THE GAP THEORY

Origins of the Theory

The theory contends that there is a long period of time in between verses 1 and 2 of Genesis chapter 1. In that period of time there is room for the billions of years necessary for evolution, and it is from this period of time that all the fossils and other supposed "evidence" of evolution comes. In Genesis 1:2, the phrase "without form and void" is the Hebrew phrase, tohu va bohu. This phrase was said to also be translated as "in vain" in Isaiah 45:18 ("I created it not in vain"). The word for "was" in verse 2 was said to actually mean "became" and thus it was concluded that God did not create it "without form and void", but it BECAME that way. Along with this, the word for "create" is said to mean "to fashion out of nothing" and is thus different from the word "made" that is used several times in Genesis 1. Thus the theory holds that God "created" the heavens and earth in verse 1, which then became without form and void, and the rest of chapter one describes God rebuilding what was destroyed.

This was said to be why the word for "created" is only used two other times after verse one, when God created soul life for animals, and then when God created man in His own image. He didn't have to "create" things again, except for soul life on day five and man on day six, because they were created "in the beginning," before the long gap of time. Finally, man is told to "replenish" the earth, implying that there was some form of life before that (though not soul life as we know it, which was created on day five). I will discuss each of these main points, and also point out why the theory actually contradicts the Scriptures. But first, it is important to understand where this theory originally came from.

It is not a theory that was drawn from a normal or natural reading of the Bible. In the 1800's the growing influence of secularism on the various fields of science began to cast doubt on the integrity of the Scriptures. Many theories were advanced about the age of the earth, including that of Charles Lyell who developed the geological column. Charles Darwin was greatly influenced by these trends and developed his theory which would explain the evolution of all living things, slowly over a long period of time. In response to these theories, well-intentioned theologians began to promote theories which would reconcile the long ages (which seemed incontrovertible at the time) with the Biblical account in Genesis.

One such theory developed by Georges Cuvier (1769-1832) suggested that the geologic column was formed by a series of catastrophes over eons of time prior to Adam, and culminating with the final flood in Noah's day. As early as 1814, Dr. Thomas Chalmers of Scotland began teaching Cuvier's theory, and reconciled it with the Genesis account by relegating the eons of time to a period between the first two verses of Genesis. He then reinterpreted the six days of Genesis 1 as God's rebuilding, rather than creation. Thus the Gap Theory (also known as the Ruin-Reconstruction theory) was publicized. Various other scholars of the time adopted this view, including E. W. Bullinger, whose writings had great influence on V. P. Wierwille and his followers, as well as C. I. Scofield, whose teachings have influenced many seminary students since then.

More recent research indicates, however, that such a reconciliation is not needed. There are other ways of interpreting the geological strata and the fossil record. The so-called "evidence" of evolution can actually be viewed as evidence of a world-wide flood, which the Bible plainly speaks of. Again, I refer the reader to the websites that deal with this subject.

Back To The Top

Hebrew Words

Regarding the word "was" in Genesis 1:2 ("The earth was without form and void..."), I was taught that the word should be translated "became." But the Hebrew word used here is hayah, and is defined in Strong's as "to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass." It is also translated as be done, come, come to pass, fall, happen, last, pertain, and a number of other English words. Thus it can mean either "was" or "became" and the context determines which it should be.

A great emphasis was placed on the distinction between "created" and "formed" or "made." To create, it was said, means to bring into existence, out of nothing, that which never before existed. The fact that the words "formed" and "made" are used throughout Genesis 1 was supposed to imply that God was fashioning things out of material that already existed, having been created in verse 1. This is a misunderstanding of the word "create." In Hebrew it is the word bara. While it is used to describe bringing into existence out of nothing, it is not limited to that meaning, nor is it the only word to be used that way. It is used in Isaiah 65:18 referring to a restored Jerusalem, and it is translated as "cut down" in the sense of clearing out and developing the land, in Joshua 17:15 and 18. The Hebrew word asah is translated "made" but it can be used interchangeably with bara, create. Both words are used to describe God's work. Genesis 2:4 reads, "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created [bara], in the day that the LORD God made [asah] the earth and the heavens." In Exodus 20:11 we read, "For in six days the LORD made [asah] heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day..." The word asah ("made") is also used to describe God's act of creation in the following verses: Exodus 20:11; II Kings 19:15; II Chronicles 2:12; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalms 33:6; 96:5; 115:15; 121:2; 124:8; 134:3; 136:5; 146:6; Proverbs 8:26; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Isaiah 37:16; 44:24; 45:12, 18; Jeremiah 10:12; 27:5; 32:17; 51:15.

