Thank you for replying “jimmyray”
I didn’t know they called it a “gap theory”.
Every day I’m learning new things and growing with it.
I”m glad you have already looked into it, and are not left unaware of the things I have mentioned.
I guess I’m just one of those little ones running around asking why this, and why that all the time ... smiles
Did you by chance look up that Strongs Exhaustive Concordance #1961/Hebrew word “hayah” - (was or became)?
Concordance #8414/Hebrew word “tohuw” - (formless or laid waste)?
Concordance #922/Hebrew word “bohuw” - (void or wasted)?
I don’t want to be a “sottish” child but in Jeremiah 4:23 it also makes the statement about the void and darkness, just like Genesis 1:2, but even further than that in Jeremiah 4:24 and on it talks about the mountains being moved, and there was no man, and the birds fled.
Jeremiah 4:23
I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form (8414), and void (922); and the heavens, and they had no light.
Jeremiah 4:24
I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
Jeremiah 4:25
I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
Jeremiah 4:26
I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.
Jeremiah 4:27
For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
Do you think this is speaking of the same event like in Genesis 1:2?
It seems so similar, yet with more information about mountains, man, and birds, then it’s all being made desolate.
Anyhoo... just trying to put it all together in my simple little mind. If I had a Pastor I could ask these things, but I don’t.
I read that Psalms 139:15-16 you gave:
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
Is that along the same line as mentioned in Jeremiah 1:5?
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
I haven’t did a deeper study on these things, like foreknown and predestination and such. I’ve been asleep for so long that it seems like I’m doing overtime to catch up now ... sighs.
Oh well ... I’m sure I’ve done gone and overloaded your donkey cart again with all my prodding and poking. Please be patient with me in my learning process. I’m most sure our Heavenly Father looks down and smiles at us studying His Word so deeply and intently while we help one another.
Thank you again “jimmyray”.
You can take your time in getting back with me too if you like. I’ll keep checking back now and then to see, and if you don’t wish to continue any further either, I can understand that too.
I’ve been known to wear out my welcome now and then ... smiles and thanks for all that you have given already.
Before you get wrapped up in the obscure, make sure you feel comforatable dismissing the obvious passages, like the ones I referenced above. For example:
1. I have looked in Hebrew 1961 before, and find it irrelavant. There are several uses of that word in Genesis alone (see HERE) If one has determined the gap theory is valid, one must to hang their hat on a unique interpretation of that word. Try reading the other passages with the novel interpretation of "was" or "became". I am no Hebrew scholar, but this is grasping a straws, IMHO.
2. Jer 4:23-26 has to be read in context with the rest of the chapter, especially vs 27, "this is what the LORD says: "The whole land will be ruined..." Jeremiah is warning Judah and Jersusalem of the utter destruction to come. The land will be laid waste. Reading more into it than that is risky, epsecially if no other prophet expands on it, or it is not explained in the NT.
3. Food for thought: If you place a drop of water in a vacuum with no gravity, it will form a perfect sphere. God placed an Earth sized shape of water in space, and it formed the globe. On the 3rd day, he made dry land appear. A perfect sphere of water is shapeless and void, it has no surface features or distinguishing marks. The evolutionary argument of rocks in space coalescing into spheres is incredulous, in my mind.
4. More food for thought. For us to exist, we have to have 3 things: space, matter, time. Gen 1:1 In the beginning (time) God created the heavens (space) and the Earth (matter).
5. Exodus 20:11 and 31:17 "...for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested..." This passage plainly state that God made evertything in 6 days. There is no suggestion of renewing, remaking, or revealing.
6. It violates the plain meaning of Romans 5:8 "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned." This suggests that prior to Adam, there was no sin, and there was no death. If the gap theory is true, we have to start putting extra-biblical conditions on this, such as 'The 2nd age earth was perfect until Adam sinned, and the first age earth's destruction is assumed'. There is no Biblical reason to do this, unless one is trying to reconcile an "apparently" old earth with a young earth Biblical account via the gap theory.
Hope this helps. Some good general rules on Bible Study:
1. When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense.
2. A passage taken out of context is a pretext.
3. The Bible does not contradict itself. Use the Bible to interpret the Bible.
4. Historical context must be taken into account.