Gap theory - Gen 1-2 ??

[Tambora]

Question for those that believe in the Gap Theory that includes a previous civilization of mankind living on earth before Adam and Eve.
The theory goes that GOD created the earth and male and female to live upon that earth. Then something bad happened and the earth became without form and void which resulted in the death of male and female, and any animals that were created.
GOD then made another male (Adam), and instead of creating a female along with him, GOD takes a part of Adam to form the female.
And they are told to REPLENISH the earth.


My question to those that hold this view is ........
What happened to the eternal state of the male and female created the first time, that were destroyed?
Was their death due to sin they committed?
Were they eternally damned?

Another question I have is ....
Was there only one male and one female first created, and they had offspring that married each other, or did GOD create several males and females?

 

[Lon]

I am not exactly a gap-theorist, but I am unaware of a different set of humans in that first order. The Gap Theory is the idea that God created a world, and thus that it was here when God created the area around the Garden of Eden and which begins the Genesis account. Such agrees with literal days but it has been accused of trying to incorporate 'geographical data' rather than Biblical data alone (the article above also gives reason why YEC is the main theology held today and the genealogy work that influenced it).

From what I understand, the Gap Theory, explains that the world was God's sandbox, and He used the happenings to create an inhabitable earth for mankind such that the earth was given to us as stewards (the switch up). So, as far as I understand the gap theory, they do not believe in two sets of men from anything I've heard or read.

 

[jamie]

What happened to the eternal state of the male and female created the first time, that were destroyed?
Was their death due to sin they committed?
Were they eternally damned?

Not that the Spirit did not have humans ultimately in mind, but the original inhabitants were angelic persons.

But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day. (Jude 1:5-6)​

The planet was not originally created to be covered with water and darkness. The original creation was a beautiful planet and the angelic sons of God shouted for joy.

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?

To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:4-7)​

There were no male and female. God does not reproduce by biologic sex and angelic beings don't reproduce at all.

 

[Tambora]

Not that the Spirit did not have humans ultimately in mind, but the original inhabitants were angelic persons.

But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day. (Jude 1:5-6)​

The planet was not originally created to be covered with water and darkness. The original creation was a beautiful planet and the angelic sons of God shouted for joy.

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?

To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:4-7)​

There were no male and female. God does not reproduce by biologic sex and angelic beings don't reproduce at all.

I'm not talking about GOD or angels having sex.
I'm talking about the view that there was another civilization of mankind created before the earth became without form and void in Genesis 1:2.
The "gap" comes between genesis verse 1 and 2.
And in that gap, earth was originally created flourishing with man and animals.
And then it was made desolate

They use the following as support:

Jeremiah 4:23-27 KJV
(23) I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
(24) I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
(25) I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
(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.
(27) For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.​

They claim verse 23 is talking about Genesis 1:2 when the flourishing earth became without form and void.
And since it says man disappeared, and the birds disappeared, and the cities were destroyed, and the land desolated.

Whatever disaster caused this is debated among them.
Some say it is when Satan fell and Satan destroyed it all.
Some say GOD destroyed it, as He did with Noah's flood, but doesn't save any like He did with Noah's flood.

GOD then begins to renew the earth at the last of Genesis 1:2 "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters".
The land, animals, and man are then renewed.
And Adam and Eve are now the male and female that start life again in the renewed earth and are told to REPLENISH it.


This view is slightly different from the view that Genesis chapter 1 and Genesis chapter 2 are describing a different set of people.
That view says Genesis 1 was just mankind in general on the 6th day, and Adam was formed on the 8th day, given the breath of GOD (that the Genesis 1 group did not get), and placed in the garden to be GOD's special creation for a special purpose.



And I am not really looking for any verification or denial that the view is true.
I don't believe it to be true, but I'm just wondering how they connect some dots.

 

[jamie]

I'm not talking about GOD or angels having sex.
I'm talking about the view that there was another civilization of mankind created before the earth became without form and void in Genesis 1:2.
The "gap" comes between genesis verse 1 and 2.
And in that gap, earth was originally created flourishing with man and animals.
And then it was made desolate

Adam was the first human. Some angels had already sinned and darkness covered the earth before it was created for humans.

 

[Tambora]

Adam was the first human.

:doh:
That's the view I hold.
I am not arguing FOR the above mentioned gap view.
I just want to know how some, that do, connect the dots.

 

[jamie]

:doh:
That's the view I hold.
I am not arguing FOR the above mentioned gap view.
I just want to know how some, that do, connect the dots.

Adam was the first human, but not the first inhabitant of earth.

With regard to humans, Eve is the mother of all.

 

[6days]

The planet was not originally created to be covered with water and darkness.

True... God created light, then formed and filled the earth. (not re-created. Ex. 20:11).*

The original creation was a beautiful planet and the angelic sons of God shouted for joy.

True.... God called it "very good".
BTW...I wonder if Ex. 20:11 gives us a strong hint as to when the 'angelic sons' were created.

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?

To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:4-7)

I love those verses. Those verses are just part of a 'science quiz' God gives to Job.*


Its interesting that Jesus uses similar words placing humanity there from the foundations.*Luke 11: 50-51 “that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from*the foundation of the world*may be required of this generation, from the blood of Abel…”*

 

[SaulToPaul 2]

I believe in a gap, but I can't prove it.
And, I'm okay with potentially being wrong about it.

 

[jamie]

I believe in a gap, but I can't prove it.
And, I'm okay with potentially being wrong about it.

I don't believe there is a gap between verses 1 and 2 of Genesis.

I believe it is seamless, the beginning referred to is the beginning of human history.

I do believe in Barney Miller though.

 

[SaulToPaul 2]

I do believe in Barney Miller though.

:up:

My 3rd favorite Jew of all time.

 

[Stripe]

I believe in a gap?

Can you outline what the gap is and why you hold to it?

 

[Tambora]

I believe in a gap, but I can't prove it.
And, I'm okay with potentially being wrong about it.

The gap theory that there was another civilization of man before the man, Adam, was formed and placed in the garden?

 

[Right Divider]

The gap theory that there was another civilization of man before the man, Adam, was formed and placed in the garden?

No.... that is the crap theory.... :french:

 

[Crucible]

:mock: Gap Theory

 

[Tambora]

No.... that is the crap theory.... :french:

And it rhymes.

 

[Right Divider]

And it rhymes.

I like rhymes.... all the times.... :banana:

 

[Shasta]

The phrase "heavens and earth" is a merism that had to be used because there was no word for "universe" in the Hebrew language. In fact it was quite a while before ancient man understood the concept that there was ONE single "thing" that encompassed ALL particulars (the universe). The Greeks had such an idea fairly early but the Hebrews did not. Taken this way the first verse would be equivalent to "In the Beginning God created the Universe" After that the narrative focuses on everything that was done on the planet God had made. If these scriptures are read this way then it is fairly certain that a great deal must have happened between the time the universe was created and the time when God began specifically working on the earth during the creation "week".

The traditional Gap Theory was formulated to explain the age of the earth. This was why they came up with the idea that there was another civilization that rose but was destroyed by Satan. I do not see any evidence in the Bible to support a story like this.

 

[Shasta]

How are we to explain the existence of the Neanderthal?

 

[Stripe]

How are we to explain the existence of the Neanderthal?

People.

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