Interestingly, three words are used referring to the heavens and earth in Isaiah 45:18. "For thus saith the LORD that created [bara] the heavens; God himself that formed [yatsar] the earth and made [asah] it; he hath established it, he created [bara] it not in vain, he formed [yatsar] it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else." The same three words are used in Isaiah 43:7. "Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created [bara] him for my glory, I have formed [yatsar] him; yea, I have made [asah] him." I was taught that it would not have used three different words unless there were three things being referred to. (Ironically, the same ministry taught about figures of speech in which more than one word referring to the same thing was used for emphasis.) They said that God formed man's body, made his soul, and created his spirit. However Genesis 1:26 says, "...Let us make [asah] man in our image, after our likeness." They said that God's likeness was spirit (which they said was created), yet this verse says God made man in His image. Then verse 27 says, "So God created [bara] man in his own image, in the image of God created [bara] he him; male and female created [bara] he them." Both asah and bara are used to describe making man in God's image. Plus, He "created" them "male and female," so bara can't be used exclusively of the spirit of God in man, as I was taught. As you can see, the words are interchangeable.

Concerning the phrase tohu va bohu in verse 2, I was told that the same phrase is used in Isaiah 45:18. That verse reads, "...he created it not in vain." The words "in vain" are the Hebrew word tohu, but the word bohu is not used here. The word bohu in fact only appears three times in the whole Bible. Both words are used to describe places of emptiness, or wilderness, not utter destruction, as I was taught. The remainder of verse 18, in fact, helps us understand the meaning of tohu by describing the opposite of it -- God "formed it to be inhabited." The context of the verse is not speaking of the state of creation but of the purpose. Genesis chapter 1 describes a creation that was not yet habitable in the beginning, and God proceeded to set it in order.

Back To The Top

Other "Proofs"

Back when I believed in this theory, the verse that solidified it in my mind, was Genesis 1:28, when God told Adam and Eve to "replenish" the earth. Surely this implies that it had been full before that. However, the Hebrew word for replenish (male) is translated as "fill" 107 times, "full" 48 times, "fulfil" 28 times, "consecrate" 15 times, "accomplish" 7 times, and a few other words. It is only translated "replenish" 7 times. Once again, the context must determine its meaning. The English word "replenish," in fact, meant "fill" from the 13th to the 17th centuries. It later came to mean "refill." The King James Version was translated in 1611, and so it used the word according to its then-current meaning. Modern versions translate it as "fill."

Another "proof" for a ruin-reconstruction theory was the use of the word katabole referring to the "foundation of the world" in several passages in the New Testament. It literally means a throwing down, and could be interpreted as the "overthrow" of the world, which would then refer to the destruction when the earth became without form and void. But is this the only possible meaning of the word? What about Sarah's conception in Hebrews 11:11 ("Sara herself received strength to conceive [katabole] seed...")? Did Sara "overthrow" her seed, or cast it down to destruction? The word is normally used in the sense of throwing down like a potter throws clay onto the pottery wheel, or "casting down" the foundation of a building, before building on it. This is why it was translated as "foundation" to begin with.

To further elaborate on the cataclysm that caused the destruction at the end of the long gap of time, believers in the Gap Theory often use II Peter 3.

II Peter 3:
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.

