Nehemiah asked:
Quote:
Now then, according to you, "Verse one is an overview, an introductory precept, the rest of the chapter describes what occurs in verse one". If that is so, please then explain, How, THE MOST PERFECT "GOD (WHO IS 'LIGHT, and in HIM is NO Darkness at all.') Created the Heaven and the Earth", and all of a sudden, it became, "the earth. . .without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep"???
GOD is not the author of confusion, yet "the earth" that HE Created became, in just the second verse of Genesis One, 1) formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness; a) formlessness (of primeval earth); 1) nothingness, empty space; b) that which is empty or unreal (of idols) (fig); c) wasteland, wilderness (of solitary places); d) place of chaos; which is what the phrase, "without form" means, right?
Now, dare I bring into the discussion, the word, "void (emptiness, void, waste)"? Now surely you'll agree that you cannot 'empty' that which never was contained, right? Nor can that which never was be 'wasted', can it?
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Notice I highlighted the word "became" in your quote. This is what gap theorists do, they claim that "was" in Gen 1:2 should be rightly translated "became". Fredoheaven said this very thing to me on another thread, and it is also said on David Regan's site that Chette recommends. In fact, the majority of sites that I have seen that support the gap use this very argument.
You originally said you believe God means what he says. I agree. And God knows the difference between the word "was" and "became". And God preserved his perfect word for us that says "was" in Genesis 1:2. That settles it for me, I do not dare try to correct God's Word. This is my biggest problem with gappers, they claim to believe God's Word, but
subtly suggest it has errors. We know who the subtle one is.
And Nehemiah, God took six whole days to make the heavens and the earth. Why? He could have spoken everything into existence in a moment. There is obviously a reason God took his time during creation. It has set the pattern for mankind since we came into being, we work six days, and rest one day. And I read once that the gestation periods for all animals can be divided into 7 day weeks. So, I do not fully understand this, but I accept it.
The creation was a process. First he made the earth which is solid, but it was covered with water. Then he made the light. Then he made the firmament. Then he made the dry land "Earth" and the "Seas" appear. Then he made the grass, herbs, and fruit trees. But guess what? There was no Sun, and plants need the sunlight to survive. So, to man this doesn't make sense, but that is the way God did it whether we think that is backwards or not. Then on the fourth day he made the Sun, Moon, and Stars. You said Earth was incomplete? Well, so was the starry heaven until day four! It was "void" of the Sun, Moon, and stars! Then on the fifth day he brought forth the life in the seas and the fowls. Why did he create the sealife and fowls on the same day? Why didn't he make the fowls on the day he made the animals that live on the dry land? Birds live on land, or at least they breathe air, makes more sense to me to make them when he made the beasts and creeping things and cattle on the sixth day. But God is wiser than me or any man. Then he made man.
God could have made all this in an instant. The earth was not truly complete until it was all there. God is not the author of confusion, how can a person say the world is confused? All life depends upon each other and works together. The bees need the flowers, but the flowers need the bees. It is not confused whatsoever, only now that sin has come into the world, now all creation groans. Now things grow old and perish and whither. But at the end of six days it was all
"very good" as God said himself.