the Hebrew text, from whence I derived my version of it. While I was aware of the 'Gap Theory' proposed by both Unger's Bible Dictionary and the McClintock and Strong Bible Encyclopedia I arrived at the Gap theory in my commentary independently and to the best of my knowledge it is original. Before Nehemiah's post, I was unaware of Chalmers' or Scofield's involvement with it.


One of many articles in defense of the Gap Theory can be found here: The Gap Theory interpretation of Genesis
 
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SpoonJuly

Guest
#4
Despite the article by Lee Irons /www.oneplace.com/ministries/bible-answer-man/read/articles/the-gap-theory-of-genesis-12-16836.html which you extensively quote without giving credit. Irons fails to mention that Merrill F. Unger (Unger's Bible Dictionary) and the McClintock and Strong Bible Encyclopedia also propose a gap between verse 1 and verse 2 of Genesis 1.
did not come to my belief in a gap between verse 1 and verse 2 and/or between verse 2 and verse 3 from any of these sources. Before commenting on any chapter in my commentary, I parse the chapter in the original Language. When I did so with Genesis 1 the Gap suggested itself for reasons mentioned below.




I believe that the 6 days of creation in Genesis 1 are literal 24 hour days. I believe that this creation narrative speaks of re-creation after a cataclysmic upheaval.

Gen 1:2
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.
KJV


without form, and void תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ a desolation and a waste.

note that the waters are already present.

Gen 1:6-9
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

firmament לָרָקִיעַ means expanse or horizon

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.

made This is not בָּרָ֣א created this is יֲּ֣עֲשׂ called forth, made manifest, allowed to be seen.

The waters under the horizon are now divided (separated or distinguished) from the waters above the horizon [as fog or clouds].


Nothing in the Hebrew precludes this from being a previously created Sun now made visible. Also nothing in the Hebrew precludes the light in verses 3 and 4 from having come from a previously created Sun.


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.
KJV

Nte that the land is already present (as were the waters) and appears when the waters recede adding more order to the chaos.


Gen 1:11-12
11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

whose seed is in itself The way this verse is written requires that itself must refer to the earth. This means that the seed of all the plants is already present in the earth and is likely a vestige of a previous creation.

12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
KJV

Gen 1:21
21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
KJV

Here the word created is used for the first time since verse 1.

These facts do not require belief in a gap between verse 1 and verse 2; and/or between verse 2 and verse 3; but they certainly do not preclude it. If anything IMO they suggest it.



The best support for the 'Gap Theory' is the Hebrew text, from whence I derived my version of it. While I was aware of the 'Gap Theory' proposed by both Unger's Bible Dictionary and the McClintock and Strong Bible Encyclopedia I arrived at the Gap theory in my commentary independently and to the best of my knowledge it is original. Before Nehemiah's post, I was unaware of Chalmers' or Scofield's involvement with it.


One of many articles in defense of the Gap Theory can be found here: The Gap Theory interpretation of Genesis

Thinks for this post.
I have always questioned how a perfect God could create a world that was void and without form.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,167
12,763
113
#5
Despite the article by Lee Irons /www.oneplace.com/ministries/bible-answer-man/read/articles/the-gap-theory-of-genesis-12-16836.html which you extensively quote without giving credit.
MarcR,

This is the first time I have heard of anyone by the name of Lee Irons, let alone quoted from his article. But you have accused me of plagiarism right here -- a very serious accusation -- so you should really apologize for that. Perhaps his article resembles my post, but everything in my OP is strictly mine.

If you believe in the Gap Theory, fine. I do not see any biblical support for it, and neither do many other Christians.
 
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Nov 12, 2015
9,112
822
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#6
I sort of think there was a gap of time we aren't aware of. I usually get yelled at for sharing it, but I came to it by doing a word by word study of the beginning of Genesis.

The Hebrew words give a much different understanding than our rendering in English.

If I'm remembering correctly, I typed it all out on the blog thing we each can post on in here. But fair warning if you want to read it - I'm not a scholar.

I wish a scholar would handle it but they're too busy yelling about my poor scholarship to look into it, I guess.

I remember the last time I brought it all up, williet gave me a lot of grief. ;)
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,167
12,763
113
#7
I have always questioned how a perfect God could create a world that was void and without form.
The way to understand that is to imagine a potter working with clay. Before he starts shaping it, it is merely a lump of clay, without form, and void of any embellishment. So God started out with a mass of matter surrounded by water, but it was not fully developed and had no living creatures on it. Initially God simply separated the land mass from the waters, so that it was one contiguous land mass. When you view the continents on a globe, it is evident that they are like pieces of a jig-saw puzzle, and could all be fitted into each other. They may have split during or after the global Flood in the days of Noah.
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#8
The way to understand that is to imagine a potter working with clay. Before he starts shaping it, it is merely a lump of clay, without form, and void of any embellishment. So God started out with a mass of matter surrounded by water, but it was not fully developed and had no living creatures on it. Initially God simply separated the land mass from the waters, so that it was one contiguous land mass. When you view the continents on a globe, it is evident that they are like pieces of a jig-saw puzzle, and could all be fitted into each other. They may have split during or after the global Flood in the days of Noah.
perhaps during the destruction of the Tower of Babel?
 

phil36

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2009
8,260
2,111
113
51
#9
The Gap theory really does not have much support now. It was an early attempt by well meaning christians to come up with an explanation of creation events other than the traditional christian view and Darwins theory.
 

MarcR

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2015
5,486
183
63
#10
MarcR,

This is the first time I have heard of anyone by the name of Lee Irons, let alone quoted from his article. But you have accused me of plagiarism right here -- a very serious accusation -- so you should really apologize for that. Perhaps his article resembles my post, but everything in my OP is strictly mine.