Proponents of the Gap Theory (including V. P. Wierwille) have said that the phrase "being overflowed with water, perished" in verse 6 does not refer to the flood of Noah's time, but rather to the destruction referred to in Genesis 1:2. "...darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." Their reason, if they give one, usually has to do with the assumption that only the earth was destroyed in Noah's flood, and the heavens were not affected, while this refers to destruction of heavens and earth. But verse 5 says, "By the Word of God the heavens were of old..." and verse 6 says "whereby [by the Word] the world that then was... perished." This is not talking about something the devil did to destroy the "first creation." This is talking about God's judgment by His Word. Verse 7 refers to the "heavens and earth which are now" being kept in store "by the same Word," and are "reserved unto fire against the day of judgment." The whole context of this section is God's judgment.

The word "heavens" is used in various ways in the Bibe. Sometimes it can mean the sky, or the atmosphere around the earth, other times it means what we would call "outer space" and still other times it refers figuratively to the abode of God. Since the context is God's judgment, past, present and future, and the entire universe was not destroyed in Noah's flood, it can be understood as the atmosphere around the earth, which was radically changed when the "windows of heaven were opened" at the time of Noah's flood (Genesis 7:11). At that time the "fountains of the deep" were opened as well, and thus the heavens and the earth were destroyed, or laid in ruin. Then verse 7 refers to "the heavens and earth which are now," and verse 13 says we look for "a new heavens and earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." This fits with Paul's vision of the "third heaven" in II Corinthians 12:2.

Some may argue that Revelation 21:1 says "I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away." But the word for "first" here is protos which in verse 4 is translated "former" ("There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.") Verse one is simply saying the former heaven and earth are passed away, not that it was the first. Paul's vision of the third heaven is also called paradise (II Corinthians 12:4) which is a place on earth in the future (Revelation 2:7) and is identified with Christ's kingdom (Luke 23:42-43), which ties it together with the new heavens and earth in II Peter 3:13.

I was also taught that in this chapter the word "perished" meant "complete and utter ruin" in contrast to the days of Noah, when the earth was not completely and utterly ruined, but only the life on it destroyed. However, the word for perished here is apollumi which is translated lost, destroyed, and marred, as well as perished. Again the context determines the extent of the destruction. If the destruction between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 was complete and utter ruin, so that there was nothing left but a "formless void" or nothing but waters (i.e. "the deep" in Gen. 1:2) there would be no remnants left to observe. This defeats the whole point of the theory, which is to fit the fossil record within a Biblical time frame. If the great cataclysm at that time completely destroyed the earth, how could we say that the fossil record was evidence of it? On the other hand, if we allow the word "perished" to mean that the world was destroyed but was not completely obliterated, this fits just fine with the flood of Noah's time.

According to II Peter 3:6, The world (kosmos) perished (but was not completely obliterated). Verse 7 refers to the heavens and earth which are now, that is, the present heavens and earth, which are reserved unto fire against the day of judgment that is coming in the future. Peter had referred to Noah in the previous chapter as well, and the subject of this whole section of II Peter is God's judgment on man. This fits with Noah's flood better than with destruction caused by Satan rebelling and being cast out of heaven. It also fits with the rest of the Scriptures much better, since there is NO MENTION anywhere in the Bible of any other global flood besides that which happened in Noah's time.

Back To The Top

Lucifer's "Fall"

The reason for the destruction preceding God's rebuilding in Genesis 1 is usually given as Lucifer's fall. In fact the overflow of waters is sometimes referred to as Lucifer's flood, to differentiate it from Noah's flood. To begin with, it may surprise you that the name Lucifer only appears once in the entire Bible. It is in Isaiah 14:12, and the context (especially verse 4) shows that it is addressing the King of Babylon.

Isaiah 14:
4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
5 The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.
6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.
7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
8 Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.
9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?
11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.
19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.

There is actually nothing in this passage that demands that it be referring to Satan in a pre-fallen state, rather than the literal king of Babylon, and this is the only place in the entire Bible where the name Lucifer (which means "light-bearer") occurs. One other passage that is often taken to be referring to the pre-fallen devil is in Ezekiel 28. Here it is said to be addressed to the King of Tyrus (Ezekiel 28:1, 12). In this case, however, there is at least some reason for concluding that it is referring to more than just the literal king.

