Some Friday Genesis

Genesis 1
1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Genesis 1:2
2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

There is what some of us call "The gap theory" in Gen1:2. In 1814, Thomas Chalmers noticed something interesting in the terms for "without form and void, "tohu v'bohu. Isaiah 45:18 reads:

18For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

This verse seems to indicate that the earth was not originally created "without form and void" but subsequently became that way. In fact, the verb in that sentence translated "was"-haya- means "became," it ia a transitive verb implying action. Lot's wife became (haya) a pilliar of salt- same verb.
So verse two could be translated, "But the earth became without form and void." The word for "but" here is an adversative in both the Septuagint (Greek) and the Vulgate (Latin). One suggestion is that from this hint in verse 2, possibly there is a gap, an interval of time (maybe billions of years), between verses 1 and 2. Some people dismiss this "Gap Theory," but it could be a hint of a precedent catastrophe, possibly associated with the rebellion of Satan prior to the events of chapter 3.

Satan was originally the number one angel in charge of everything. Through pride, he rebelled and took one third of the angels with him. His seat was not in heaven; it was on the earth. The earth was his domain. The "Gap Theory" suggests that God judged the earth and it became without form and void- ruined and uninhabitable. Verse 2 and forward may describe a re-creation, a reconstruction of the earth after eons of helplessness where Satan couldn't repair his mess. "And the Spirit of God moved on the face of the water's"- and rather than wipe ot the earth, God chose to undertake a plan of redemption. Although not a certainty or a doctrine, the Gap Theory is something to consider.

The literal wording of Genesis 1:2 states that a ruined Earth and cosmos already existed BEFORE the creative work of the seven days began. The literal wording of the verse below states that Adam and Eve were created to replace the previous inhabitants of the Earth.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.(Genesis 1:28 KJV)

This is most interesting. French scientist have discovered six Ancient Zones of Depleted Uranium with Plutonium Products. Of course modern scientist have written it off as some sort of a 'natural' event. What if ancient man had gotten to the point of being able to use nuclear fusion for power. Read the entire article to get the drift...
http://s8int.com/atomic2.html

Can a plausible and convincing case be constructed for highly advanced civilization on Earth thousands of years
earlier than that which is typically taught in formal education? Is it possible to demonstrate that knowledge
commensurate with space travel might well have been possible back then? That line of thinking is so foreign as to
be impossible for many people, because it doesn’t fit current paradigms, requires an open mind to explore, takes
time to dig out supportive evidence, and requires perseverance to survive the onslaught of peer pressure leveled at
anyone who seriously entertains such thoughts as not only possible but probable. Our scientific institutions and
training tend to deny such possibilities by relegating supportive evidence to the status of myth, superstition, or
religious practice. Our religious institutions and training tend to insist upon belief in ideas which are unverifiable
scientifically. A short while ago, historically speaking, religious conviction supported as facts that the Earth was
flat and that it was the center of all that we survey (because that was the accepted perspective at the time). When
men discovered truth to supplant those beliefs, they were persecuted and sometimes executed for heresy to
prevent spread of that knowledge.

Many scientists deny the existence of a creator, but others have been awestruck
while contemplating our surroundings (from the immensity of the universe to the minuteness of sub-atomic
particles). Some wonder what type of Creator Over All might have been responsible for creating from nothing all
that we perceive, and probably much that we cannot yet perceive. Scientists are trained to trust only the verifiable
and repeatable while the religious faithful are more attuned to exorcising demons, life after death, faith healing
and a host of other things for the most part scientifically unverifiable or unrepeatable. This is not to say that either
is right or wrong but only to establish the fact that both can benefit from solid evidence with extrapolation via
sound logic toward plausible explanations, even when not absolutely verifiable nor required to be accepted totally
upon faith. In short, there should be an acceptable position between the concrete and the ethereal (pending further
discovery) which could prevent some of the "death struggle among factions" for the benefit of all civilization on
Earth. Closed minds often contain more misinformation than truth. Teaching openness to new ideas should be a
goal of formal education yet the opposite is often the result. That said, I dare you to explore some new ideas, test
them, then decide whether to keep them, but please don’t dismiss them without examining the evidence.
http://www.lloydpye.com/DamonPathArticle.pdf

