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Liberty Advocate http://www.libertyadvocate.com
The Jimmy Swaggart Series: Part 5
The Gap Theory Is a Lie by Karen Pansler-Lam, J.D. Jimmy Swaggart Ministries is
teaching and preaching the Gap Theory as the doctrine of Creation. Frances Swaggart and the
panel on her broadcast "Frances & Friends" are teaching
lies about the Creation. On Tuesday, January 26th, they vainly babbled on
and on and on about the truth of the Gap Theory. It is evident that
not one of them has sought the guidance of the Holy Spirit in this
matter. God’s Word promises
the Spirit will guide us into all truth: Howbeit
when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he
will guide you into all truth. John
16:13 Briefly,
Jimmy Swaggart Ministries and others advocating the Gap Theory argue that
there was previous life on this earth before God created the earth as
recorded in Genesis 1:2. They
argue that there is a large gap of time between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis
1:2. And it was on this
previous earth when the dinosaurs roamed.
Moreover, they argue that the previous earth ended with a war
between the angels of God and the angels of Satan, and God sent a flood
that destroyed the surface of the earth and killed all animals and men.
After God destroyed the first earth He restored it.
This is also known as the Ruin-Restoration theory. Jimmy
Swaggart’s The Expositor’s Study Bible comments on Genesis 1:
1-3 (Swaggart’s comments are in blue): CHAPTER
1 (4004 B.C.) THE ORIGINAL CREATION In the beginning (refers to the beginning of creation, or at least the creation as it
refers to this universe; God, unformed, unmade, uncreated, had no
beginning; He always was, always is, and always shall be)
God (the phrase, “In the beginning God,”
explains the first cause of all things as it regards creation)
created the heaven and the Earth (could be translated
“the heavens and the Earth” because God created the entirety of the
universe). CHAOS 2
And the Earth was
without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep (God did not originally
create the Earth without form and void; it became this way after a
cataclysmic happening; this happening was the revolt of Lucifer against
God, which took place some time in the dateless past). And the Spirit of God (Holy
Spirit) moved upon the face of
the waters (the moving of the Holy
Spirit signified and signifies the beginning of life). FIRST DAY 3
And God said (presents the manner in
which creation or re-creation was carried out; some ten times this phrase is used, and in the
exact manner, with the exception of the last time, where it says, “And
the LORD God In
short, Jimmy Swaggart preaches and teaches God re-created the earth in
Genesis 1:3, not created it. This is a lie.
Profane
and Vain Babbling
O
Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding
profane and vain babblings, and
oppositions of science falsely so called: Which
some professing have erred concerning the faith. 1
Timothy 6:20, 21 Unfortunately,
instead of Jimmy Swaggart and other professing Christians interpreting
science in the light of the Bible, they interpret the Bible in the
“light” of science. The Bible warns us: Take
heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. Luke
11:35 Thomas
Chalmers is often credited as the first proponent of the Gap Theory.
Chalmers was a noted Scottish mathematician and theologian (1780
– 1847). And Chalmers was a
Freemason. Freemasons believe
they are in a quest for “light.” According
to the Encyclopedia Britannica (c.1933), many masonic ceremonies
and practices resemble the rituals of ancient religious ceremonies,
particularly the initiatory rites and ceremonies of Indian races, the
Druids, and other ancient pagan religions. Specifically,
Freemasonry is the worship of Baal, an ancient idol worshipped by many
pagans. And Baalzebub, or Beelzebub, is the name given to Satan in the
Bible. In their quest for
“light,” Freemasons are hoodwinked into following a “Supreme
Being” which is actually Satan. In
the early Christian church, Paul warns the
Corinthians (2 Cor. 11: 13 – 15) that Satan transforms himself into an
angel of light: 13
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves
into the apostles of Christ. 14
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the
ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. Freemasonry
is rooted in Gnosticism. And Gnosticism is rooted in the occult.
