GAP THEORY VERSES GAP TRUTH

Christians, in an unwise effort to reconcile Creationism with evolutionary theory, have suggested that we should believe there is a gap of millions, or perhaps billions of years between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.  This view, known as the Gap Theory, or Theistic Evolution, allows for the so called "scientific evidence" (1 Tim. 6:20), such as carbon dating, an "Ice Age," erosion such as is found in the Grand Canyon, and fossilized dinosaurs.  They say these things "prove" Earth is not approximately 6000 years old, as Ussher's time-table suggests, or the Hebrew Calendar would have us to believe.  There are several theological, and genuine scientific arguments, that support the Bible version of the genesis of the universe, but I do not have the time or space to provide them here.  I suggest you check out Answers in Genesis on line.

The Bible does provide us with a genuine gap, not in the age of Earth, but in the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Book of Daniel.  In Daniel 9:24, we read, "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people (Israel) and upon thy holy city (Jerusalem), to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy (Jesus at His Second Coming)."  These "weeks" are literally "weeks of years."  So, seventy weeks of seven years equals 490 years.  Again, time and space do not allow me to support this. 

Verses 25-26 say, "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem (the first 49 years) unto the Messiah the Prince (the next 434 years - Jesus at His First Coming) shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks (for a total of 483 years): the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.  And after threescore and two weeks (483 years) shall Messiah be cut off (crucified), but not for Himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary (Rome - A.D. 70); and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined."  But what about the last "week?"

The true gap in Bible History is between the first 69 weeks of Daniel's prophecy, and the 70th week (Dan. 9:27), which is also called the "Time of Jacob's Trouble" (Jer. 30:7), and the "Tribulation" (Mt. 24:3-28; Rev. Ch. 6-18;  etc.).  This gap is known as "The Church Age" or "The Times of the Gentiles."  The Church was not mentioned in the Old Testament, and remains a mystery to Israel to this day.  The Church Age will end with the Rapture (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:50-53; 1 Thes. 4:16-17).

 

I can just hear Satan now:

If I can get them to doubt the Book of Genesis, they will reject the rest of the Bible!