Did other people inhabit the earth before we did?

The answer for me is Gods truth. Paul said the letter kills and the spirit gives life. Many are slaves to the letter
instead of the meaning behind the letters. They bang on about inerrancy and which translation is the 'real'
one. We get page on page of it. The truth is the only inerrant part of the Bible and that truth is spiritual.
Jesus said God is spirit and he who worships must do so in spirit and in truth. This thread is a case in point
Genesis teaches that God is the origin of everything and we are separated from him. The whole Bible is a
guide revealing how he provided a way back through Christ. No one really knows whether there were other people
before us and most people don't really care. We have relatively short lives to get through ourselves so whether
Lucifer or T Rex ruled the world, (apologies to Marc Bolan Fans), makes little difference to the here and now.

Indeed the past is set in stone but the here & now & beyond...

You have to keep going with that verse.

Jude 1:6-7: “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
I just thought of when Lot took the angels there. We "assume" the men wanted to have sex with men. However technically they wanted to have sex with angels and God sent the angels to destroy Sodom and gomorrha. Never thought of that before. Lol It's funny because I have to relearn things I was taught as well.

Here's another sons of God verse:
Job 2:1 says, “Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.” Plainly, this was a meeting of angels before God. When asked where Satan came from he explained walking back and forth on the Earth...not hell. This clearly shows sons of God being fallen angels.

And another:
Job 38:4-7 says, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” This is referring to a time before the creation of man. Who else could “sons of God” be referring to but the angels?

It's not a stretch to list bacteria like I have when there are literally 100 different kinds of bacteria just on our skin:

Human Skin Crawling With Bacteria - WebMD
https://www.webmd.com/.../news/20090528/human-skin-alive-with-bacteria
May 28, 2009 · Normal human skin is alive with bacteria -- a hundred times more kinds of bacteria, in more places, than previously known, NIH researchers find.


Our mouth alone have over 600 types of bacteria species:

The Human Oral Microbiome
jb.asm.org/content/192/19/5002.full
The oral microbiome is comprised of over 600 prevalent taxa at the species level, with distinct subsets predominating at different habitats.


And 90% of our cells are bacteria:

Microbes in the human body
https://mpkb.org/home/pathogenesis/microbiota
According to a recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimate, 90% of cells in the human body are bacterial, fungal, or otherwise non-human.1)


So basically, every answer I have offered that bacteria was mentioned, was absolutely correct. And, as per the proof I have offered, one can never use bacteria for an answer in a broad way when 90% of our human cells are species of bacteria!!

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
"But meanwhile?"..........."I was stilll thinkin'!"

Yeah? I certainly agree concerning posts er threads where people keep bangin' a gong about inerrancy. And, if I see a thread asking which translation, or revision is the best? If someone hasn't already answered? I'll jot down whichever one piques your interest enough to keep reading!

There really are a lot of people quite knowledgeable about the Bible on here, and always pretty willing in lending aid, if someone gets "stuck" concerning a definition of a word or verse/s, and sound Christian doctrines. Which is "good enough", for casual Christian conversations.

But, even Paul! As great of an Apostle, as he was/is. Stated in 2 Corinthians 12:7 "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure." Many (how can I say) shallower rooted Christians, will "spin" this to mean something about Paul's eyesight. And? In other letters he wrote, he did insinuate something concerning his vision. Although, he sought the Lord 3 times, in its removal? The reply Paul got from God, was: "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength grows in weakness!" "Most gladly," Paul said, "I will glory in my infirmities!" "That the power of the Messiah may rest upon me."

HAD a nice long post...but, because of my being technologically challenged?...It went "poof!" I think!