Surprisingly,
Freemasons and Gnostics openly acknowledge their occult ties:
http://www.links2theoccult.co.uk/home.htm#masons
http://www.ancientgnosticknightstemplar.org/grandmaster.html So,
where did Thomas Chalmers’ “enlightenment” about the re-creation of
the earth come from? It came
from out of the darkness… The
lie of the re-creation comes from walking in spiritual darkness and
listening to doctrines of demons. The
truth is the Gap Theory is rooted in darkness: Gnosticism. The first heresy of the
Christian church was Gnosticism. Briefly,
Gnosticism was a counterfeit Christianity that claimed special knowledge
or science through divine revelation. There are practicing Gnostics today.
Generally,
Gnostics believe new truths or secret knowledge about the nature of the
universe and the origin and destiny of humanity are communicated only to
the initiated - and they are the initiated. Gnostics believe selected
individuals have a divine spark imprisoned in their material body.
Through gnosis (knowledge), that divine spark is liberated from the
basically evil world and united with the Supreme Being.
Gnosticism is an occult “science.” The
aim of occult science is to marry science and occultism. Gnostics and
other occultists profess that they possess a secret and mysterious
knowledge, in no way accessible to those outside, and not based on
reflection, on scientific inquiry and proof, but on revelation. In short, Gnosticism is mysticism. Thus
Paul’s warning to Timothy: “avoiding profane and vain babblings,
and oppositions of science falsely so called:
Which some professing have erred concerning the faith.” Paul is
referring to occult science. Occult
science includes astrology
(the so-called science of the influence of the heavenly bodies on human
affairs), psychology (the so-called science of the phenomena of mind), and
other so-called science that is not true science. Gnosticism
originated from many philosophies and religions of the ancient
world, especially in the theology of the Jewish school – the Kabbala - and
from the old Persian or Zarathustrian religion and the Buddhistic faiths
of the East. Simply put, many
pagan religions believe in cosmic cycles of the creation and destruction
of the earth: the reincarnation or re-creation of Earth. The
truth is the Gap Theory is an ancient pagan belief that recurs time and
time again. It is just modified and adapted to different pagan religions
and proposed by man again and again.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 declares: “There
is no new thing under the sun.” In
short, the Gap Theory comes from pagan religions/occult science teaching
the universe is reincarnated or re-created again and again.
The
Gap Theory is a lie.
Is
Genesis a True and Accurate Record of the Creation? There
is no Biblical evidence for the Gap Theory. And there is no scientific
evidence for the Gap Theory. Of
course, the Gap Theory is about Biblical truth, not scientific facts.
It is another way for theologians to create doubt about the
authority of the Bible. Theologians
pretend to have superior intellectual and spiritual knowledge about the
Bible. Like the Gnostics,
they believe they are “enlightened.”
They pretend they have special knowledge or powers of perception
giving them a superior understanding. And with their enlightened state
they can answer questions about religious truth.
But the truth is theologians pervert the plain language of the
Bible to create doubt about Biblical truths. Theologians
believe new truths not apparent in the Scripture are communicated only to
the initiated - and they are
the initiated. Theologians are Gnostics and modern Pharisees who are so-called
“enlightened.” However,
they merely teach cabbalistic lore. They are pompous so-called
philosophers with pretentious knowledge.
They are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves
into the apostles of Christ. In
fact, many theologians are not Christians.
Many theologians are atheists or agnostics.
And this is one strategy of Satan to create doubt about the truth
of the Bible – Satan transforms himself into
an angel of light. Again,
Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians: 13
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves
into the apostles of Christ. 14
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as
the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their
works. We must not blindly follow any theologian or preacher who questions the authority of the Biblical record of Creation. And theologians desire to cause doubt about the inerrancy of the Bible from the very beginning – the Creation.
