Thoughts on the Pre-Adamic Period

1/10/2005 | Self

[katieanna]

Good morning Freepers!

I have been chewing on a message I heard from a minister last night that briefly made mention of the pre-Adamic period (that period between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2). Verse 2 in the NIV calls the earth "formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep and the Sprit of God was hovering over the waters".

Many theologians believe that a flood occured wherein God destroyed all living creatures and that he began again with Adam. Some say Adam was not the first man because God ordered him and Eve to "be fruitful and multiply and REplenish the earth". This minister said that God would have said "plenish" if no other man had existed before.

I had previously dismissed all thought of Adam NOT being the first man. Upon hearing this message, I've been stirred.

Please share your thoughts with me and have a blessed day!

[upchuck]

If the Bible doesn't fit the yardstick of man's understanding, then the Bible must be re-interpreted and massaged until it does so.

Hmmm... sorta like our Constitution and Bill of Rights in the hands of lib judges. Interesting parallel.

[Quix]

From God's perspective . . .

"chaos"

is just a different sort of order.

And, I don't think you can assert that so comprehensively and broadly--that God doesn't deal in chaos--from Scripture.

God has often used even chaos for His purposes--as He uses even satan for His purposes.

[Quix]

HAVE LONG assumed that there were other periods of critters and even civilizations on the earth pre Adam.

Not something I get on a hobby horse about. Just a conviction I have.

Too much evidence to that effect. Doesn't change the Biblical truths at all, imho.

[mikeus_maximus]

More to your point: As someone else noted, the dictionary definition of the English word "replenish" includes "fill".

That's exactly how most of the accurate and scholarly translations trnalted the underlying Hebrew word in the text:
NIV: "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it"

NKJV: “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply"

NASB: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth"

Only the ASV uses "replenish', from what I've seen. It's quite a stretch to assume the ASV translaters meant 'RE-fill", contrary to how most other Hebrew scholars translated, and from that derive an entire pre-Adamic theory.

Again, that has everything to do with ones' respect for and approach to the scriptures as God's word. Christ and His apostles warned repeatedly against listening to teachers who twist the scriptures. We our given the duty to recognize that teachers are fallible men, and to test what they say in light of the standard of God's word.

[Quix]

Nothing in the Bible disagrees with a pre Adam anything. It's just silent about it.

Arguinig from silence is not an attractive activity for the thoughtful.

There are lots of strange things in the earth's history--including a civilization on the Western India coast having flying craft and probably nukes a VERY long time ago.

But there's a wide diversity of evidence of pre Adam critters and even civilizations.

Doesn't alter a single bit of truth in The Bible.

May rattle some ASSUMPTIONS of SOME Believers. But that's a very different matter.

[katieanna]

Sir or Madame,

Sorry for the error in location of post. Could you kindly move this thread to Religion Vanity. Thanks.

[wedwo]

"If the Bible doesn't fit the yardstick of man's understanding, then the Bible must be re-interpreted and massaged until it does so.
Hmmm... sorta like our Constitution and Bill of Rights in the hands of lib judges. Interesting parallel."

I am always amazed at man's arrogance in his belief that if something cannot be understood, i.e in this case the truth of the text - then simply morph the truth to fit your finite ability to understand.

The Bible is word of G-d. Just as G-d is infinite, so is his bible. If one cannot understand something, delve deaper, research ancient commentaries. If at the end you still don't get it, then come to term with the fact there are certains things beyond man's understanding and that it is clear that for whatever reason, G-d did not want to reveal to man. You don't go shift truth because you don't understand it.

[Quix]

I don't read Scripture at all that way. I can think of nothing that would prevent the possibilities written about in all of Scripture. I think your assumptions about what Christ said have distorted His words in your mind.

I'm a very strict SCRIPTURE IS TRUTH person. The Bible alone is my standard of truth.

But this issue is not the least bit prevented by a single phrase or verse in all of Scripture as best as I can recall off the top of my head.

[Quix]

Confusion in that one Scripture does NOT necessarily have

a single thing to do with

the "chaos" in the other Scripture. Two entirely different topics, subjects etc.

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

I Corinthians 14:33

"God is not the author of confusion..."

Strong's concordance:

confusion.

Greek. akatastasia.
Instability, a state of disorder, disturbance, confusion

The earth was in disorder, confusion, chaos when the Spirit of God hovered over the waters.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/tmp_dir/words/1/1105368773-4624.html

God is the author of peace and order as the rest of the verse states. Satan creates chaos, not God.

[evets]

Shaken not stirred

"But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed
and the earth was formed out of water and by water.
By the waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed." (2Peter 3:5)

[Quix]

Thanks.

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

They aren't two entirely different topics, etc.

Both have to do with God's nature. God's nature is one of love, order, life, stability. God is not a God of chaos, confusion, disorder, etc.

[Quix]

I find the one verse talking about conflict amongst believers about theology, truth etc.

The other is about cosmology.

Two different topics.

FORMLESS AND VOID ia a type of what we COULD construe as "chaos."

I don't like black. But I have to admit that there is a SCripture about God hiding Himself or cloaking Himself in darkness or black.

Our God is that big. He's ultimate light. Yet, He hides Himself in darkness.

What do we know about preAdam anything? Virtually nothing. We can speculate and pontificate as we are. But SCRIPTURE IS SILENT ON IT.

Speculations from biases about this or that phrase or definition are very hazardous things to build any kind of theology on.

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

I have read that scripture numerous times 2Peter 3:5: "...By the waters ALSO the world of that time was deluged and destroyed." What time? A world apparently before Adam's.

[mikeus_maximus]

The posts in this thread show fairly conclusively that the Hebrew word in verse 28 means "fill", not "re-fill". When someone inserts things into the scriptures that aren't there, the scriptures are not that person's only standard. There's such a thing as a sin of presumption.

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

But the Bible is not silent on how God is not a God of chaos or confusion. The earth was in a state of confusion/chaos/disorder when the Spirit of God hovered over the waters.

[Raycpa]

If your pastor's interpretation is correct, he just managed to decontruct most of the new testament.

• Romans 5:12
  [ Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ ] Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned–
  Romans 5:11-13 (in Context) Romans 5 (Whole Chapter)
• Romans 5:14
  Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.
  Romans 5:13-15 (in Context) Romans 5 (Whole Chapter)
• 1 Corinthians 15:22
  For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
  1 Corinthians 15:21-23 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 15 (Whole Chapter)
• 1 Corinthians 15:45
  So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being" [ Gen. 2:7] ; the last Adam, a lifegiving spirit.
  1 Corinthians 15:44-46 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 15 (Whole Chapter)
• 1 Timothy 2:13
  For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
  1 Timothy 2:12-14 (in Context) 1 Timothy 2 (Whole Chapter)

[Quix]

IF AND WHEN God mushes things over--to start over--

WITHIN ANY SPHERE OF REALITY,

that 'disorder' from our perspective, is not at all disorder from God's perspective.

It is hazardous and silly to try and limit God according to our puny notions of His Word.

There is NO INSTABILITY from God's perspective. EVERY SUBATOMIC PARTICLE IS UNDER HIS CONTROL AND STABILITY ALWAYS.

[Quix]

IF AND WHEN God mushes things over--to start over--

WITHIN ANY SPHERE OF REALITY,

that 'disorder' from our perspective, is not at all disorder from God's perspective.

It is hazardous and silly to try and limit God according to our puny notions of His Word.

There is NO INSTABILITY from God's perspective. EVERY SUBATOMIC PARTICLE IS UNDER HIS CONTROL AND STABILITY ALWAYS.