The Gap Theory is wrong

In the Christian attempt to harmonize the bible with so-called science of evolution (it is a theory), a gap theory was put in place to explain away the billions of years that evolution needed. The following is a summary of the justification which we believe is incorrect.

Three States of the Earth
The Gap Theory tells us that after God first made the original earth (Gen 1:1), something cataclysmic happened to cause the earth to be in a chaotic state (Gen 1:2). God then had to restore the earth (Gen 1:3-2:3).

FIRST, they believe that God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1). This was a perfect creation. SIN had not yet entered the universe!

SECOND, they believe Lucifer fell into sin (Isa. 14:12-14) and for the first time sin entered the universe. This event supposedly took place during the GAP (between Gen. 1:1 and 1:2).

THIRD, they believe God judged Satan and as a result of this terrible judgment, the earth BECAME without form and void (ruined and desolate)--see Isaiah 34:11 and Jeremiah 4:23 where these two words ("without form and void") are used to describe the destruction and desolation which followed God’s judgment.


This is also used to explain what evolution says existed billions or millions of years ago

• Fossils 
• Geological Ages 
• Dinosaurs

Hence, the Gap Theory teaches new concepts as follows:

• Introduce teaching of a pre-Adamite race
• God destroyed this world after Lucifer fell
• 6 days in Gen 1 is a re-creation (renovation) of the earth

Herein lies the difficulties.

1. Lucifer was in the garden of Eden

If Lucifer was in the garden, it must be before his fall in Isaiah 14. Then the garden must be part of the creation as clearly stated in Gen 2 and there is only one earth.

Eze 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.

2. God declared that everything was VERY GOOD at the end of the creation week (Gen 1:31)

If everything was very good, then how can there be previous destruction, death and suffering hidden underneath the creation?

3. Pre-Adamite race means Adam is not the first man

If so, who were the pre-Adamite race? Where in the bible describes them? Did Christ die for them too? It appears that such a pre-Adamite race was constructed to explain the Gap Theory and no where in the Bible tells us that God created any Man prior to Adam on Day 6.

4. There is only one flood in the bible

The bible is clear that there was only one judgment of God upon the earth with water and that is recorded in Gen 7-9. It is Noah's flood. There was no such thing as the pre-Adamite flood. Which means Gen 1:2 regarding the face of the deep (water) was not a result of judgment but a depiction of the original creation process.

5. Death before Adam or death through Adam

Romans 5:12 tells us "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."

That one man is Adam and because of him, we now have death for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. This is very clear.

Hence, there is no death before Adam and there is no pre-Adamite race which were supposedly destroyed by water.

The Gap Theory is wrong.

a) Fossils are made during Noah’s flood and is less than 4,500 years old  

b) Dinosaurs were created on Day 6, not millions of years ago

c) The geologic ages were formed during Noah's flood causing layers of the geologic column: study the effects of Mt St Helens

d) The word “became” is incorrect and should be properly translated as “was” (Gen 1:2)

e) Without form and void means unformed and unfilled, as the earth was covered with water

The earth at the time of creation WAS (not became) UNFORMED (without form) and UNFILLED (void). It was covered with water and hence has no shape and barren. It is a concise and precise description of the time of the creation of the earth. There was only darkness because visible light was not yet created. Darkness need not only mean the absence of light.

Now, in the big bang theory and the evolution of the earth, it is quite the opposite of the bible that the earth had no water and is a hot molten mass of rock. Only after millions of years that rain began to pour and creating a primordial soup that by accident that life popped up.

For a longer discourse on the Gap Theory, read here.