The GAP Theory

I think it only fair to cover the Gap idea in Genesis 1 for brethren in Christ who have never heard of it nor realized Bible Scriptures about it even exists. I once asked a pastor I met if he knew about it, and he looked me sternly in the face and said, "No man showed me that, God showed me that." I then asked him if he taught it to his Church congregation and he said no, that only about a quarter of them would understand. So I asked him, "well what about that quarter? didn't God give it to them to know?" He didn't respond, so I don't know, maybe he braved his Church organization, risked getting fired, and taught it to them. I know one Church in my area that has a teaching pastor that is a Hebrew scholar, and that's all he does, and he teaches it to their Church.

My point is, that many studied pastors and Bible scholars understand about the Gap idea, but most are not allowed to teach it because of their Church organization policies. I don't think that fair to God's people, because He would not have given the Scriptures that point to it unless He wanted at least some of us to know about it.

So do what you will, believe it or don't, it's not a salvation issue. But if properly understood, it will... help with a deeper Bible understanding on what this present world is about and why Lord Jesus Christ had to come in the flesh and die on the cross to defeat death and the devil.

So hopefully the administrators will allow this to be posted.

(Continued...)

Part I

Not all brethren in Christ believe in the 'new earth creation' idea which is traditionally taught about Genesis 1, and this earth being only about 6,000 years old. Some of believers on Christ Jesus believe in an 'old earth creation', that God created this earth a long, long time ago, much longer ago than 6,000 years ago. Neither group believes in man's theory of evolution.

The actual origin of the 6,000 year old theory came from those like 17th century bishop Ussher's work with going from the time of Jesus' birth back in generations in the Old Testament to the time of the man Adam. Ussher set the time that God formed Adam in His Garden at 4004 B.C. (see Ussher's Annals Of The World.) Other Bible scholars, like 19th century British Christian scholar E.W. Bullinger, did the same Bible chronology as Ussher did, and came up with the same 4004 B.C. date for Adam.

Then it was assumed... that since Adam was formed on God's 6th day, that's when the general time of His creation of the earth also was, being 4004 B.C. with adding our times of 2000+ years, to make the earth around 6,000 years old.

However, even Ussher would admit that 4004 B.C. is as far back as he could go with the Bible chronology of man, simply because there is no written record of a previous man prior to Adam in The Bible. So that's where the chronology for man... had to stop. Yet that does not... have to mean that is where God's time of creation of the universe was also. That may sound confusing to some, yet it is nowhere written in God's Word that He created the earth at the time that He created the man Adam.



The above is a fossilized set of footprints, I'm thinking from Dinosaur State Park in Texas (there are others around the world also). What is so unique about it is the large dinosaur footprint is laying on top... of a perfect human arch footprint, and both were dated to be at the same time. This set of footprints conflicts both with the 6,000 year old earth creation idea, and the atheistic field of scientific evolution. The reason why it conflicts with man's theory of evolution is because there's been no human fossil skeletal remains found back 65 million years ago when they say dinosaurs roamed this earth.

Because of fossil evidence like the above, and their not understanding it per God's Word, some brethren have gone to the extreme with claiming that dinosaurs are still walking around among us today. They call themselves 'New Earth Creationists', still applying the 6,000 year old earth tradition, but a bump to claiming dinosaurs are still alive on earth today in secluded sectors of the earth. Their extremist viewpoint thus denies that above footprint fossil as being any older than 6,000 years. The reality is that dinosaurs are definitely not... still walking around among us today. That is just a myth some brethren came up with in order to try and fight against man's theory of evolution, and preserve the 6,000 year old earth creation tradition.

The Gap idea does not agree with either the 6,000 year old earth tradition, nor... man's theory of evolution. Some Bible scholars that have been invited to debates between new earth creationists and scientists who believe evolution, have thrown monkey wrenches into their debate with both sides posing a huge question mark on their faces when they heard about the Gap idea from Bible Scripture.

Part II

The Gap idea comes from what we are shown in God's Word about the time before Lucifer rebelled against God, and a time of God having caused a world-wide destruction upon this earth to end Lucifer's original rebellion, and then with God having refurbished His creation after that, but not fully, which became this present 2nd world earth age of today. Thus there are actually 3 world earth ages covered in God's Word. This is what Apostle Peter was covering in 2 Peter 3 when speaking of the old world having perished by waters of a flood, and he was not truly pointing to Noah's day either.

