Wednesday, January 26, 2011

The Genesis Gap

Before I start this study, I want to make it clear that the Genesis Gap does not teach evolution in anyway. Even if the earth was a billion years, which I do not believe it is, evolution would of not taken place because creatures do not evolve into other creatures as taught by Darwin. Evolution has never been proven with actual science and never will because it is a lie based on poor assumptions.

It is possible for a Gap in scripture because there are many other gaps in scripture. Such as the gap between Daniel 9:24-27, talking about Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy weeks. In verses 24-26, we see the first 69 weeks leave us at the Cross. Then in verse 27, the last week, is the Tribulation that has not taken place yet. That is a 2,000 year gap in scripture.

A comma in Isaiah 61:1-3 makes a gap. In verses 1-2a, we see the first coming of Christ. Then in verses 2b-3, we see the second coming of Christ. The comma in verse 2 gives a 2,000 year gap.

In this article we will study many things, such as the fall of Lucifer. Jesus Christ said that Lucifer fell in the beginning, not before or after.

John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” KJV

The next verses tell us that God created the morning stars(angels) and the sons of God(fallen angels). These were created before the earth. The next verses are a Biblical commentary on Genesis 1:1. God’s creation in Genesis 1 was so beautiful that the angels and sons of God were shouting. They were not shouting about an earth that was without form and void.

Job 38:4 “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” KJV

There has to be a Gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 because we see in scripture that God does not create things “without form, and void”. An example would be Adam. God created Adam in the image of God, perfectly. God creates things instantly and perfectly, so there had to be something happened between verses 1 and 2.

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 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

We should also take note that God is light and there is no darkness in Him according to the next verse. Also see 1 Timothy 6:16 and Psalms 104:1-2. Since in the beginning there was only God according to John 1:1, we can safely say there was no darkness at all.

1 John 1:5 “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” KJV

Since there is no darkness in God, why would He create the earth in darkness? The darkness had to come from a result of sin.

We also see in the Bible that darkness is never a good thing. See Luke 22:53, Acts 26:18, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 6:12, Colossians 1:13-14, 1 Thessalonians 5:5 and 1 Peter 2:9.

In Revelation 22:1-5, we see that God will make a new heaven and earth and there will be no darkness at all. In fact, there will be no need for light because God himself will be the light. When God created the earth in Genesis 1:1 it was exactly like the creation in Revelation 22:1-5, full of light and no darkness.

The Bible also tells us that God’s work is perfect. Verse 2 in Genesis is everything, but perfect, thus we know that something happened between verse 1 and 2. I will be repeating myself a lot and I am sorry, but hopefully you will see the Gap when I am done.

Deuteronomy 32:4 “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” KJV

The next verse tells us that God created the earth to be inhabited. So when the earth was first created in Genesis 1:1, it was habitable, but in Genesis 1:2 it was not. Obviously, something happened for the earth to become uninhabitable.

Without a Gap, God would be the author of confusion, darkness and sin because “without form and void” speaks of the judgment of sinners. We know that He is not the author of those things though. See 1 Corinthians 14:33.

Isaiah 45:18 “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

In the next verses, we see God’s divine judgment. Notice it shows how His judgment results in the earth being without form. These are the only other verses in scripture that has the phrase “without form and void”. Since here “without form and void” is the result of God’s divine judgment, it is obvious that Genesis 1:2 is also a result of God’s judgment.

Jeremiah 4:23 “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.” KJV

Going back to Job 38:4-7, let us take a look at the verses after Job 38:7, where something happens after the original creation of the earth. After God creates the earth, water destroys it in verse 8. In verse 9, darkness came upon the creation. Then we see in verse 10 that someone wanted to break in it, so God puts bars and doors up to keep them out. Verse 11, tells us who it is, which is someone who is proud, obviously Satan. Verses 8-11 are a Biblical commentary on the Genesis Gap.

Job 38:8 “Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? 9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, 10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, 11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?” KJV

To prove that it is Satan in Job 38:11, take a look at the next verse. Satan’s original sin was pride. According to Isaiah 14:12-14, Satan wanted to enter God’s presence and take the throne. God stopped Satan’s rebellion with a universal flood making the original creation into darkness and without form.