If you believe in the Gap Theory, fine. I do not see any biblical support for it, and neither do many other Christians.
I was looking to find where you got your 'facts' and the Irons article was almost identical to a section of your post.

Maybe you and Irons got your information in the same place but you certainly weren't born knowing about Chalmers and Scofield's involvement with the Gap theory. You failed to cite any source for your information.
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#11
maybe he read chalmer and scofield's commentary of the bible?
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,167
12,763
113
#12
I was looking to find where you got your 'facts' and the Irons article was almost identical to a section of your post.

Maybe you and Irons got your information in the same place but you certainly weren't born knowing about Chalmers and Scofield's involvement with the Gap theory. You failed to cite any source for your information.
The information is all out there for anyone to access. Check out this article.

The Institute for Creation Research
 

Angela53510

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
11,780
2,938
113
#13
I do not believe in the gap theory. I have read Genesis 1 in Hebrew, and although I am not close to where Marc is, I didn’t not see a gap. It is just not there.

What I do remember is all the theosophy and books by Blavatsky and Alice Bailey I read, that claim all this nonsense. But so much more! Atlantis, reincarnation, it got so esoteric it was crazy. And of course Jesus, ONE of the ascended masters.

People need to stick to the Bible. Even if a gap is remotely hinted at in Genesis, we know nothing, and idle speculation is unproductive and good for nothing!
 

MarcR

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2015
5,486
183
63
#14
The Gap theory really does not have much support now. It was an early attempt by well meaning christians to come up with an explanation of creation events other than the traditional christian view and Darwins theory.
You are quite correct. At least not human advocacy. As mentioned in my post the best support for it is the Hebrew text.

Personally I have no need to reconcile Scripture with Science so called. The idea that any living organism happened accidentally is absurd. My post was in response to PS' attempt to make the 6 days of creation into ages. That linguistically doesn't work.
If someone believes in 'old earth' creation; the Gap theory works linguistically. Whether it works theologically is a question I frankly haven't explored.
 

Joseppi

Senior Member
Jan 4, 2018
887
7
18
#15
Thinks for this post.
I have always questioned how a perfect God could create a world that was void and without form.
Well a gap in knowledge can’t explain it.

Here’s the straightforward simple answer...

God as the Potter created the earth to be his lump of clay to use it to shut the mouths of unbelievers that deny his written word.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,167
12,763
113
#16
Whether it works theologically is a question I frankly haven't explored.
And that is really what is important, since if there was sin and death on earth before Adam, it contradicts the New Testament and the Gospel.
 

Joseppi

Senior Member
Jan 4, 2018
887
7
18
#17
The way to understand that is to imagine a potter working with clay. Before he starts shaping it, it is merely a lump of clay, without form, and void of any embellishment. So God started out with a mass of matter surrounded by water, but it was not fully developed and had no living creatures on it. Initially God simply separated the land mass from the waters, so that it was one contiguous land mass. When you view the continents on a globe, it is evident that they are like pieces of a jig-saw puzzle, and could all be fitted into each other. They may have split during or after the global Flood in the days of Noah.
By noting that the fountains of the deep were broken up at the bottom of that singular sea of Noah’s day, the day he entered the ark, it can be understood that the singular heaven had a singular sea referred to as the deep also.
Which facilitates understanding why firmament was required to separate the waters before the earth was formed.
 
Nov 12, 2015
9,112
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#18
God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all. Yet He created a place that from the Hebrew words was very not good, a place of darkness, a howling waste by some of the definitions. Light does not create darkness. Light dispels darkness. And yet God says HE creates darkness/evil.The only way darkness can be created by He who IS light is if it is a negative creation, as in God casts someone from His presence.

This is only part of why I think there is a gap in there that was a casting from His presence\ light. I think He cast Satan from His presence, created a dark place by doing so, then began creation of good in that dark place and the darkness cannot overcome the light.

Its just my thoughts, but I've come to them by a word by word study.
 
Sep 3, 2016
6,337
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#19
The phrase, "And the Earth was without form, and void," points to a stupendous convulsion which affected the Earth after it was created by God.

"Without form, and void," in the Hebrew is literally, "tohu" and "bohu," which signify, "wasteness and emptiness." God did not create the Earth in this fashion. It became that way at a point in time. Many Scholars believe that Lucifer ruled the Earth after it was originally created, and did so for an undetermined period of time. As well, during that time, he ruled it in Righteousness and Holiness under God. It also seems there was a race of created beings over whom he ruled. Whenever Lucifer led his rebellion against God, one-third of the Angels, plus this race of beings threw in their lot with him. Many think, and it is probably correct, that these particular beings, whatever they might have been, are the demon spirits which presently help Satan.

Some have claimed that demon spirits are fallen angels; however, angels have spirit-bodies, whereas demon spirits have no body whatsoever, and in fact, seek s body to inhabit, whether animal or human.

I think it should be obvious that whatever degree this revolution of Lucifer was, its destructive power was beyond comprehension. Genesis 2:1

JSM Bible commentary


 
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SpoonJuly

Guest
#20
The way to understand that is to imagine a potter working with clay. Before he starts shaping it, it is merely a lump of clay, without form, and void of any embellishment. So God started out with a mass of matter surrounded by water, but it was not fully developed and had no living creatures on it. Initially God simply separated the land mass from the waters, so that it was one contiguous land mass. When you view the continents on a globe, it is evident that they are like pieces of a jig-saw puzzle, and could all be fitted into each other. They may have split during or after the global Flood in the days of Noah.
To my understanding, He spoke everything into being, He did not begin with a lump and then shape it.
You may be right, but I still question a perfect, all knowing God making a void and without form limp that had to be molded into a perfect creation.
Regardless, He created the earth and all living things.