2 Peter 3:5-6
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:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
KJV

That first phrase in red, "... by the word of God the heavens were of old", is pointing to the time of Genesis 1:1, when God created the heavens and the earth 'originally'. And Peter then says that old world perished by waters of a flood. And Peter says this flood... many "willingly are ignorant" about.

Naturally it is very easy to think Peter was pointing to the time of the flood of Noah. Yet didn't the brethren in Peter's day even know about the flood of Noah's time? I can about guarantee most of Peter's brethren definitely knew about Noah's flood, for it was written of in their Old Testament Bibles. That's not something they would be willingly ignorant about. But being willingly ignorant about a previous flood that destroyed the surface of the earth long prior to Noah's day, they would... be kind of ignorant of, just as many still are today.

What about Peter's phrase, "... the earth standing out of the water and in the water"? That relates to the state of the earth from Genesis 1:2 to Genesis 1:9 with God moving the waters that were overspread upon the earth, and making the dry land appear (actually re-appear). I'll cover those sections in Genesis 1 now...

Gen 1:1-2
1 In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth.

In the beginning, meaning even before Lucifer rebelled but was following God. This creation event was about God creation a PERFECT creation. No sin, no evil, no death, no hell, because Lucifer was serving God then, as God said He created him 'perfect in his ways', as per Ezekiel 28 with God using the title "king of Tyrus" to point to Lucifer. So there is actually some details that God left us in His Word about a time of the earth before... Lucifer rebelled against Him, which was when Lucifer drew a third of the angels to earth with him (Rev.12:3-4, "stars" put for angels).

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

Those terms "without form, and void" were not really brought correctly from the Hebrew by the KJV translators. It is obvious the translators were just keeping the young earth tradition, but they made a mistake here, because "without form, and void" does not mean the earth was in some vacuum nothingness state before creation here.

That "without form, and void" phrase in the Hebrews means the earth had become 'a waste and an distinguishable ruin'. The Hebrew phrase is tohu va bohu. Hebrew tohu is a word often used about something that was first in a good state that turns bad, to a waste, to nothingness, empty, etc. It points to something going into corruption. This is why Dr. James Strong in his Strong's Exhaustive Concordance defined that Hebrew tohu va bohu phrase as a 'waste and an undistinguishable ruin'...


OT:8414
tohuw (to'-hoo); from an unused root meaning to lie waste; a desolation (of surface), i.e. desert; figuratively, a worthless thing; adverbially, in vain:

KJV - confusion, empty place, without form, nothing, (thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness.
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006, 2010 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)


OT:922
bohuw (bo'-hoo); from an unused root (meaning to be empty); a vacuity, i.e. (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin:

KJV - emptiness, void.
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006, 2010 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

What this means is, that between Genesis 1:1 with God's original Perfect creation prior to Lucifer's rebellion, and then Genesis 1:2 with the earth laying a waste and a ruin, with waters covering the whole surface of the earth, that there was an UNDETERMINED GAP OF TIME between those 2 verses... simply this...

Genesis 1:1 = time of God's original Perfect creation, and Lucifer worshiping and serving God.
?......? = unknown GAP amount of time.
Genesis 1:2 = God destroyed Lucifer's rebellion with bringing a flood of waters upon the earth, with the earth sitting a waste and a ruin being overflowed with waters of a flood (long before Noah; there's been 2 world-wide floods upon the earth, the first one ended Lucifer's rebellion against God).

That is why this called by some the Gap Theory, because it suggests there is an unknown amount of time between when God first created the heavens and the earth and His ending Lucifer's original rebellion with waters of a flood upon the whole earth.

This is why continuing in Genesis 1, we do not see any statement about God creating the earth, simply because at Genesis 1:1 is when He had already created the heavens and the earth. Then at verse 2 the earth is laid a waste, and thereafter God is refurbishing His original creation for the 2nd world earth age that began with Adam.

Gen 1:6-10
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

The idea of a "firmament" means the sky atmosphere around the earth, like the clouds. God here is taking a portion of those waters covering the whole earth, and moving them up to form today's sky around the earth.

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.

The previous verse was His declaration to form the sky, and the above is the action.

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.
KJV

Then the waters that were left upon the already existing earth He moved around upon the earth until the dry land appeared (or re-appeared since the earth was already there underneath those waters). This was His forming of today's seas and oceans upon the earth. In contrast per Revelation 21:1, in God's future new heavens and a new earth, He said there will be no more sea.

