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The Gap Theory
This attempt to harmonize science and Scripture arose as belief in an old earth became prevalent. A time-gap is proposed between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2, during which the ancient original world was destroyed catastrophically as a judgment on Lucifer's rebellion. The six days are then taken literally as the time involved in a re-creation. The three main problems and inconsistencies of this theory come about because the long ages it seeks to incorporate are said to be represented by the successive layers of fossil-bearing rocks.
1. By placing this fossil record before Adam, gappists thus must place death and struggle before the Fall.
2. The catastrophe proposed to destroy the pre-Adamite world would have destroyed or reworked any pre-existing fossil record of long ages, thus eliminating the main reason for the theory in the first place.
3. The world-wide Flood of Noah, in spite of its Scriptural prominence, is thus given an insignificant or non-existent role in accounting for geological evidence, in favor of a postulated catastrophe about which the Bible is silent.
There are other problems and inconsistencies, not the least of which is the fact that it is based on an unnatural and grammatically unsound interpretation being imposed on the text. Being unable to satisfy the requirements of uniformitarian/evolutionary science in the slightest, it fails in its original intent to harmonize this with the Bible.
This article was adapted from Christian Answers Website. Please visit them at www.christiananswers.net.