Joe Whitten Blog : Theology, Rants, Photography, Politics, Denver, Colorado

Gap Theory

This is a controversial subject which arises from the idea that there is a long period if time between verses 1 and 2 of Genesis.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of Elohim was moving over the surface of the waters.

So where do the arguments that there is a time span between these two verses come from? The key here may be the words beginning, created, and moved or hovered (depending on which translation you are reading). Typically believers assume that Elohim created the earth and mankind in the same week, but there is certainly room for some argument here. Believers can easily agree that Elohim did create the heavens and the earth. What many will not accept is the idea that before Elohim created the current lineage of humans there was another, possibly even multiple generations of humans or human like beings that failed His criteria for continuance and were destroyed.

The Hebrew word that moved or moving is translated from in Genesis 1:2 is רָחַף, pronounced ‘rawkhaf’; a word with a primitive root that means brood. It can also mean shake, tremble, or flutter. If in fact Elohim’s spirit was brooding over the water, the second verse has a very different meaning than moved over the face of the deep. Why would the spirit of Elohim brood over the face of the deep? If He had just destroyed a civilization that had turned to sin and given itself to the forces of evil, Elohim might very well brood over the failure of His creation to succeed in becoming worthy of eternal life with Him.

Why was Elohim’s spirit moving over or brooding over the

2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Yahveh loves His children.His desire is that we join Him and live righteous, sin free lives. Those who consciously choose a life of sin and rebellion will perish and not attain everlasting life in paradise. When an entire generation or society turns their back on the creator, He is deeply disappointed. So when Moses writes first that Elohim created the heavens and the earth “in the beginning” and follows that with “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” it certainly seems plausible that Elohim did not create the heavens and the earth and then immediately begin to move over the face of the deep. Was there another world or even other worlds during the time period between verses one and two of Genesis?

Then in 2 Peter, these lines…

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.
2 Peter 3:4-7 (KJV)

that by the word of God the heavens were of old
But the heavens and the earth, which are now

It seems that Peter is referring to different heavens and earths in those statements. This lends further support to the notion that there is a time gap between verses 1 and 2 of Genesis.

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