Ezekiel 28:17 “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.” KJV

God uses a polysyndeton in Genesis 1:2 to get our attention. A polysyndeton is when conjunctions are used over and over to get the readers attention. Look in verse 2 to see what God wants us to pay attention to: without form, void, darkness, water

Genesis 1:2 “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

Let us now take in consideration of the water. If there is no Gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2, then where did the water come from? In Genesis 1:2 the universe is full of water and on the second day of re-creation, God clears out the waters making the second heaven. In the below verses we see that God divided that waters that filled the universe. By the way, an earth under water is not habitable. See Isaiah 45:18 again.

Genesis 1:6 “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 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. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.” KJV

Take note that there are three heavens in scripture. The third heaven, being where God is located( 2 Corinthians 12:1-4). The second heaven is outer space(Psalms 148:3). The first heaven, which is our atmosphere(Genesis 1:20).

The waters that fill the universe is called “the deep”, which is also called “the sea”. Satan(leviathan) moves through “the deep”(Job 41:1-32). Also see Isaiah 27:1, Psalms 104:25-26.

According the below verse, God removes the sea from the new heaven and earth. This reminds me of what He did in Genesis with the waters.

Revelation 21:1 “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” KJV

Here is something to think about it. If Adam’s sin caused 6,000 years of death, pain, etc, then wouldn’t you think that the result Satan’s sin would be even greater? There is no where in the Bible that we could put such an event other than between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.

Also, in Genesis 1:2, division is proof of a Gap. There was division between the three heavens. Division in God’s creation is always due to judgment. An example of division because of sin in the Bible is when Adam sinned. Adam sinned and there was a division made between God and man(Genesis 3:24). So just like Adam’s sin caused division, someone sinned between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 and caused division in the creation of God.

Another proof for the Gap is the comparison between the Genesis account of creation(Genesis 1:1-3) and Salvation(2 Corinthians 4:6). The Genesis account is exactly like how we got saved.

First, the original, perfect creation(Genesis 1:1) compared to Adam in his original state in the image of God, without sin. Second, the original earth was ruined compared to Adam’s sin that made us all sinners. Third, the Spirit of God fixed the ruin creation compared to the Spirit of God’s work in our Salvation, making us a new creature(2 Corinthians 5:17). Fourth, the light of God enters the ruined creation compared to the word of God being light(Psalms 119:130). Fifth, the separation between light and darkness of the earth compared to spiritual circumcision that occurs at Salvation(Hebrews 4:12, Colossians 2:11). Without the Gap, there cannot be a comparison between those two subjects.

Sin in the universe is another proof of the Genesis Gap. In the below verse we see that the whole creation, not just the earth groans because of sin. To get the context read Romans 8:18-23, especially verse 18.

Romans 8:22 “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” KJV

According to Genesis 1:26-28 and Psalms 115:16, God gave man rule over the earth, but not the universe. That being said, how did Adam’s sin affect the whole universe(planets, outer space, etc)? The next verse clearly says that Adam’s sin only affected the earth.

Genesis 3:17 “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;” KJV

According to Job 15:15 and Job 25:5, the heavens, moon and stars are not pure in God’s sight. Therefore, we know that something happened to the whole universe. Adam who had dominion over the earth affected the earth by his sin. Someone had dominion over the creation in the first and second heaven and sinned affecting the whole creation.

The existence of Satan is a proof for the Genesis Gap. Satan first appears in Genesis 3:1. He is also called Leviathan and a dragon(Revelation 12:9). So, since Lucifer appears in Genesis 3:1, that means he fell before that verse making his fall to be in either Genesis 1 or 2. Keep in mind the verses that said that Lucifer fell from the beginning(John 8:44, 1 John 3:8). Therefore, the Genesis Gap is the only logical explanation for the fall of Lucifer because of the great judgment on the whole universe in Genesis 1:2.

