There is a theory currently held by some conservative biblical scholars and many evangelical Christians known as the gap theory.  The theory posits a gap of time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.  Essentially, the theory proposes that Genesis 1:1 presents the original creation of the universe.  There then followed a lengthy period of thousands, or even millions of years.  It is believed that the initial cosmos was then destroyed and thrown into chaos.  Genesis 1:2 presents the beginning of a re-creation and reconstruction process.  Proponents of the theory assert that  the words “the earth was without form and void” should be rendered “became without form and void.”  Often the argument is offered that God would not create something formless and void, i.e., chaotic.

What was the world like that existed between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2?  Some believe that God created a race of beings who inhabited the earth.  These creatures rebelled against God and had to be destroyed.  There resulted a total cataclysmic destruction of the entire created order.  Some believe that Lucifer was the being who ruled over this primitive world, and that his fall occurred during this “gap” period.  By this means, the pre-Adamic race of beings also fell into sin.

The existence of this pre-Adamic world is used to explain several biblical puzzles: 1) the formless state of the earth mentioned in Genesis 1:2, 2) the fall of Lucifer and his angelic followers, 3) the presence of prehistoric fossils, such as dinosaur remains, which appear to be millions of years old.  Indeed, the discovery of dinosaurs largely contributed to the formation and acceptance of the gap theory.  When people began to unearth the remains of dinosaurs, they were perplexed about how these fit into the biblical historical record.  One of the first to propound a form of the gap theory was Thomas Chalmers, a noted Scottish theologian of the early 19^th century.  He reacted to the discoveries of Cuvier, a pioneer in paleontological research.  (Cuvier also coined the term “dinosaur.”)  Other biblical scholars, such as G. H. Pember and Thomas Custance, wrote in support of the theory.  Some reference Bibles, such as Scofield’s and Dake’s Bibles, helped popularize the concept.  As evolutionary theory gained popularity and acceptance, conservative Christians turned to the gap theory in an attempt to reconcile the proposed fossil record with its millions of years and the account of Scripture, which indicates that the earth is only several thousand years old.

It is evident from the foregoing that the gap theory is an attempt to accommodate popular scientific theory with the biblical record.  However, for the committed Bible believer, this is unnecessary.  The Bible stands on its own, and its historical record does not need accommodation to human theories.

I wholeheartedly reject the gap.  I do not believe Scripture can be used to substantiate the theory.  It is also unnecessary to explain the supposed discrepancies between paleontological research and biblical history.  Here are a few observations regarding this.

The Bible is clear that God made everything that exists in the initial six days of creation (see Exodus 20:11).

Adam is asserted to be the “first man” (1 Corinthians 15:45).  There were no humans before him.

Both death and sin entered the world through the sin of Adam (Romans 5:12).  Death, both spiritual and physical, is the result of sin (Genesis 2:17, Romans 6:23).  How could there be the death of massive numbers of men and animals before Adam? (For more on this, go to “Moldy Evolutionary Cake” on this website.)

The Scriptures are clear that Christ died for the sins of humanity, Adam’s descendants (see Romans 5:12-21).  There is no mention of an atoning sacrifice for the sins of a pre-Adamic race of men.  Does God not care about them?  Were they automatically doomed to damnation with no possibility of redemption?  The eternal state of a pre-Adamic race must be dealt with.

At the end of the creation week, God looked at His creation and declared that it was “good,” indeed, it was “very good” (Genesis 1:31).  But how could God declare the creation good when there were the remains of an entire race and millions of animals lying under the ground?  All around Him, God saw the buried remains of worldwide death and destruction.  Is this “very good”?

Christians do not need a bogus theory to reconcile science and the Bible.  The problem of the supposed age of the Earth can be addressed rationally and scientifically.  Organizations such as the Institute for Creation Research and Answers in Genesis provide ample evidence for a young Earth, while also calling into question the supposed proofs for an old Earth.

That the earth was “formless and void” does not mean that it was in a state of chaos due to a cataclysmic destruction of a previous sinful world.  It simply points to the fact that God’s creative process occurred in stages.  He created the Earth in an incomplete state that He would use to form all things.  A formless lump of clay is not chaotic and “bad.”  It is in an unformed and incomplete state with the potential to become whatever the potter chooses to make.  That is a picture of the Earth as initially created.

As for the fall of Lucifer, we have no certain knowledge as to when this occurred.  Obviously, it was before the Serpent tempted Adam and Eve.  It was most likely after Genesis 1:31, when God declared that all of creation was very good.  Ezekiel 28:13 and 15 indicate that Lucifer was present in Eden in a perfect and blameless state.  There is no indication that his fall was before God created this present world.  Of course, with his fall, sin entered into the spiritual realm.  But as noted above, it did not enter the earthly realm until Adam’s fall.

Probably one of the greatest objections to gap theory is that it reads into Scripture a lot of extraneous information.  One of the basic principles of interpreting the Bible is to let it speak for itself.  Usually, the simplest and straightforward understanding of a text is best.  There is no just reason to force the Genesis account to say something that it simply does not say.

Considering the above observations, it is evident that there is no biblical evidence to support the gap theory.  It is simply an idea that is both unnecessary and erroneous.