'Pre Adamic Earth' or 'the Genesis Gap'

[catherine]

Well, you learn something new every day. Has anyone come across this belief? Basically it claims that Lucifer and a third of the angels were involved in a revolt and were cast down to the pre-Adamic earth and the earth was 'destroyed' or laid to waste because of God's judgement against them?

[Swamper]

I've heard of that. I think some people use it as an explanation for how the Genesis creation account could describe 6 24-hour days even though fossil/geological evidence suggests that the earth is much older.

[catherine]

Hi Swamper, I've been 'looking into it' and it does sound reasonable but the scriptures it seems to be based on are rather few and far between. It does seem to help reconcile science (ie time periods of the age of the earth etc, that don't tally with young earth creationism) with the Bible account of creation. It also seems to shed light on angels (I've always wondered if they have free will) and possibly why sin (rebellion of lucifer and a third of the angels) was in the world prior to Adam or man. It's interesting......

[Cross.eyed]

Well, you learn something new every day. Has anyone come across this belief? Basically it claims that Lucifer and a third of the angels were involved in a revolt and were cast down to the pre-Adamic earth and the earth was 'destroyed' or laid to waste because of God's judgement against them?

Hi catherine, the most common term for this is The Gap Theory with the "gap" being a gap between Gen.1:1 and Gen. 1:2. This period is also called the Antechaotic Age-the Dispensation of Angels.

Part of this theory is based on a reference to 2 Pet. 3:5-7 a supposedly overthrow of the world that then was. refering to a pre-Adamite world that existed before Satans fall. Gap theorists have been around for quite some time and most have based the theory from the King James version of our Holy Bible.

The Hebrew word bara was translated to mean create or bring to being which was used seven times in Gen 1:2 and is part of the crux of the argument where as all other places "made" and "make" (Hebrew word asah) are used and "earth" is translated as dry land.


Moreover, the use of the word "and" is used 153 times to separate the 102 recorded independent acts of GOD making v.2 independent of v.1. Verse 1 refers to the whole universe being created and inhabited in the dateless past while verse 2 refers to chaos because of sin (lucifer's, see Ezk 28:16-19) ). (This makes for a bit of common ground with OEC'ers.)

In day 2, according to the theory, the "earth" was restored (V. 3-8) and the Hebrew word asah is defined as made out of existing materials in Gen. 1:7.

Furthermore, Adam and Eve being told to Go forth and re-plenish the earth is used as "proof" that the world was once before populated using the prefix re as meaning to "plenish" again.

I hope this helps

[catherine]

Hi Cross.eyed, thanks for your thoughts on this. I shall check this, but does seem very plausible. Thanks again.

[FFC]

It just makes it seem to me that God just can't get it right. Every time He creates something good it all eventually has to be destroyed so that he can start again.

[catherine]

It just makes it seem to me that God just can't get it right. Every time He creates something good it all eventually has to be destroyed so that he can start again.

FFC, there are quite a few scriptures that talk about God's will being done or His word not returning to Him until it achieves what He purposes. I think the 'good' things He creates are not perfect like Him but through testing and experiencing sin or evil, eventually God will make what is corruptible, incorruptible or perfect. So His will is not thwarted as such although it does seem to be the case. It's a good job He is patient and is allowing things to run their course or we wouldn't have been born. The whole sorry mess (man ruling himself and the world) has to culminate in man just about to 'blow the earth up' or biological warfare, something like that and then, I think God will intervene once and for all....

[Cross.eyed]

It just makes it seem to me that God just can't get it right. Every time He creates something good it all eventually has to be destroyed so that he can start again.

FFC, there are quite a few scriptures that talk about God's will being done or His word not returning to Him until it achieves what He purposes. I think the 'good' things He creates are not perfect like Him but through testing and experiencing sin or evil, eventually God will make what is corruptible, incorruptible or perfect. So His will is not thwarted as such although it does seem to be the case. It's a good job He is patient and is allowing things to run their course or we wouldn't have been born. The whole sorry mess (man ruling himself and the world) has to culminate in man just about to 'blow the earth up' or biological warfare, something like that and then, I think God will intervene once and for all....

[Robert Byers]

Well, you learn something new every day. Has anyone come across this belief? Basically it claims that Lucifer and a third of the angels were involved in a revolt and were cast down to the pre-Adamic earth and the earth was 'destroyed' or laid to waste because of God's judgement against them?

Yes some creationists say the third of the stars fell to earth, not angels, and this as a post fall thing. This explaining the destruction in the universe and the crators on earth. The stars being a result of the war between MICHAEL and the demons/satan . Henry Morris brought this up and it would explain the post fall problems on earth.

[Philip]

The use of the word "replenish" in Genesis 1:28 is used by some to support a gap theory. In Hebrew The word 'replenish' (KJV) simply means 'fill' - see a detailed study of this: http://www.answersingenesis.org/creatio ... lenish.asp