Jimmy Swaggart (who follows Finis Dake) and other gap
theorists argue over the word “replenish” in Genesis 1:28: And
God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish
the earth, and subdue it. Jimmy
Swaggart’s The Expositor’s Study Bible comments on Genesis 1: 28
And God blessed them (again, speaks of
ability to reproduce), and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and
multiply, and replenish the Earth (the word
“replenish” carries the idea of a former creation on the Earth before
Adam and Eve; according to Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, Lucifer ruled this
world for an undetermined period of time, and did so in Righteousness and
Holiness as a beautiful Angel created by God; if, in fact, he did rule
the world at that time; it would stand to reason that there had to be some
type of creation on the Earth for him to rule; the word “replenish”
refers to that creation), and subdue it (and
that man has done; however, he would have done it much sooner, but for the
Fall): and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and
over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the
Earth. Jimmy
Swaggart and other gap theorists argue that “replenish” means God
commanded man to re-supply or re-stock the world after destroying a
pre-Adam man with a flood. The
word “replenish” can mean “back to a state of fullness or
completeness, as by supplying what is lacking.” But “replenish” also
means to fill, or supply abundantly, with something; stock, as with
persons or animals; also, to occupy fully; occupy as inhabitants do, or
people. (The New Century Dictionary of the English Language, 1948) The
truth is simple…God instructed Adam to fill the earth.
In other words, spread out and don’t congregate in one place.
Remember
the building of the Tower of Babel after the Flood?
The people refused to fill the earth.
“And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they
found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there”
(Genesis 11:2). The
people refused to replenish – fill or occupy fully – the earth so God
destroyed the Tower: 7
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language that they may not
understand one another’s speech. 8
So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of the earth:
and they left off to build the city. Clearly,
God believes it is important for His people to know the truth about the
Creation. So, Moses wrote the
Book of Genesis under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Unquestionably, when we look at the Pentateuch, the five books of
the Bible written by Moses, they are written in plain language and in
precise detail. Now the gap
theorists would have us believe that God was very meticulous in giving
Moses detail after detail after detail for the building of the Tabernacle,
very specific Levitical laws, minute details for the priests’ garments,
and so forth; but God purposely left out a large gap of Creation history
between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. What
gap theorists actually contend is that Genesis is flawed because it
doesn’t tell the whole truth about the Creation; and with their special
knowledge and powers of perception – like the Gnostics – have
discovered secret knowledge about the origin of the universe and the
re-creation of man. Consequently, it creates doubt about the inerrancy or
deviation from accuracy or correctness of the Bible. Why
did God believe it was necessary for the Hebrews to have a record of the
Creation? The Hebrews had been surrounded by the paganism of Egypt.
Therefore, their religious beliefs were polluted with devilish
doctrines of paganism. Consequently,
Moses wrote an authoritative record of the Creation under the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit. The
Rev. J.N. Fradenburgh, Ph.
D., D.D. writes in his book Fire from Strange Altars: The series of creation tablets and the Semitic fragments which have
been preserved in old authors, when purged of their mythology, magic, and
polytheism, are found to bear close and interesting resemblances with the
Mosiac record of Genesis, even to the use of certain words which possess
special cosmogonic value. We have already called attention to some of
these resemblances. Among
them are the primordial surging sea, the all-encompassing darkness, the
divine brooding spirit, the creation proceeding from lower to higher forms
in the order of development, the creation of light necessary to the
existence of the present order of beings, the appointment of the heavenly
bodies for signs and seasons and days and years, the sun to rule the day
and the moon to rule the night, and the classes of animals with which the
earth was peopled. Why
is there a universal story of the Creation? All
of the accounts of the Creation were modified, changed, corrupted,
elaborated, and adapted to foreign cultures after God stopped work on the
Tower of Babel and scattered man across the face of the earth.
In other words, when man was scattered across the earth, each
culture corrupted and modified the true Creation account to its pagan
beliefs. Unquestionably,
God believed it important for Moses to write a true record of the history
of early man: the Creation, the Fall, the Flood, and the Dispersion. Moreover,
the Creation has always meant the original bringing into existence
of the universe by God: CREATION
The doctrine that matter and all things were created, substantially as
they now exist, by the fiat of an omnipotent Creator, and not gradually
evolved or developed (cf. evolutionism). But
because of the discovery of fossils that are alleged to be millions or
billions of years old, some Christians marry evolution and creation and
hold fast to the Gap Theory. The truth is gap proponents actually propose
evolution: This earth evolved
or developed out of a previous earth when God restored it.