Question:Could a civilization really destroy itself by nuclear weapons?The atomic bomb that obliterated the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945 had a payload of 13 kilotons (13 thousand tons of TNT). The largest publicly known individual nuclear weapons in existence today have yields rated at approximately 50 megatons. There are now several countries that have nuclear weapons.Should all those weapons go off one day, there would be a sequence of events on this planet.Colossal booms would be heard. Shock waves would be triggered. Flashes of super bright light would be sent forth. There would be ripples in the land as the shock energy causes the earths surface to buckle and heave resulting in major earth quakes which toss everything in the air. Tsunami's would be sent forth, covering islands and coastal regions. The tidal waves would destroy everything in their paths. Hundreds of millions of people would be wiped out in minutes.
Soon the world would fall into a "nuclear winter" as dust and smoke hefted up into the atmosphere by the nuclear explosions and by the fires, blotting out the sun for several months. The land would become so dark you will not be able to see your hand in front of your face. A long period of freezing shadowy gloom would follow, during which many of the living that had survived the initial effects of the explosions would have perished from cold, hunger, and exposure. Photosynthesis would be suppressed and all over the earth the food chain would be interrupted.
The pall of smoke would mix with the floating ash and dust thrown into the upper atmosphere by the explosions. With the loss of sunlight, land temperatures would plummet to Siberian winter levels, thick ice would form over rivers and lakes, animal and plant life would be devastated, all farming would cease. There would be chemical changes in the atmosphere. The explosions would fuse atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen to form nitrogen oxides, which would later react with water to form nitric acid. Similarly sulphuric acid might be produced from burning plant material. Such reactions would completely remove the protective layer of stratospheric ozone. As the sky gradually cleared of smoke, ash and dust, therefore, any surviving creatures on Earth would be exposed to ultraviolet radiation of germicidal intensity along with nuclear fall~out radiation.The consequences for humanity would be unspeakably dreadful. And the earth would be left "without form and an empty waste, and darkness would be upon the face of the very great deep...(Genesis 1:2)

Possible Reconstruction...It is undeniable, from the geological point of view, that earth reflects a long history of chaos and upheavel, and of conditions that are distinctly harmful to life rather than perfectly suited for it. It can be shown quite easily, from geology, that earliest record of the rocks fits the description of Gensis 1:2.The six days that followed (1:3-2:1) are generally regarded, by those who hold the reconstruction view, as 24-hour days during which God placed His ruined creation back in order and made it suitable once again for human habitation.Geologists have considerable difficulty in finding evidence for such a "reconstruction" immediately prior to the advent of the human race. It is conceivable, of course, that the brief period of the Garden of Eden would not be recorded in geological formations.There is no universal agreement on the accuracy of the reconstruction interpretation, but it has been taught by some Christian geologists. It offers a plausible way of accounting for the vast span of geologic time, and of harmonizing that time with the Bible record, particularly as it relates to the fall of Satan and the possible cursing of the earth.We read that the Spirit of God, who is the Holy Spirit, moved or brooded upon the face of the waters (1:2). Perhaps this was in preparation for the coming work of God upon the earth.God caused, first of all, light to emerge. This was not the creation of the sun or moon, but probably the clearing away of the heavy blanket of foggy atmosphere which had covered the earth.The work of the other days followed: the vapor was divided, with part remaining in the firmament-space-and part collecting as hugh seas. The dry land was raised; the earth brough forth its floral offerings; the sun and moon appeared; fish, birds, and animals were created; and finally, all was in readiness for man's habitation.After God brought into existence all the creatures (uncounted as yet), He surveyed His work and pronounced it "very good" (1:31).One more matter remained to be accomplished. The triune God held a conference (1:26) to plan for the creation of a person who was to have dominion over all the earth and its creatures-man himself.

Albert Einstein once remarked that there seemed to be a missing planet. Somehow he figured out the gravatational effects and balance of the heavenly planets and their precession, and by his calculations there was a missing planet. As strange as it sounds, there is evidence that perhaps a planet had exploded. We see the astroid pelted moon and we see the astroid belt of debris. The main asteroid belt in our solar system lies between Mars and Jupiter, but some cross Earth's orbit and even collide with the Earth. The discovery of 'impact rings' at the Yucatan peninsula (lending credit to the theory that an asteroid killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago), the Shoemaker-Levy 9 incident of the mid-1990s, and movies such as 'Deep Impact' and 'Armageddon', have recently increased our awareness of this floating, dangerous, rocky debris. Most planets have evidence of having been pelted by astroid debris.

