The Gap Theory

INTRODUCTION The Gap theory is a mere invention of a way to interpret the Bible to accommodate the theory of an old earth. However, the plain understanding of Genesis has always been that the Earth was created in 6 days with God resting on the 7th. Early Jewish and Christian Thought Passages from the Talmud: R. Kattina said: Six thousand years shall the world exist, and one [thousand, the seventh], it shall be desolate, as it is written, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.Abaye said: it will be desolate two [thousand], as it is said, After two days will he revive us: in the third day, he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. It has been taught in accordance with R. Kattina: Just as the seventh year is one year of release in seven, so is the world: one thousand years out of seven shall be fallow, as it is written, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day,' and it is further said, A Psalm and song for the Sabbath day,meaning the day that is altogether Sabbath and it is also said, For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past. The Tanna debe Eliyyahu teaches: The world is to exist six thousand years. In the first two thousand there was desolation;two thousand years the Torah flourished; and the next two thousand years is the Messianic era. (1) Early Christians Writings: Barnabas: "Now what is said at the very beginning of Creation about the Sabbath, is this: In six days God created the works of his hands, and finished them on the seventh day; and he rested on that day, and sanctified it. Notice particularly, my children, the significance of "he finished them in six days." What that means is, that He is going to bring the world to an end in six thousand years, since with Him one day means a thousand years; witness His own saying, "Behold, a day of the Lord shall be as a thousand years. Therefore, my children, in six days " six thousand years, that is " there is going to be an end of everything." (2) To further show my point, Origen was another early Christian who interpreted scriptures much more allegorical than most, yet he still is quoted as saying, "After these statements, Celsus, from a secret desire to cast discredit upon the Mosaic account of the creation, which teaches that the world is not yet ten thousand years old, but very much under that, while concealing his wish, intimates his agreement with those who hold that the world is uncreated" (3) Scriptures on the literal Genesis Account Biblical Importance: "Six days you shall labor and do all your work,but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. 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" (Exodus 20:9-11) The reason we have a 7 day week is because of God's 7 day Creation week. This comparison only makes sense if God created in 7 literal days. Jesus on Genesis "But in the beginning, at the time of creation, it was said, 'God made them male and female'" (Mark 10:6) Jesus links the beginning of Creation with the beginning of Adam and Eve. If Jesus believed in an old earth, he would be saying that the beginning (which was almost 14 billion years ago according to the Evolutionary theory) was when humans were created. Since He did not say this, the passage only works under a Young earth creationist perspective. CONCLUSION Jesus and early Jewish and Christian understandings of Scripture was a creation of around 4000 BC References (1) http://www.come-and-hear.com... (2) http://edinburghcreationgroup.org... (3) http://www.earlychristianwritings.com... (Chapter XIX)