Another reason that the Genesis Gap is a Bible fact is because God told Adam to replenish the earth. Replenish meaning to fill again in the context.

Genesis 1:28 “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” KJV

Opponents of the Genesis Gap will say that replenish just means to fill according to dictionaries, but refill is another definition given for the word also. Dictionaries are alright sometimes, but let’s go to the Bible and define the word replenish. In the below verse, which is in the same book, God gives Noah the same command, which is to replenish the earth. It’s the same word in the English and even the Hebrew, but I didn’t have to go to the Hebrew to understand it, just saying. Comparing scripture with scripture will work wonders when studying the Bible.

Genesis 9:1 “And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” KJV

Now we will cover verses on Lucifer’s rebellion. There are two main verses that cover Satan’s fall. Ezekiel 28:11-19, which gives details about Lucifer in his original state and Isaiah 14:12-17, which deals with the rebellion of Satan and the judgment he receives.

First, we will look at Ezekiel 28. In verse 14, we see that Lucifer was a beautiful cherub. In verse 13, it says that Lucifer was in Eden the garden of God. This garden is probably different than the garden of Eden. The garden of Eden being on earth and Eden the garden of God being on the earth in Genesis 1:1.

Also, in verse 13, Lucifer was clothed in precious stones, which resembled the breast plate of the high priest of Israel in Exodus 28:15-20. He is also said to have the ability to make music. Probably music like “Christian” Rock. Don’t worry I won’t charge you for that information that was just a little extra.

We also learn from scripture that Lucifer was a direct creation of God. He was a son of God. The sons of God are the fallen angels according to 2 Peter 2:4-5, Jude 6-7.

Job 1:6 “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.” KJV

God put Lucifer, the anointed cherub on the holy mountain of God, which is the universe according to the verse below. Lucifer was second in command.

Ezekiel 28:14 “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.” KJV

When Jesus Christ comes to reign on this earth, he will reign from Mount Zion in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 24:23 “Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.” KJV

This mount is a picture of another mount, which is the universe on the sides of the north.

Psalms 48:1 “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. 2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.” KJV

All of this means that the earth was on top of the universe and Lucifer was in Eden in the garden of God reigning.

The Bible tells us that Lucifer cast one-third of the angels to the earth according to the below verse.

Revelation 12:3 “And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.” KJV

Lucifer’s sin was pride. The Bible says that he was lifted up because of his beauty. Because of Lucifer’s sin, God brought judgment upon him and the universe in Genesis 2:2.

Ezekiel 28:17 “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.” KJV

Getting back to the Genesis Gap, we will cover 2 Peter 3:3-7, which is the universe flood of the Gap.

2 Peter 3:3 “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 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: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” KJV

Notice in verse 4, it tells us that the flood here happened from the beginning of creation, which was in Genesis 1:1. Noah’s flood was not at the beginning of creation. Verse 5 even tells us that the heavens and earth were of old.

Verse 6 says that “the world that then was” perished being overflowed with water. The world is this verse is a combination of the heavens and the earth according to verse 5. That is saying the entire universe was under water, certainly this is not Noah’s flood. Noah’s flood did not flood the heavens. See Genesis 7:19-20.

The flood in 2 Peter 3:3-6 is the same flood in Genesis 1:2 and Job 38:7-8.

Opponents of the Genesis Gap falsely accuse Bible Believers for trying to make the Bible match up with false science, which is a bald face lie. Men that believed the Genesis Gap like Scofield, Larkin, Haldeman, Grant, Chafer, Pember, Unger, Dr. Ruckman and many others had no desire for making the Bible match up with false science. To repeat myself, the Genesis Gap does not support evolution in anyway at all.

Note: A third century Persian philosopher who converted to Christianity named Manichaeus taught the Genesis Gap around 215-277 AD.

The Genesis Gap is very strong meat and requires much study, but I hope this article will help you understand the subject better. Some people think this subject is a waste of time, but I believe everything in the scripture should be studied out since God inspired all scripture and has preserved it for us to read in the King James Bible.

So much for the Genesis Gap not being in the scriptures.