Job 38:4-7 : 4 where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6 whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7 when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of god shouted for joy?
Gap Fact Belief Premise:
The Gap “Fact” crowd believes that the Sons of God (Angels including Lucifer) were there at the beginning of the Earth in Genesis 1:1. They specifically focus on verses 4 and 7. They believe the dirt “In the earth” itself is the foundations spoken of in verse 4.
Gap Fact Belief Problems:
The gap fact crowd assumes/implies that the “foundations of the earth” in the above verses is the dirt in the earth. If you study the phrase “laid foundations of the earth” in your bible, you will find much more detail on:
The first part of this theory we will look at is “foundational”. It’s the belief that the angels were created before Genesis 1:1. This belief is based/justified on the interpretation of following verse:
Job 38:4 (KJV) Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
If you look only at the job passage of scripture it’s easy to see how someone can come to this view. However we are Bible students and we want to study the whole Bible. I did a search on the term “laid the foundations of the earth” in the Bible and the following pages are the results of studying that phrase. That study led me to a series of three questions I had and the answers I found in the Bible.
What are the Foundations of the Earth?
Where are the Foundations of the Earth?
When were the foundations of the earth created during the 6 days of creation?
Below are a few examples of the “Gap Fact” believers interpretation of this verse and its justification for the Gap theory and Angels being created before Genesis 1:1.
You will also notice this belief also never explores or explains Verses 5 and 6 in the Job 38 passage. These additional verses are never looked at, explained or studied in depth. These verses certainly add detail and color to the context of this passage of scripture. The Job reference provides very plain evidence that the dirt “inthe earth” cannot be the foundations “of the earth“. This then creates a natural problem of the “gap fact” in that the creation of angels is not before or on Genesis 1:1. As we dig into the whole scripture in the subsequent pages you will see what the bible says about this subject.
Dr. Gene Kim’s View of the foundations of the earth
Michael Pearl’s View of the foundations of the earth
“The angels existed before the earth was created, for they were present and rejoicing when the foundations of the earth were laid. The proof text is undeniable. God humbles Job by asking him a question he cannot answer, for the events occurred before the six days of recreation.
Job 38:4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
The above passage in Job cannot be identified with the six days of creation in the first chapter of Genesis”
Michael Pearl – The Gap Fact and Out-of-Whack Creation Scientism – Page 20
Dr. Peter Ruckman’s View of the foundations of the earth
“Although men were not present before the creation of Adam and Eve, something like men must have been present, for beings called the “sons of God” are mentioned in connection with the Pre-Adamic earth (Job 38:1-8).”
Dr. Peter Ruckman, The Book of Genesis Commentary. 1980, p. 5
My Comments: The bible shows clearly when the foundations are laid during the 6 days of creation as you will see in the coming pages. It is during the 6 days of creation and not before Genesis 1:1.
