The Gap Theory is the
idea that between Genesis 1:1-2 there was a gap in time - some believe millions
or perhaps billions of years. The reason for this idea is because of one word,
the word “and." The verses read, In the beginning God created the heavens
and the earth. And verse two, and the earth was without form and void and
darkness covered the face the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the
face of the waters.
Tragically a false
theology has been built on the one-word and. Proponents of the
gap theory or gappists some call them, also have said that between these verses
a cataclysm happened, a flood, Lucifer's flood as a result of him being kicked
out of heaven. It is also believed this is when the dinosaurs died which
resulted in all the fossils. This of course is impossible because if that were
true, then you have death before sin entered into the world. Bible
clearly teaches death is a result of sin (Romans 5:12).Also, why would God call
what He created very good if disease, bloodshed and death had already occurred
(Genesis 1:4,10,18,25,31)?
Gappists because of
their misconception of a fall in verse two believe the word was means became.
They also hold the erroneous view that the words formless and void are there to
prove a catastrophe took place. The words formless and void in Hebrew are tohu
and bohu. They mean the earth was unformed and unfilled,
not that it was formless and void because of some prior destruction. God was
dealing with a blank canvas and in six days He created the heavens and earth
(i.e., the Universe). Gappists see verse one of Genesis as the creation
and verse two as a re-creation because of their misinterpretation of the words
formless and void.
This is how the word
breaks everything down to disprove the gap theory. First, the word and in
Hebrew at the beginning of verse two is either the letter W or V so it is
spelled either waw or vav. It has several meanings: ‘and’, ‘but’,
‘now’ and ‘then’. And [(KJV) (waw)] the earth was without form and void
(once again these words mean unformed and unfilled). The word and is a
conjunction that according to a Grammarian by the name of Gesenius[i] (1786 – 1842) is what is
called a ‘waw explicative’ which means serve to explain. It’s
also described as ‘waw explanatory’ meaning verse two is explaining
verse one – the earth was formless and void. The conjunction and at the
beginning of verse two is not describing and undesignated period of time. If
that were true, a verb would have followed the conjunction and making it
a ‘waw consecutive’ instead of a ‘waw explicative’. The conjunction
and in verse two is explicative because the noun earth follows
it.
The word/conjunction and
is a ‘waw consecutive’ in verses 3,6,9,14,20 and 24 because it
connected to the verb said as in “and God said”… These verses clearly speak
of time sequence. With each verse mentioned a new day occurs clearly indicating
time is passing. In verse two there is no time elapsing between it and verse
one. Again, verse two is describing the condition of the earth that God created
in verse one – it was formless and void.
Another problem with
the gap theory is that if the six days of creation are not actual 24-hour days but
allegory or day-age, the Israelites / Hebrews would have never been able to
keep the sabbath which was codified in the 10 commandments, “For in six days
the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and
rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and
hallowed it (Exodus 20:11). God set a pattern for His people that they were to
work six days and the seventh day, the Sabbath rest.
The gap theory attempts
to destroy the Biblical truth of a six-day creation. Secondly, it comes up with
the erroneous idea that between Genesis 1:1 and verse 2 there was a gap of
millions / billions of years which no one can prove from the Bible. Third,
gappists view verse two as a re-creation instead of the initial creation. Verse
two cannot be separated from verse one as I explained earlier.
The gap theory only makes
sense if one is an evolutionist. Evolution in relation to the creation is an
impossibility and illogical. The formula for evolution is nothing times nobody
equals everything. Evolution says we have an effect without a cause which is impossible.
My salvation does not
hinge upon a correct view of the creation, does it?
Some do not make a big
deal on how the universe was formed. In other words, the creation narrative is
not important to some. As long as they believe in Jesus that is all that
matters right? Here’s where people can and do get into trouble. If one does not
believe in Biblical creation truth and treat it as allegory and not historical,
then you have compromised God’s word. If we compromise here, what else are we
willing to compromise in holy scripture, the flood, the exodus of the Hebrews
out of Egypt, the reality of hell which Jesus taught (Mark 9:42-48)? Or the most important events in human history, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Point
being, if people are discounting the creation which is at the beginning of
God’s revelation, why should anyone believe any portion of the Bible? All of
scripture is true from Genesis to Revelation (Proverbs 30:5-6).
For more information on
the Gap Theory vs Creation. I recommend this site: www.answersingenesis.org[ii]
[ii] Also
take a look at the 4-part book series Answers in Genesis. Ken Ham is the
general editor
