In The Beginnings
Third Edition
In the Beginnings is the story of the original earth, its Pre-Adamic judgement and destruction, and its later restoration. It defends the ancient Biblical interpretation of Creation known as The Gap Theory or The Ruin-Restoration Theory. (God did not create the earth without form, and void, and dark. Instead, the Pre-Adamic earth BECAME without form, and void, and dark as a result of God’s judgment and wrath on Lucifer’s sin and rebellion.)
Steven E. Dill, D.V.M. once a staunch evolutionist, began investigating creationism after becoming aware of some scientific facts that seemed incompatible with his own beliefs. Taking the position that truth will stand the test, he began challenging even his own thoughts about the origin of the universe. His conclusion was that scientific facts and Biblical facts do not contradict. The problem isn’t with science or the Bible. The problem is with interpretations of the Bible and interpretations of science. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology in 1979 and his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 1985 at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
The Gap Theory Explained
In The Beginnings is a detailed explanation of the Gap Theory. It shows how the Gap Theory fits the scientific and Biblical facts better than today's most popular creation theories. (Young-Earth and Day-Age Theories) It also eliminates the possibility that life on the earth today is the result of any kind of evolutionary process; theistic or atheistic. We are created beings; not evolved.
The Gap Theory logically resolves the apparent discrepancies between the order in which the Bible says living things were created, and the order in which geology says they appeared. For instance: Both the Day-Age Theory and the Young-Earth Theory say that birds came before land animals. (Birds on Day Four; Land animals on Day Five) Geology reveals that land animals came long before birds.
Geology records the original creation of life millions of years ago. (Genesis 1:1)--Only the Hebrew word BARA (create) is used.
Genesis 1:3-31 records the restoration of life thousands of years ago. (in six literal, twenty-four hour days)--Three Hebrew words are used; BARA (create), ASAH (make), and YATSAR (form)
God simply didn’t restore creatures in the same order He originally created them.
Thus; the Gap Theory eliminates all the so-called contradictions between the Bible and geology.
Hebrew Language of the Bible
In The Beginnings is an in-depth study of the ancient Hebrew language of the Bible. The Hebrew word HAYAH in Genesis 1:2 reveals a gap of time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:3.
Wilson’s Old Testament Word Studies defines HAYAH as, "to come to pass, to happen; to be; to begin to be, i.e. to become."
Nelson’s Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament shows how HAYAH can mean, "to become," "to occur," or "to come to pass."
The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament says HAYAH is used to describe something that comes into being or arises."
Hebrew scholar Gleason Archer, in his book A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, said, "Hayah never has the meaning of static being like the copular verb 'to be.'" He also said Genesis 1:2 could properly be translated, "And the earth became a wasteness and desolation."
The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament explains that HAYAH normally describes a dynamic condition of changing; not a static condition of being. The idea that the earth was without form and void as a past, static condition would have been alien to Hebrew thought.
A Long-Held View
In The Beginnings reveals that the Restoration Theory was not created to harmonize the Bible with Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.
In the early 2nd century A.D., Rabbi Simeon ben Jochai said that "without form, and void..." (Genesis 1:2) refers to the previous creation of the earth which God had destroyed. (Sefer Hazzohar)
In 1822, the Outlines of the Geology of England and Wales said that the Bible and geology indicated there was another world before this present world. This book was published 37 years before Darwin published The Origin of Species.
In 1832, the Mosaical and Mineral Geologies Compared stated that all the fossils were formed in the Pre-Adamic world, before the six days of Genesis 1:3-31. In the light of the Gap Theory, there were no conflicts between the writings of Moses and the discoveries of geology.
In 1834, Albert Barnes wrote in his Notes on the Bible: that HAYAH in Genesis 1:2 has, "the meaning 'become;' and the import of the sentence is this: ‘And the land had become waste and void.'"
In 1855, English preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon taught that the Pre-Adamic earth had been fitted with life, destroyed by God, then refitted with life during the six days of restoration. He said this judgment may have been millions of years before Adam.
Also in 1855, Edward Hitchcock, Professor of Natural Theology and Geology at Amherst College said the Gap Theory was the most extensively adopted theory among geologists at that time. (Elemental Geology, 25th Edition)
In 1955, Bernard Ramm listed several pre-Darwinian scholars who believed in the Gap Theory. These included Edgar, King of England (A.D. 943-975), Simon Episcopius (1583-1643), J. G. Rosenmuller (1736-1815), William Buckland (1784-1856), J. Pye Smith (1774-1851), and others. Ramm said, “The gap theory has become the standard interpretation throughout hyper-orthodoxy…” (The Christian View of Science and Scripture.)
In 1995, American historian Paul Keith Conkin wrote that the Gap Theory was a, “rather widespread theory,” and that it had been believed for centuries. (The Uneasy Center: Reformed Christianity in Antebellum America)
The Young-Earth/Flood Geology of today was concocted in the mind of Ellen White in the late 19th century to early 20th century. Ellen White, a self-proclaimed prophetess, claimed that God “took her back” to witness the Creation and the Flood in “visions.” In fact, she said she had hundreds of “visions” where God revealed things to her; things He didn’t reveal to the apostles or prophets in the Bible.
Today’s Young-Earth/Flood Geology is just a warmed-over serving of her anti-science lies... except that it’s repackaged in more scientific-sounding terms, with heaping portions of eye-popping videos, animatronic dinosaurs, and smooth-talking preachers. Why do Christian creationists fall for this lie? It delights their eyes, and it is desired to make them wise.
My challenge to anyone who doubts this: Do an Internet search on, "Ellen White, Flood Geology, George McCready Price, The Genesis Flood.” You’ll see how Satan's lie slithered itself into today’s church.
The Pseudoscience of Young-Earth/Flood Geology
About In The Beginnings
In The Beginnings proposes that the Bible reveals two different beginnings.
The First beginning: The heavens and the earth were created for the angels. (Job 38:7) Then, the entire cosmos was subjected to sin. (Lucifer's) It was judged by God. All creation groaned (Romans 8:22) because of Lucifer's sin.
The Second beginning: The earth was re-created for man. (Genesis 1:3-31) Then, the earth was subjected to sin. (Man's) It was judged by God. Only the ground was cursed (Genesis 3:17) because of Adam's sin.
These two beginnings are only a foretaste of what will happen in the future. A final judgement and destruction awaits all of creation. This will be followed by a new heavens and a new earth prepared for those saved by the blood of Jesus.
This book's main goal is to break down the man-made barriers (both scientific and Biblical) that keep people from believing the Bible. It uses science and the Bible to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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