A restoration or renewal of the earth is an evolution or
reincarnation of a previous earth. Moreover,
gap theorists contend that God flooded the prior earth, hence dinosaur
fossils. But if He merely flooded the earth, then why did He destroy everything else in the universe and have to re-create light, the
moon and stars, and so forth as recorded in Genesis chapter 1?
In other words, why didn’t He destroy everything – including
the entire earth – and start ALL over again? More
important, gap theorists ignore – purposely or ignorantly – God’s
promise after the Flood. Genesis
8 records that after the Flood, Noah built an altar and offered burnt
offerings unto the Lord. 21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said
in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake;
for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will
I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. And
in Genesis 9: 7
And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the
earth, and multiply therein. 8
And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, 9
And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed
after you; 10
And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of
the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out
of the ark, to every beast of the earth. 11
And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut
off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a
flood to destroy the earth. And
then God set a rainbow in the sky as a token of the everlasting covenant
established between Him and all flesh upon the earth, including
animals. The
rainbow covenant should cause gap theorists to question their false
doctrine about a pre-Noah flood. Unquestionably,
gap theorists create doubt about the Truth of the Creation as recorded by
Moses in the Book of Genesis. Gap
theorists believe they are enlightened about a prior creation.
But they are walking in spiritual darkness… Take
heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. Luke
11:35
Dinosaurs
or Dragons? Why
do some Christians embrace the Gap Theory?
They try to reconcile science and Scripture. They interpret the Bible in the “light” of science
instead of interpret science in the light of the Bible. For
example, Christians ask: If dinosaur fossils have been discovered, why
doesn’t the Bible mention dinosaurs?
The Word does not mention dinosaurs, but the Bible does mention
dragons. The word “dragon” or “dragons” is mentioned 35 times
in the Bible. Dragons have
usually been regarded as mythical creatures because they do not exist
today and no one has ever seen one. Just
as creation stories are found in every ancient culture, dragons are common
in cultures worldwide. Dragon
stories can be found in many different cultures on almost every continent
on Earth. In
fact, there are several accounts in which individuals have recorded the
existence of dragons. For example, Marco Polo reported seeing dragons
during his trip to China in the 13th century. And one of the
most well known accounts appears in Pliny’s Natural History. Pliny refers to the well-known case of a 120-foot-long
dragon killed and whose skin and jaws were exhibited in Rome for many
years. The
word “dragon” comes from the Greek word “drakon” or “draca,”
which means serpent. The
Bible tells of a serpent dragon named Leviathan: Job 41:1; Psalm 74:14;
104:26; Isaiah 27:1. Leviathan
is a gigantic monster that lived in the sea. It is even called the
“dragon of the sea.” Most
theologians interpret this monster as a huge crocodile, but read the
description in Job 41: King
James Version: Job Chapter 41
1 Canst thou draw out leviathan
with an hook?
or his tongue with a cord
which thou lettest down? 2 Canst thou put an hook
into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? 3 Will he make many supplications unto thee?
will he speak soft words unto thee? 4 Will he make a covenant
with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever? 5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird?
