***Such theories, such as the Gap Theory, in no way have any value within themselves....Yet, today the Gap Theory is still being taught by a few proponents as fact, and yet it was never anything more than a man's theory or speculation. ***
Actually, the Gap Theory, does have an exegetical reference. The terms [Hebrew: tohu v'bohu] translated "without form and void" in Hebrew strongly imply a prior judgment, and would better be translated "desolate and a wasteland".
tohu...
UhoT n.m. formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness -- 1. formlessness, of primaeval earth, of land reduced to primaeval chaos (both + Uhobfw and voidness), ' T-tay:riq city of chaos (of ruined city); = nothingness, empty space; of empty, trackless waste. 2. fig. of what is empty, unreal, as idols (coll. of idolmakers), groundless arguments or considerations, moral unreality or falsehood; = a thing of nought, worthlessness; as adv. acc. I said not, yinU$:Qab UhoT seek me emptily, to no purpose.
w = and
bohu...
UhoB n.[m.] emptiness, alw. c. UhoT q.v.; Uhobfw$ UhoT of primaeval earth; of earth under judgment of ' y ; Uhob$ y"n:b):w Uhot-waq the line of wasteness and the stones of emptiness, i.e. plummets, employed, not as usual for building, but for destroying walls; v. sub }b) 6.
This terminology is the basis of the question whether there was some event between 1:1 and 1:2 that transformed the original creation of God into a scene of judgment.
The Gap Theory is simply a theory, but it is an attempt to explain the actual language of the text of Genesis 1:2.
We discussed the gap theory a bit in my survey class..Just another one of those things that in the long run make no difference IMHO:>)
The Gap Theory is simply a theory, but it is an attempt to explain the actual language of the text of Genesis 1:2 I accept the Gap 'theory' as fact, based on comparing Gen.1:1-2 with 2Pet.3:5, That by the word of God the heavens were of old,and the earth standing out of the water and in the water...but the heavens and the earth which are now (2Pet.3:7)
Thus, you had a 'old' heaven, with an 'old' earth, which was submerged in water, then the current heaven and earth, which was recreated in Gen.1:3