(Continued...)

Yeah.. to huge to get into.. but yeah and I love still do listening to the late "Chuck Missler". What I just loved about that man was he loved Christ and give this deep study but say "don't believe me you find this truth for you self, you study you pray". Oh amen. Didn't believe everything but he seemed to always try to make sure it was written.

This is a wonderful topic about Creation @DavyP and thank you for sharing.
You've done a nice job explaining both viewpoints here.
Thank you.

Why would you even suggest that when the Gap Theory is utterly bogus? It is more than fair to dismiss it, since false doctrines should not be allowed in sound churches. The Bible is crystal clear. There is NO GAP in Genesis.

There was no creation before the actual creation as recorded in the Bible. There is absolutely no evidence that Satan (formerly Lucifer) was given the earth. This is all pure speculation, and if you can show from Scripture that there was an earth BEFORE this earth, then show it from the Bible.

What does "without form and void" (Hebrew tohu wa bohu) mean? It mean exactly that. "Without form" means that there was a formless mass before God changed it into a globe. "Void" means without any life forms or vegetation. It was a huge lump of "clay" surrounded by water, which was then transformed by the Word of God as shown. Day by day God added to it what He chose to do in a particular sequences.

We are not told when the angels were created, but it is more than likely on the fourth day, when the stars were created. Lucifer wad also an angel, so he was created along with the other angels. So when they rejoiced at God's creation, they were rejoicing over what happened on the following days.

“While the gap theory was popularised by Thomas Chalmers in a lecture in 1814, the idea of a long period of time between Gen 1:1-2 was first introduced by the Dutch theologian Simon Episcopius (1583-1643) to accommodate the fall of the angels...".
History of the gap theory - An exploration into the gap theory

And a lot of false teachers have held to this bogus theory. Oral Roberts, Harry Rimmer, Jimmy Swaggart, G. H. Pember, L. Allen Higley, Arthur Pink, Peter Ruckman, Finis Jennings Dake, E. W. Bullinger, Donald Grey Barnhouse, Herbert W. Armstrong, and Garner Ted Armstrong.

Unfortunately some who are not false teachers got sucked into this such as Scofield, Larkin, and Missler. But a lot of sound teachers also got sucked into the modern bible perversions.

Never heard of this Gap theory ---what what a bunch of baloney ----

Talk about Satan duping people ----well this takes the Cake !

What is the Gap Theory?
https://www.gotquestions.org/gap-theory.html

Genesis 1:1–2 states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” The gap theory is the view that God created a fully functional earth with all animals, including the dinosaurs and other creatures we know only from the fossil record. Then, the theory goes, something happened to destroy the earth completely—most likely the fall of Satan to earth—so that the planet became without form and void. At this point, God started all over again, recreating the earth in its paradise form as further described in Genesis. The gap theory, which is distinct from theistic evolution and the day-age theory, is also called old-earth creationism, gap creationism, and the ruin-reconstruction theory.

In young-earth creationism, Genesis 1:1 is seen as a summary of the complete chapter 1 in the Hebrew storytelling form. God created the heavens and the earth. Then verse 2 begins a detailed breakdown of the step-by-step process that verse 1 summarizes. However, the statement that “the earth was formless and empty, [and] darkness was over the surface of the deep” (Genesis 1:2) can be puzzling. The idea that God created a useless and shapeless earth is an uncomfortable position for some conservative theologians, and this leads them to the gap theory, or an old-earth perspective.

According to conservative proponents of the gap theory, Genesis 1:1 describes the original creation of God—perfect in every way. Then, between verses 1 and 2, Satan rebelled in heaven and was cast out. Satan’s sin “ruined” the original creation; that is, his rebellion brought about its destruction and eventual death, and the earth was reduced to its “formless and empty” state, ready for the “re-construction.” The length of time involved—the size of the “gap”—is not specified but could have lasted millions of years.

Of course, Satan must have fallen before Adam did; otherwise, there would have been no temptation in the garden. Young-earth creationists say that Satan fell sometime after Genesis 1:31. Gap creationists say that Satan fell between Genesis 1:1 and 2.