Seems like the missing planet exploded in some type of a heavenly warfare.
Satan always has sought to hide under a cloak of anonymity. His strategy is to hide his true identity. First, he suggests to susceptible men that he does not exist at all; that the idea of a devil is but a figment of imagination. Surprisingly enough, multitudes of people accept this lie. For them, evil is but the absence of good, and people do wrong simply because they do not do right. The conception of a wicked spirit who lures them to evil is unthinkable. Satan does not want man to know what he has been doing and is doing.

Satan likes people to think of him as a leering, tempting joker. Dressed in a bright red suit, equipped with horns and a tail and carrying a pitchfork, he is pictured as the monarch of hell, surrounded by inmates enjoying a rollicking good time. This is the image gleefully seized upon and exploited by the press and comedians and tatoo artist etc... Nothing pleases Satan more than this unbelievable characterization of himself.

Lucifer's Sin...Admittedly, there are matters in the Scriptures difficult to understand. One of these, certainly, is the reason for the sin of Lucifer. Doubtless, both he and the angelic host were endowed with a free will ( Free moral agency). Yet, how it is possible for him, a being "full of wisdom" and "perfect in his ways" to sin so grievously against God is one of the major mysteries of all time.A striking passage in Isaiah 14:12-17 seems to suggest the sinfulness of Satan and the enormity of his rebellion against God:"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!"For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north;"I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit."They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;"That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof, that opened not the house of his prisoners?"

The beginning of Isaiah 14 has to do with the restoration and blessing of Israel and the world. Suddenly, however, the spotlight is turned upon the underlying cause of sin and suffering, which is embodied in the person of Satan. He is addressed as "Lucifer," meaning bright and shining one.Some Bible scholars believe that this Isaiah passage is prophetic, from the point of view of that coming time when Satan will come to know the full punishment of the wrath of God for his rebellion and transgression against His throne.The particular interest of this passage lies in the minute examination of the innermost heart of Satan. Here is the key to his sin. Here exposed are the motivating forces which caused his mutiny against God.We must bear in mind that this rebellion occured long before the time of Adam and Eve, apparently long prior to the period when the earth lay "without form and void" (Gen. 1:2).

Open conflict raged between Satan and God, in heavenly places.The character of the sin of Lucifer may be divided into five parts, all progressing from the lesser to the greater. Essentially, the nature of the sin was the desire for self-will. Lucifer wanted his own way instead of the way of God. Essentially, this is the root of all sin.In striking contrast to this was the will of the Lord Jesus Christ when He came into this earth. During His ministry here, He declared His desire for the Father's will rather than His own.The diffrence is sharply outlined when we note that Lucifer five times used the declarative statement, "I will." Against this we note our Saviour's earnest words, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt"; "I come...to do Thy will, O God" (Matt. 26:39; Heb. 10:7 ).It seems evident that the commission of Lucifer had been to direct the angelic hosts in their various tasks over the universe.

His was also the high honor of guarding the throne of God. Yet, this did not satisfy him. As the scripture outlines Lucifer's sin, the desire of his heart seemed to be to rise to ever greater achievements, even to displacing God from His throne. (Sounds like "Suvivor" huh? You know with all of the competition and deceit stuff...)Note that the first "I will" suggests that Lucifer coveted permanent residence in Heaven ( Isa. 14:13). The next "I will" indicates that he wanted precedence above all of God's creation. The term "stars of God" evidently refers to similar mighty angelic creatures, such as the archangle Michael and the might friend of Israel, Gabriel.

The third "I will" of the devil reveals that this creature sought even further recognition and exaltation in a particular part of heaven known as the "mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north." Perhaps it was in this place that the very high throne of God was located.All of this wickedness led on to its inevitable conclusion. Lucifer, so generously endowed with beauty and wisdom, would not be satisfied with anything but the highest honor. He wanted to "ascend above the heights of the clouds." In fact, he plotted to be like the Most High. In this aspiration lay a naked desire to dethrone God, for no one can be like the Most High without displacing Him.

