I would need more info to be persuaded of your idea.
No problem. I gave the information on how I determined the correct translation.
For example, Isa. 45:18 doesn't mean what you're making it to mean, IMO. It simply means "God created the world to be inhabited." It doesn't in any way, shape, or form say or imply that WHEN God created the Earth that He created LIFE on it AT THE SAME TIME. It appears to me that you are ASSUMING that.
English Standard Version
For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the LORD, and there is no other.
New American Standard Bible
For this is what the LORD says,
He who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it
and did not create it as a waste place,
but formed it to be inhabited): “I am the LORD, and there is no one else.
American Standard Version
For thus saith Jehovah that created the heavens, the God that formed the earth and made it, that established it and created it not a waste, that formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah; and there is none else.
JPS Tanakh 1917
For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens, He is God; That formed the earth and made it, He established it, He created it not a waste, He formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD, and there is none else.
New Revised Standard Version
For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it a chaos, he formed it to be inhabited!): I am the LORD, and there is no other.
New Heart English Bible
For thus says the LORD who created the heavens, the God who formed the earth and made it, who established it and did not create it a waste, who formed it to be inhabited: "I am the LORD, and there is no other.
World English Bible
For thus says Yahweh who created the heavens, the God who formed the earth and made it, who established it and didn't create it a waste, who formed it to be inhabited: "I am Yahweh; and there is no other.
Yes, there are translations like this:
King James Bible
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 "in vain" in the Hebrew is "tohu", same word in Gen 1:2.
And some translations add "to be a waste", but the ESV and NASB don't include "to be" in their translations.
In Isa. 45:18, it's a statement of purpose, meaning the purpose to have the world inhabited was ultimately fulfilled.
It is a statement of fact, and yes there is a purpose. But the FACT is this:
Gen 1:2 says "and the earth was (created) "tohu", in the traditional rendering, and Isa 45:18 says "earth was not created "tohu".
So that's a problem. When the "and" and "was" are corrected, there is no problem. The earth was not created "tohu" but BECAME "tohu".
To that, the fact that the world is inhabited is proof of it.
All we know is that Adam and the woman were the first humans on the planet and yet, they did multiply.
In context, the point is that when God speaks (through the prophets), He will cause it to happen. So then, to claim that the Earth was created WITH LIFE IN IT in an initial creation prior to the current one, is pure conjecture
I haven't said that. In fact, the Bible says NOTHING about what happened before the earth became "tohu". What we do know is that God restored the earth in 6 literal days.
Speaking of "restore", let's examine Her 11:3.
By faith we understand that the universe was
created (katartizo) by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
The Greek "katartizo" is properly translated as "restored" in Gal 6:1 - Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should
restore (kataartizo)that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
This aligns with what the disciples did with nets.
Matt 4:21 - And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father,
mending (katartizo) their nets, and he called them.
Mark 1:19 - And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat
mending (kataartizo)the nets.
To 'mend' something is akin to restoring it. That's the basic meaning of the word. And Heb 11:3 uses that word for what God did to the universe.
and Isa. 45:18 cannot be used to support it, because that idea is foreign to the context of Isa. 45:18.
The text plainly says that "earth was not created "tohu". And we know what the word means.
But even if we didn't know the meaning of "tohu", it is clear that Gen 1:2 (traditional) and Isa 45:18 say the opposite.
Your strongest argument IMO appears to be the translation of the term "was" should be "became." However, I still think that the conclusion about it is on shaky ground. It's not a good idea to develop a dogma based on a single word in scripture.
What do you mean by "dogma"? All I did is share how key words are used elsewhere in the OT, which anyone can do.
Therefore, IMO if you want to persuade people of your idea, you'll need to provide a lot more info.
For one thing, there is NO context to v.2, except v.1 which is obviously original creation. Then, v.2 begins with a conjunction of CONTRAST ("but" in the Septuigant) "the earth BECAME tohu". So, in order to properly understand what Moses meant, all we can do is examine how these key words are rendered in the rest of the OT, and a different picture emerges from the traditional rendering of v.2.
I'm not trying to persuade anyone. I have provided evidence of a different meaning of v.2, based SOLELY on how the key Hebrew words were translated elsewhere in the OT.
Those with an open mind may see the point and change their mind. Those with a closed mind won't be changed by any facts.