One difficulty of the gap theory is that it requires that creation suffer death and destruction before Adam’s fall. Romans 5:12 says, “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.” The gap theory counters by positing two worlds. Satan’s sin brought death to the original creation, whatever that was like; and Adam’s sin brought death to the re-creation, the realm of mankind. Through Adam’s sin, evil entered our world and the realm of man was cursed. But rebellion already existed outside the realm of mankind (in the spiritual realm), since Satan and his angels had already fallen (Isaiah 14:12–14; Ezekiel 28:12–18). Sin could not enter the realm of man until man chose it. And Satan, via the serpent, successfully tempted man to make that choice.

Objections to the gap theory include the idea that, if something important had occurred between Genesis 1:1 and 2, God would have told us so, rather than leave us to speculate in ignorance. Also, Genesis 1:31 says God declared His creation to be “very good”—a statement difficult to square with the theory that evil already existed because of Satan’s fall in the “gap.”

It is possible to hold to a literal, six-day creation week and still hold to the gap theory—the gap theory does not require evolution to be true, since the gap falls before the events of Day One in Genesis 1:3. And that’s why some conservative scholars do believe the gap theory, although its acceptance has waned since the days of proponents C. I. Scofield and J. Vernon McGee.

However, many of those who hold to the gap theory do so in order to reconcile old-earth, evolutionary theories with the book of Genesis. But it seems to be a strained reconciliation. The plain reading of Genesis 1 does not at all intimate a length of time between the first two verses. Genesis 1:1 tells us that God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:2 informs us that, when He first created the earth, it was formless, empty, and dark; it was unfinished and uninhabited. The rest of Genesis 1 relates how God completed the formless, empty, and dark earth by filling it with life, beauty, and goodness

You don't believe Job 38 has angels singing at God's creation of earth?

Why not? If the book of Job says so, it is a divine revelation. It is God Himself who gave us this revelation, so take note: Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said... Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding... When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:1,4,7). "Morning stars" is a metaphor for angels, which are often referred to as "stars".

This is not revealed in Genesis, but it is definitely true, if God says so. God also said that all of creation was done within six days. He did not need six days, but there was an excellent reason for that time frame. Since stars were created on the fourth day, the "morning stars" may also have been created on that day, and immediately began to rejoice over the creative actions on the next two days.

They didn't begin singing until day 4?

That was the day they were probably created. So do you have a problem with that? There is no mention of angels on days 1-3 (or in Genesis 1). This is just a reasonable assumption.

What in scripture suggests day 4?

I'm not challenging you. I always assumed the creation of angels was prior to any earthly creation because I reasoned they were created as part of heavens creation. So it interests me.

Day 4 was when the stars were created. The angels are metaphorically called "stars" and are called "morning stars" in Job. This is a reasonable conclusion, and if you are unable to provide a more reasonable one, then let it go.

The heavens are the heavens, and the plural implies the three heavens which exist. I am surprised that the KJB has "heaven" (singular) in Genesis 1:1 while the Hebrew has "heavens" plural (shemayim). Plurality in Hebrew nouns always has "im" at the end.

There are plenty of reasonable explanations. I was simply wondering if you had an explanation from scripture that might clarify things. Appreciate you taking the time to share.

Part III


The idea of the Hebrew tohu (or tohuw), translated to "without form" in the KJV Bible, is actually an idea about the earth laying in a wasted state, or in corruption or vanity, as referred to in other Bible Scripture.

Isa 45:18
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.
KJV

Guess what that Hebrew word above for "vain" is? It is the same Hebrew word tohu, translated "without form". By that verse God said He did NOT create the earth "without form" (tohu).


I'm going to show you more Bible Scripture pointing to that idea, of God's declaration that He did not create the earth 'in vain' (tohu - "without form"):

Jer 4:22-28
22 For My people is foolish, they have not known Me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

God said this through His prophet Jeremiah in the days when the house of Judah also fell away from God to idol worship instead. And God was getting ready to bring Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, upon Jerusalem and take the Jews captive to Babylon, and destroy Jerusalem and the 2nd temple.

God was thus giving them the below Scripture as an example of a PREVIOUS destruction He had done upon the surface of the earth, changing major conditions upon the earth. He was trying to remind them of how He ended Lucifer's rebellion of old against Him. That suggests God wanted those Jews to recall that, and compare what He was getting ready to do to them for falling away from Him:


Jer.4:23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.

Yep! that's the same Hebrew tohu va bohu phrase translated as "without form, and void" that is in Genesis 1:2 which most think means a time before the earth was actually created. If the Bible student just stops right here, they can easily continue with the traditional interpretation of Genesis 1:2, thinking it means the earth was in some vacuum nothingness state. But continue reading what God Himself said here in Jer.4...


