In Genesis, it says something like "In the beginning...the earth was without form, and void..."
How was it "the earth", then? Or was it just a void? Where did the earth and the void come from?
I have my theories, but am more interested in hearing yours.
Thanks, and goodnight :-)
Lisa
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/secularhumanism/
2006-12-26 19:28:00 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I always imagined it as the raw stuff of chaos, like in the mythological Greek version. I believe it came from God; if He didn't make it, it would be difficult for Him to control and shape it.
The word "earth" is meant to imply "world" or "universe," not the planet.
2006-12-26 19:39:01 · answer #1 · answered by Iris 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is a theory in Bible interpretation called the "Gap Theory", which theorizes that there is a gap in time between verse 1 and 2, and that the condition of the earth at that time was the result of a cataclysmic judgment of God against an earlier race of beings who inhabited the earth. Some believe this was a race of beings who fell in with Lucifer in his rebellion against God and suffered divine judgment. The theory was developed more fully in the writings of a man name G.H. Pember, and has fallen under lots of criticism from certain creationists, however it does seem to explain some things that are not so easily explained in other models of creationism.
2006-12-27 03:43:25 · answer #2 · answered by wefmeister 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe the devine judgement interpretation.
Between verse 1 and verse 2 is when Lucifer rebelled against God, Satan and his angels were cast out of Heaven to the earth.
It is this judgement that caused the earth to be without form and void.
If want more information email me, I love to talk about the Bible.
2006-12-27 03:44:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its probably saying there was nothing. We can't imagine the concept of nothingness, which is what makes the idea of God and the beginning so confusing. Can you imagine what you were before you were born? You didnt exist, so you were nothingness, so that may be what they are saying about the earth (and the universe), is that before there was something, there was nothing.
Sweet dreams.
2006-12-27 03:34:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
By earth it refers to this plane of existence. Void as in there was nothing at all.
2006-12-27 03:29:28 · answer #5 · answered by Baphomet 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You cannot take the bible literally word for word. It was written by several different people and has many different verses that conflict each other. Also it has been translated many different times from it's original form, so the way you read it is not word for word the way it was written. You are just supposed to grasp the underlying concept.
2006-12-27 03:36:18 · answer #6 · answered by sorcergeek 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The phrase in Hebrew is " un-formed and un-filled".
It wasn't finished yet.
There's a book by the same name.
2006-12-27 03:36:11 · answer #7 · answered by revulayshun 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Deep question. Too late in the evening to even begin to think about this.
2006-12-27 03:30:26 · answer #8 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I say it means the earth wasn't here until God told it to be here.
2006-12-27 03:31:01 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It was an earthly void!
2006-12-27 03:31:43 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