The Genesis Gap Sidetrack

Questions For Genesis Gap Theorists

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Here are a list of questions proponents of the Gap Theory should answer. If their contentions are sound they should be able to answer them all with Scripture or with scriptural principles.

Note: If the reader wishes to discuss the Genesis Gap Theory with your author, we request that he first read this entire study from the beginning and then answer all of these questions and send them along. Your author has dealt with these questions (and many others) in this study, and it is only fitting that the reader deal with them as well. That way he will have to look into the issue a little if he hasn't in the past.

Questions

• Is the Genesis Gap explicitly found in the Scriptures?
• If not explicitly found, is it based upon explicit statements? If so, what are they?
• Is it true that the Gap Theory is an implicit belief based primarily upon other implicit doctrines found in passages such as Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28?
• If not explicitly found, how is it that many call it the "Gap Fact" when implicit beliefs cannot be proven as fact (1Th 5:21)?
• If you consider the Gap a "fact," what scriptural criteria or principles do you use to determine Bible facts?
• Do you think it would be misleading or even deceptive to label a doctrine a Bible "fact" when it cannot be conclusively proven?


• Do you believe that clear Bible passages should be used to understand unclear or ambiguous  passages dealing with the same subject?
• If so, why do you not reconcile any question Genesis 1:2 may raise according to the more clear statements of Exodus 20:11, 31:17, Nehemiah 9:6, Mark 10:6, and Revelation 21:1? 
• If the above clear Bible statements must be "explained" away from their normal, straight-forward meaning to allow a Genesis Gap, what overwhelming Scriptural principle or proof can you produce to justify such exegesis?
• Do you believe there are other possible explanations for the passages you claim promote the Gap (Isa 14, 45; Jer 4; Exe 28; 2Pe 3)?
• Since "sound doctrine" speaks of doctrine not characterized by weakness but is healthy and robust, how can the Gap Theory qualify since it has obvious weaknesses including a very weak foundation?


• Do you believe there is a distinct difference between the words "created" and "made" in the Bible? If so, do you believe "made" refers to making or remaking something from existing material and "create" speaks of creation from nothing?
• If so, how do you reconcile this belief with Nehemiah 9:6 where it states the Lord "made" the "heavens," "heaven of heavens" (third heaven), "host" of heaven, "earth" and all that is in them?


• Do you believe "Eden the garden of God" in Ezekiel 28:13 refers to the "garden eastward in Eden" found in Genesis 2:8, 15?
• If not, what scriptural evidence can you produce to overturn the apparent connection?


• Do you believe that "replenish" in the King James Bible means to fill again or refill?
• If so, since the definition of "fill again" or "refill" was unknown in 1611 but replenish then meant "fill abundantly," how do you reconcile the difference?
• If you believe the current meaning is advanced revelation found only in the King James Bible, did all the believers for over 200 years after the KJB was published but before the meaning was fully changed not understand the word correctly?
• Do you believe some words in the KJB have changed their meaning since 1611?
• If so, do you explain the different meaning of words such as "let" (Rom 1:13) and "prevent" (1Th 4:15) to your listeners?
• If so, what scriptural criteria or principle do you appeal to to justify explaining the different meaning of those words and not replenish?


• Do you use the Genesis Gap to help explain the existence of fossils and the geologic ages?
• If not, essentially all of the early Fundamentalists who promoted the Gap (Pember, Scofield, Larkin, etc., and even Ruckman in his earlier works) did use the Gap to explain the geologic ages. What changed to cause you to deviate from that contention?
• If the Genesis Gap was not millions of years but a shorter period of time; a time too short to accommodate the geologic ages, what purpose does the Gap serve?


• Do you believe when God said "every thing" was "very good" on the sixth day (Gen 1:31)  that "every thing" means everything He had created up till that time?
• If so, how do you explain the fall of Lucifer/Satan before that time? If not, how do the words "every thing" make sense since he only created one thing (man) since his last proclamation of something being "good" (Gen 1:25)?


• Did you first learn of the Genesis Gap from your own personal study or from someone else (book, audio, preacher, etc.)?
• Did you believe in a literal six day creation (not re-creation) of the universe before you were introduced to the Genesis Gap Theory?
• If so, what compelling words or evidence caused you to change your mind?
• Do you believe the Genesis Gap is a hidden or concealed doctrine that is difficult for the typical Bible reader to find on his own, let alone understand?
• Can you name another Bible doctrine with similar hidden traits?
• Did you try to find out what your favorite Genesis Gap teacher's position would be in answering some of these questions?

This should be enough to reveal the true nature of the Gap Theory. Most certainly many of its proponents have not considered half of these questions yet they still adhere to it. "Prove all things" dear, Brethren. "PROVE ALL THINGS"!

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