Jer.4:24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.

Now if this "without form, and void" phrase really means the earth was in a vacuum nothingness state prior to creation, then how is it God applies these existing mountains and hills with the time of that "without form, and void" phrase? and He even shows those hills and mountains "moved lightly" and "trembled"? That means He shook... this earth. Well when did He do that shaking of the earth? Turn with me to Hebrews 12...

Heb 12:25-29
25 See that ye refuse not Him That speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused Him That spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him That speaketh from heaven:
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He hath promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven."

What does it mean when someone says to you, "once more"? That automatically means there was previous happening of the thing before, and that it is going to happen once more. So if you do a simple count of that, it means whatever it is when it happens, will mean it happened two times in total.

God is plainly saying that 'once more' He is going to shake this earth, but not just this earth only, but also heaven. Now break that down, because He is pointing to two events, the first event of His shaking this earth, and then a later shaking of this earth that will include heaven being shaken too, which that latter shaking event is prophesied by many of His OT prophets for the end of this world, still in our future.

Just to make sure you understand the two separate timed events of the shaking of this earth:

1. shaking of old?
2. future shaking for the end of this world (I'll give you a hint, on the day of Christ's future return to this earth.)


Heb.12:27 And this word, "Yet once more", signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Now the above Scripture then reveals just what LEVEL of shaking of this earth, and of heaven, that is being spoken of for the "Yet once more" shaking event at the end of this world. It will be on a level of shaking this earth that will literally REMOVE man's works off the surface of this earth. Then only the things of God's creation will then remain. That is the LEVEL of the future shaking being spoken of above.

But how do we know verse 27 is about the destruction of man's works off this earth with that?

Heb.12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.
KJV

What does that fact that God is a consuming fire have to do with that shaking yet once more? Apostle Peter told us, if we'd only listen to him...

2 Peter 3:10
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
KJV

On the "day of the Lord", which is the final day of this present world, God's consuming fire is going to burn man's works off the surface of the earth. We know God is not going to literally destroy this earth completely with that, because Jesus' feet are to touch down upon the Mount of Olives in today's Jerusalem at His 2nd coming on that same day, as written in Zechariah 14. Thus Peter was pointing also to that Hebrews 12:26 reference to God saying, "Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven."

OK, what is the point of the above shaking of this earth?

(Continued...)

Part III (Continued...)

The point is, that sometime in the past history of this earth, God literally shook... this earth, and all the mountains and hills trembled, and moved lightly (Jeremiah 4:24). But when was that first shaking of this earth? There's nothing mentioned about God shaking the earth with the flood of Noah's day, so it cannot be for Noah's time. So when? Keep reading in Jeremiah 4...

Jer.4:25
25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.

You're probably thinking, Noah's day, right? But God said, "there was no man" with this example. That means not even Noah and his family.


Jer.4:26 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.

There's that type of idea, "without form, and void" actually. God's original Perfect creation had become a waste, a wilderness. And all the cities were broken down? What cities? If Genesis 1:2 actually meant a time before God created this earth, and it was a situation of vacuum nothingness, then there would not be cities at that time, nor even an existing earth, now would there? nor would the mountains and hills have been created yet at Gen.1:2, if that's what "without form, and void" actually meant. Yet God began this destruction view in Jeremiah 4:23-28 with that "without form, and void" idea, which is the same phrase in Genesis 1:2.


Jer.4:27 For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
28 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.
KJV

The above phrases in 'red' above are very, very important. Above God is showing that as a result of that destruction He did upon this earth back sometime in earth history, that He would not make a full desolation of the earth. He left this earth in a condition of mourning, and that the heavens above would be black.

I know those ideas "For this shall the earth mourn", and "the heavens above be black", sound kind of encrypted, but what God is showing is actually very simple. It's just that many brethren have difficulty in believing it.

"For this shall the earth mourn..." -- because of that destruction of old, whenever it was that God first shook this earth, this earth would be left in a state of mourning, i.e., imperfection. "But Dave, I thought God's creation today was beautiful and perfect, not imperfect?!?", some might say. Think about it. And compare today's state of God's creation with the changes written of in God's Word that are to occur in the world to come (like Isaiah 11 and Ezekiel 47 and Revelation 21 and 22). Today's condition of the earth cannot be compared with that world to come with God's future Kingdom upon this earth with His return. (Apostle Paul in Romans 8 will show us even more about the difference between this present state of God's creation and the future glory of the world to come.)

