The Ruin & Recreation

Author: Pastor Thomas G. Wilson
June 01, 2020
Genesis 1:1-2 KJV [1] In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. [2] And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
 
I just want to reiterate that Lucifer should never be given undue prominence, his role as anointed cherub, fallen angel, adversary, and tempter of mankind must be clearly understood so as to ensure that he is given NO PLACE.  Whenever studying Lucifer or any of his other names or titles, it is important to remember that though some of his activities continue on earth temporarily, and regardless of how he gained access to the earth, he has already been defeated by Jesus Christ at Calvary which was demonstrated through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead! Amen. 
 
In this article I will present what is called The Gap Theory or Ruin and Recreation Theory.  It is the second of two prominent theories regarding Lucifer, his appearance in the Garden of Eden and his fall, which resulted in his becoming Satan. 
 
Genesis 1:1 describes the initial creation of the heaven and the earth.  However, verse 2 refers to the earth as “…without form and void…” This phrase is “tohu va bohu” in the original Hebrew.   “Tohu” means, “to lie in waste, a desolation, (figuratively) worthless, or wilderness.”  “Bohu” means, “to be empty, an undistinguishable ruin, or void.” These words could never describe any creation of Jehovah.  The following scripture supports the previous comment:
 
Isaiah 45:18 KJV [18] For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain (tohu), he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.
 
Jeremiah 4:23 KJV [23] I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
 
Scripture provides evidence that God did not create the earth “tohu”.  If He didn’t create the earth “tohu” something happened between the original perfect creation in Genesis 1:1 and the worthless ruin in darkness of Genesis 1:2.  When you look at additional scripture a plausible scenario emerges:
 
Isaiah 14:12 KJV [12] How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
 
Luke 10:18 KJV [18] And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
 
The scripture above reveals the fall of Lucifer/Satan as a cataclysmic event in the earth.  These scriptures also explain the presence of Satan in the garden as well as the command of God to “…replenish (to recover former fullness) the earth and subdue it.”  These commands from God point to a pre-adamic creation that was destroyed when Lucifer fell and also explains Satan’s presence in the garden as well as the exhortation from God to “subdue” the earth.  God recognized that there was a rogue angel lurking, looking for a place.  Satan’s encounter with Adam and Eve in Genesis Chapter 3 resulted in the fall of man and Satan then becoming the god of this world.  Therefore the creation outlined in Genesis 1 is actually a recreation of the pre-adamic earth.
 
For further reading: Genesis 1

BACK