Although hidden in the heart of Lucifer, these virulent ambitions were known to God, before whose eyes all things are "naked and opened" ( Heb. 4:13). Swift judgement followed. Lucifer was cast down from his high position to become Satan, the deceiver, the adversary, the archenemy of God and the people of God. His final doom is sealed, but the execution of that eternal sentence awaits the time and place appointed by God.

Judgment...All that was involved in the judgment of Satan is not stated in Scripture. We do know that he was relieved of his high position; that he lost his nobility, privileges, and glory; that his character became unspeakably despicable, so that he was spoken of by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself as " a liar and the father of it" ( John 8:44). However, he retained access to heaven as an accuser of believers ( Job 1:6; Luke 22:31,32).

It seems evident that in the fall of Satan, many other angels were involved as well. These are described as "the angels which kept not their first estate" ( Jude 6). Many Bible teachers believe it is these who are referred to as "the third part of the stars of heaven" ( Rev.12:4). This would mean that when Satan was driven from his high position, a third of the angelic host followed him in his rebellion against God and His authority.Some Bible teachers think that these fallen angels are what are known as demons, who are still under the control of Satan, who do his will and war against the power and authority of God. Others seem to be mentioned as " the angels that sinned...delivered...into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment" ( II Pet. 2:4 ).

Three expressions are used to describe the evil spirit beings who are some of Satan's main agents in his warfare against humanity. First, demon ( Greek, diamonion ). This is the primary expression. The second expression used in the New Testament to describe an evil spirit is unclean spirit. The third expression is evil spirit.There are many demons but only one "devil". The original King James Version regularly translates daimonion as "devil". Diamonion is a derivative of daimon. The refrence to the original Greek indicates that there are two distinct entities: diamon, which is primary, and daimonion which is derivative. The english word devil is actually derived from the Greek word diabolos, which has no direct relationship with diamonion. Diabolos means "slanderer".

In all but three occurrences in the New Testament, it is a title of Satan himself. In this sense it is used only in singular form. There are many demons but only one devil.Satan is given this title because his primary activity is to slander- that is, to defame a person's character. First and foremost, Satan defames the character of God Himself. He did this in the Garden of Eden, when he suggested to Adam and Eve that God was not treating them fairly by withholding from them the knowledge of good and evil. Second, Satan defames the character of all those who in any way represent God. This is his primary weapon against the servants of God.Demons influence people.Jesus expeled demons from people:At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demonized. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons, and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him. ( Mark 1:32-34 )

Believers expeled demons from people:And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed [demonized]; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. ( Acts 8:6-7 )This is New Testament evangelism: The Gospel is preached and the multitudes hear; they see the miracles and casting out of demons and they believe; they are baptized and the Church is established. A central element is the expelling of demons, which is often accompanied by noisy and disorderly manifestations. Other features of evangelism vary, but this element is central to evangelism as practiced in the New Testament, first by Jesus, then by His disciples.What are demons? Demons are disembodied spirit beings that have an intense craving to occupy physical bodies.

Apparently their first choice is a human body.Some Bible teachers believe:1. They are some of the fallen angels associated with Satan in his rebellion against God.2. They are disembodied spirits of a pre-adamic race that perished under some judgment of God not recorded in detail in Scripture.Scripture does not provide us with sufficient evidence to say which is correct.It is believed that the earth was the scene of Lucifers first activity, being, as it were, his headquarters. So, say some scholars, as a result of God's judgment upon the sin of Lucifer, the earth was cursed, too. Those who hold this belief say that this is intimated in the opening statements of the Bible where, after it is told that, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," it is declared that the earth was "without form, and void" ( Gen. 1:1,2 )It is unthinkable that God would create anything that was imperfect, formless, a desolate waste. His very nature is system and order. He is not the author of confusion. The difficulty is solved in the "substitution of "became" for "was" ( as allowed by the Hebrew), in Genesis 1:2. The thought is thereby conveyed that while the earth originally was created with all the beauty, precision, and perfection characteristic of God, something happened to it. Later, it was changed, possibly due to the fall of Satan.Let us suppose for a moment that daimonions are spirits that once occupied the bodies of members of some pre-Adamic race who led ungodly and sinful lives.