"... and the heavens above be black: ..." -- what do rain clouds look like? They turn grey or dark grey when full of water in prep for a rain storm, one could easily say black looking. Did you know that because of holes in the earth's atmosphere around the earth, it causes the sun to heat the earth's surface with rising warm air going up into the sky, and cold air at higher altitudes falling and mixing with that warm air, to cause the violent storms of today's earth weather system? That's the basis of our violent weather storms, hot and cold fronts mixing to cause storms. So why would God point to this about His not fully causing a desolation of the earth, when He first shook... this earth, back when?

Did you know that true geographic North is about 90 miles off from true magnetic North? Airplane pilots have a saying, "east is least, and west is best", because when flying long distance around the earth, the compass must be adjusted because of that North error. Going east the correction 6 degrees, and going west the correction is 8 degrees. Did that error between geographic North and magnetic North happen back when God first shook this earth? Just how far back was that do ya think? like today's earth has been tilted off its original axis.

Continued...

Part IV

In 2 Peter 3, Apostle Peter spoke of there being some things hard to understand in Apostle Paul's Epistles...

2 Peter 3:14-16
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
KJV

What "these things" is Peter referring to that are in Paul's Epistles also? Recall in that 2 Peter 3 chapter what Peter was covering, i.e., the 3 world earth ages, "the world that then was", "the heavens and the earth, which are now", and a future "new heavens and a new earth."

Here is where Apostle Paul is comparing this present 2nd world earth age, the "heavens and the earth, which are now", with the future "new heavens and a new earth":


Rom 8:18-25
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Paul speaks of this present world not being worthy to be compared to the world to come, with the glory that is to be revealed in us in that future.

19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

This word in 'red', "creature", is the Greek word ktisis, and means 'original formation', i.e. God's creation (NT:2937). It is the same Greek ktisis word throughout this Romans 8 section, and in verse 22 below the KJV translators properly brought into English as "creation".

Why... does God's creation await the future manifesting of the sons of God? I assume brethren already know that happens when Jesus returns in our near future. That is when the full glory of us as the "sons of God" will manifest for that world to come. But why is the 'creation', like us, also in a state of expecting for that future event?


20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him Who hath subjected the same in hope,

The creation was made subject to "vanity"? And it was God Who did that, subjecting His creation "in hope"? In hope of what? In hope of a RELEASE from that condition of "vanity"!

Do you recall that Hebrew word tohu that is translated "without form" in Genesis 1:2 and Jeremiah 4:23? Hebrew tohu is like an equivalent to this Greek word mataiotes ("vanity"), from root maten (see NT:3153 and NT:3152 in your Strong's Exhaustive Concordance).

When Paul shows that God placed His creation in a state of "vanity", and in hope of some different condition along with us when the sons of God manifest in the world to come, that... reveals something happened back in this earth's old history. It means this 2nd world earth age is not the Perfect creation that we were brought up to believe it was. It suggests that the majority of the earth's surface today being uninhabitable is not really how God intended His creation, and even suggests how the creation is today is NOT... how He originally created it. So like Ripley's, "believe it or not."


21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Today's creation is in a condition of "bondage of corruption"?? I didn't say it, Apostle Paul said it. And Apostle Paul began this with comparing this present world with the world to come, so no can just claim this release of the creation from bondage of corruption already happened, because it has not.


22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Same Greek word ktisis for "creation" above, as with "creature" in the previous verses.

Did you not know that God's creation today groans and travails in pain along with our spirit, seeking a release from the bondage of corruption we all are in for this present world? Notice Paul makes this point about us also in the next verse...

23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Paul is pointing to the future "spiritual body" that he taught of in 1 Corinthians 15, which is the "image of the heavenly" that we are to inherit in the world to come, as the manifesting of the "sons of God".

24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
KJV

At present during this world, we are in hope, for that future adoption. Paul shows that if it was already manifest today, then we would no longer hope for it to come.

By the above Romans 8:18-25 Scripture, Paul is giving us a lesson about God's original Perfect creation compared to today's creation that God placed in a state of bondage of corruption.

Just by God having placed His creation in that "bondage of corruption" for today's world, automatically suggests that He had before made a Perfect creation that was originally NOT in bondage of corruption. Further proof of this is with what God said in Isaiah 45:18 that He did NOT create the earth "in vain" (Hebrew tohu), which is equivalent to Paul's "vanity" idea in Romans 8:20.