Ezekiel 28:
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.
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.
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.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
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.

He is said to have been in Eden in verse 13, and is called a covering cherub (an angelic being) in verses 14 and 16. It may be figurative language, but if it is indeed referring to Satan (note that the name Lucifer is not used here) it calls him a covering cherub that was in Eden, and was perfect until iniquity was found in him. The question then is, when was iniquity found in him? If he tried to rebel and was cast out of heaven BEFORE Genesis chapter one, then how could God describe all of His work as "very good?" And if the covering cherub had already fallen, why did God not warn Adam and Eve of the existence of an evil one, as He did so many other places in Scripture? It would make more sense that the serpent did not fall until he deceived Eve and brought about the fall of mankind (although I Timothy 2:14 states that while Eve was deceived, Adam was not).

Back To The Top

Death Came By Man

Regardless of when Satan was cast out, it is definitely stated that before Adam sinned there was no death in the world.

Romans 4:
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
 
I Corinthians 15:
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

These verses clearly indicate that death entered the world through Adam's sin, and that death reigned as a result. This contradicts the idea that there was a period of time before Adam during which all living things died, often violently as indicated by fossil remains. It also contradicts that everything could have been destroyed and all living things killed during a cataclysm when Satan rebelled. The whole concept of death as being a natural part of the cycle of life relates to the theory of evolution and various other secular philosophies. God tells us that death was not the intended end of life, but came about as a result of sin. It was to save us from that sin that God enacted His plan of redemption.

Some proponents of the Gap Theory (and others) claim that these verses only speak of death in man, and say nothing about the death of animals. But after man's sin, God cursed all the creation over which Adam had dominion (Genesis 3:14-19, which Paul comments on in Romans 8:19-22). In the original creation, there was no death; man and animals were given only plants to eat (Genesis 1:29-30). We are not told specifically when animals became carnivorous, but God allowed for man to eat meat after the flood (Genesis 9:1-3). In the future restoration on the earth, animals will again be herbivores (Isaiah 11:6-9). For animals to be eaten, obviously there must be death, and we are told this was not part of God's original creation.

Back To The Top

Six Days

The Gap Theory separates the creation of Genesis 1:1 from the six days described in the rest of the chapter. However, in two other places, it is plainly stated that God made heaven and earth, and everything in them, in six days.

Exodus 20:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
 
Exodus 31:
17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

Now it could possibly be argued that these verses are referring to God rebuilding the heaven and earth which are now, since we saw earlier that the words "made" and "created" are interchangeable. However Jesus himself puts a very definite time frame on the first creation.

Matthew 19:
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female...
 
Mark 10:
6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.

God made Adam and Eve as male and female, and He did so "at the beginning" (Matthew) and "from the beginning" (Mark). The overall weight of the evidence from Scripture points to a simple and literal understanding of Genesis chapter one.

Back To The Top

Conclusion

There are also other theories that attempt to reconcile the Bible with evolution or at least with an earth that is billions of years old. I have focused here on this particular theory because it is the one I was taught, and believed in for many years. About ten years ago I was doing research for a college paper about evolution vs. creation. I was surprised to find much written in recent decades about how Noah's flood explained the so-called evidence for evolution, but very little about the Gap Theory which I had believed to be the "last word" on the subject. What little I found about it suggested that it was all but abandoned as a viable theory, and I did not understand why. It was at that time I began to suspect that my knowledge of the Bible was not as thorough as I had thought. But it was not until several years later, when I could explore the internet, that I found information that made sense. For those of you who would like to read more about the Gap Theory, there are a number of websites dealing with it. Most are explaining the problems with the theory, although there are a few that promote it. Just put Gap Theory in any search engine and follow the links. There are also a number of good websites that deal with the entire evolution - creation debate at length, and I recommend exploring them if you are interested (see the Links page). The worst thing you can do is assume you know the answers, as I did for so long.

Back To The Top