In their present condition, however, they have no way to give expression to the various lusts and passions and emotions they developed in their former bodies. It is conceivable that they could find some kind of vicarious release by acting out their lusts or passions or emotions through human bodies.This would explain one dominant characteristic of demons: their intense craving to inhabit and work through human flesh.Jesus tells us:"Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, "I will return to my house from which I came", and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept and put in order." ( Matthew 12:43-44 )We need to remember that the Bible records only the history of the race descended from Adam. In this connection it uses the phrase sons ( or descendants ) of Adam. It was to redeem the members of this race that Jesus came as "the last Adam" (Corinthinans 15:45). If other races existed before Adam, the Bible makes no explicit reference to them.It may be that neither of the two theories about demons is correct- that they are neither fallen angels nor disembodied spirits from an earlier race of beings. However demons do exist and they do exert influence over people.

Demons manifest themselves through humanity under many diffrent names.Although the problem of sin is universal, the problem with demons is not. Many members of the human race have come under the power of demons, but not all. There is a close connection between sin and demons. If mankind had never sinned, we would never have been vulnerable to demons.And the remedy? Expel them. Jesus Christ is the answer!
There may have been a great heavenly battle between angelic beings when Satan was cast down from heaven. The earth possibly was damaged along with the complete destruction of the missing planet.

Jeremiah 4:23I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
Genesis 1:3And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Isaiah 45:7I form the light...

Almighty God spoke, The universe, earth matter, light, day and night.
"Let there be light"God creates light and separates light from darkness, and day from night, on the first day. Yet he didn't make the light producing objects (the sun and the stars) until the fourth day (1:14-19).

Genesis 1:14And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
There seems to be "Light" and "Lights."

Psalm 74:16The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
We know that the moon does not produce it's own light, it only reflects the sun's light.
The Psalmist tells us that God clothes Himself in light:
Psalm 104:2Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain.
Habakkuk 3:4And his brightness was as the light; he had light beams (rays) coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.
Matthew 4:16The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
Matthew 17:2And (Jesus) was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Acts 22:6And it came to pass, that, as I (Paul) made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
Acts 22:9And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
Acts 22:11And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.Acts 26:13At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.1 Timothy 6:15-17
15Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
16Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto.
1 John 1:5This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
Revelation 22:5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Adam and Eve...The account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is factual. It is neither a myth nor an allegory. God planted the Garden, and then, taking the dust of earth, He formed the body of Adam, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (God's life) and man became a living soul ( Gen. 2:7). After this, God made Eve from a rib of Adam. Thus, the first family began.One of the distinguishing characteristics of mankind is free will. Man is a creature with power of choice. He may choose the will of God or his own way.To emphasize this, God placed a special tree in the Garden, there were other trees too. But this one tree was forbidden. It is called the tree of knowledge of good and evil.The necessity for such a tree is clearly seen. Adam and Eve were to be called upon to choose for God. But there would be no choice if there was not a possibility to choose against God.

But God did everything to make obedience wholly desirable. He created Adam and Eve with strong mental faculties. They were neither beasts nor barbarians. Their minds were keen, discerning, and they must have known instinctively what it takes years of schooling to accuire of the knowledge of the universe today.

God provided abundantly for man's needs. Food was in generous supply; the climate was ideal. Adam lacked nothing. The climax of God's gifts to him was a companion, Eve.Futhur, God warned of the consequences of disobedience. He solemnly set forth the penalty which would accompany any deviation from His revealed, perfect will.God gave Adam work to do. Far too often lives are wrecked from idelness. It was not so much with our first parents. "And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it" (Gen. 2:15). God entered into fellowship with man, and they talked together in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8).

Then came the test. Satan, smarting under God's judgement, sought to wreck the Lord's new program. Man had been given dominion over that which formerly had been Satan's domain. How would the enemy of God proceed?

This was far from any isolated incident. As it were, all heaven held its breath. The test was not simply whether Adam and Eve would eat the fruit of the tree, but whether the authority of Almighty God would prevail against determined Satanic attack.

The first act of religion is recorded in Gen 3. Remember what Adam and Eve did when they first discovered they had sinned? Gen 3:7: "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons." The word for 'aprons' actually means 'covering' or 'armor.' We think of them being just nude but it may mean much more than that; they were no longer sheathed in light. This has far more profound implications than we can know. The first thing they tried to do was to cover themselves, to cover over their sin by the work of their hands. "Religion" is always man's attempt to cover himself. But the central message of the Bible is that God Himself has taken care of it as only He can- if we but accept it.

David