And by Paul saying the whole creation today groans and travails in pain, it links back to Jeremiah 4 with what God said that He would not make a full desolation, but the earth would "mourn", and "the heavens above be black" (Jer.4:28).

The Ezekiel 28 Parable About Lucifer

I have never heard explanation of the following parable from God in Ezekiel 28 taught in a Christian Church. That's too bad, because the lack of covering this means many of my Christian brethren continue to believe false pagan ideas about Satan's origin and power.

What is most important about this parable, is that it reveals a time prior to Adam and Eve, a time before Lucifer rebelled against God.

I use the devil's title of Lucifer for the time before he rebelled against God, and his title of Satan for the time after he had rebelled and had fallen and in his role for the present world as the adversary and tempter.


Ezek 28:12-19
12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

God speaking there through His prophet Ezekiel. That title "king of Tyrus" points to a flesh king of the ancient rock island of Tyre off the coast of Lebanon. It was once a hub of world commerce. It had double 150 foot walls around it, so it could not be conquered from the sea. Alexander the Great conquered it by building up a land bridge by moving dirt out to it, which still stands to this day. The word Tyrus means 'rock'. Recall per Deuteronomy 32:31 that Satan is called the little "rock", while God is called "our Rock".

Who would be "perfect in beauty"? God made Lucifer a beautiful cherub, the full pattern of beauty, is what that is suggesting.

13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

No flesh king has ever been in God's Garden of Eden. So that description can only... apply to Lucifer, "that old serpent" of Genesis.

By the time Satan was in Eden tempting Eve, it shows he had already rebelled against God and was in his role as the adversary. Thus Satan's original rebellion and sin had to have been prior... to the time of Adam and Eve.

Those jewels are some of the 12 stones on the Hebrew priest's breastplate (see Exodus 28). Here there are only 10 stones mentioned before Lucifer rebelled. I speculate those 10 stones could have been to represent the "ten horns" beast system of Revelation 12:3-4 that he first rebelled with. I don't really know that for sure, but that's the only symbolic meaning for that ten stones I can think of that would fit Bible Scripture, other than Lucifer having been a type of priest in that time when he served God at His Throne.


14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

That description is about God's Throne with Lucifer having originally been created as a covering cherub to guard God's Throne, the Mercy Seat (see Exodus 25 for the pattern which God gave to Israel to make the Ark of the Covenant). Lucifer was one of the 2 cherubim with outspread wings over the Mercy Seat. That was Lucifer's original job that God created him for.


15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

God created Lucifer "perfect in thy ways" originally. He served God at His Throne, until iniquity was found in him and he rebelled against God, in wanting to be GOD and sit in His Throne which was Lucifer's job to guard (see Isaiah 14:12 forward where Lucifer claimed he will sit in God's Throne and be God). That is the sin which Lucifer did, coveting God's Throne for himself, when it was Lucifer's job to guard that Throne.

When Apostle John said that "the devil sinneth from the beginning", that was the very first sin by Lucifer that John was pointing to (1 John 3:8). It was actually the very first sin... period. Adam and Eve were guilty of the very first sin in the flesh. But the actual original sin was done first by Lucifer coveting God's Throne for himself. That is the origin of all... rebellion against God. It is a sin of questioning God's Authority with the rebellious wanting to put their self in place of God. This is where the spirit of rebellion originates with atheists; they want to be their own god, so they deny the existence of The One True GOD of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

That was about Lucifer's fall in that old world, prior to Adam and Eve. God cast him out from "the mountain of God". Revelation 12:3-4 reveals that Lucifer ("red dragon") drew one third of the angels ("stars") to earth with him when he rebelled.

17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

The meaning of the name Lucifer is 'light bearer'. The title that Lucifer tries to call himself is the "morning star". In Isaiah 14:12, in the KJV Bible, the translators put the name "Lucifer" there when the actual Hebrew word in the manuscripts is 'heylel' meaning 'morning star'. But God is mocking Lucifer using his own words with what Lucifer was saying he would do coveting God's Throne. It's because Lord Jesus Christ ONLY is The True Morning Star per Rev.22. By Lucifer trying to claim that position is about his sin of coveting God's Place. So the KJV translators made sure we understood this point, and they did put "O Day Starre" as an alternate translation in the side margin of their first edition of the 1611 King James Bible.

(Continued...)