or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? 6 Shall the companions make a banquet
of him? shall they part him among the merchants? 7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or
his head with fish
spears? 8 Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle,
do no more. 9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not
one be cast down even at the sight of him? 10 None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who
then is able to stand before me? 11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay
him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven
is mine. 12 I will not conceal his parts, nor his power,
nor his comely proportion. 13 Who can discover the face of his garment? or
who can come to him with his double bridle? 14 Who can open the doors
of his face? his teeth are terrible round about. 15 His scales are his pride, shut up together as
with a close seal. 16 One is so near to another, that no air can
come between them. 17 They are joined one to another, they stick
together, that they cannot be sundered. 18 By his neesings a light doth shine, and his
eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. 19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks
of fire leap out. 20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a
seething pot or caldron. 21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth
out of his mouth. 22 In his neck
remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him. 23 The flakes of his flesh
are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. 24 His heart is as firm as a stone;
yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. 25 When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are
afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves. 26 The sword
of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart,
nor the habergeon. 27 He esteemeth iron
as straw,
and brass
as rotten wood. 28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones
are turned with him into stubble. 29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at
the shaking of a spear. 30 Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth
sharp pointed things upon the mire. 31 He maketh the deep
to boil
like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. 32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one
would think the deep
to be hoary. 33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made
without fear. 34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king
over all the children of pride.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/kjv/job041.htm Read
the description carefully: his teeth are terrible, flames come out of his
mouth, smoke comes out of his nostrils, his scales are like armor…
It is a terrifying picture! Theologians interpret this as a
crocodile? This
sounds like a dragon! For
detailed information and pictures about dragons/dinosaurs, check out
Genesis Park @:
http://www.genesispark.com/genpark/bible/bible.htm
http://www.genesispark.com/genpark/history/history.htm
Evolution Of
course, you can’t discuss the Gap Theory without discussing its sister
“scientific” doctrine of evolution.
And the modern church wants to be praised as being
“progressive.” Again,
they are interpreting the Bible in the “light” of science instead of
interpreting science in the light of the Bible. For
example, in August 2010, the Assemblies of God changed their belief
of the Creation. They now accept the notion of creation through
evolution so they
can appear "progressive"
and "modern" and "scientific." (See “Creation,
Doctrine of” @ http://ag.org/top/beliefs/position_papers/index.cfm). However, the
truth is ancient people believed in evolution. In
the early Greek civilization, Thales (640? - 546 B.C.)
considered all living things to have sprung from
water. And
Anaximander (611 - 547 B.C.) believed that when an
originally liquid earth began drying, it
produced living things, man first of all. So,
how is the theory of evolution "progressive" and "modern"
and "scientific"? The
Americanized Encyclopaedia Britannica (1890) states: “It is clear
that the doctrine of evolution is directly antagonistic to that of
creation… it is an arbitrary formation of the world versus direct
creative act volition by God.”
More
important ... "As
a scientific doctrine, whatever its ultimate interpretation, evolution
has a bearing on our practical, i.e., moral and religious ideas.
Among other results, this doctrine may be said to give new form to the
determinist theory of volition, and to establish the relativity of all
moral ideas as connected with particular stages of social
development." Americanized
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1890 Also,
read Matthew Henry's comments on the Creation @
http://mhcw.biblecommenter.com/genesis/1.htm The
True Light of the World I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John
8:12 Unquestionably,
gap theorists deny Genesis is a complete and accurate record of the
Creation. Gap theorists
believe they have secret
knowledge about the origin of the universe and the re-creation of man.
They teach the false doctrine that Genesis is a re-creation account:
The earth was restored or reincarnated or renewed. In
short, the Gap Theory comes from pagan religions/occult science teaching
the universe is reincarnated or re-created again and again.
Any
doctrine that teaches contrary to the plain language of the Bible is false
doctrine. It is the doctrine
of devils whispered in the darkness to prideful men and women who pretend
be “progressive” and “enlightened.”
Paul warns us to hold fast to the Word committed to our trust and
to avoid
profane and vain babblings, and “oppositions
of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred
concerning the faith.”
Modern Christians boast they are “enlightened.” Sadly, the truth is they are walking in spiritual darkness... Take
heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. Luke
11:35
The Gap Theory is a devilish doctrine of occult "science."
The Gap Theory is a lie.
Liberty Advocate http://www.libertyadvocate.com February
See
also the following articles: Biblical
Young Earth Creationism
Creation
21(1):54–55. December 1998; Does God Expect Man to be Able to Tell Time?
The Age of the Earth and the Future of the Earth by James
Sundquist ...
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