The Gap Theory and Associated Fall of Satan from Heaven
In Prophecy Update 148A I presented the history of
the Gap Theory. In Prophecy Update 148B
I presented the two basic Scriptures that are used to make the linguistic
biblical case for its validity. Basically, the Gap Theory advocates that Satan
was created by God as a sinless Archangel and placed over the material universe
as its prince and protector, with countless number of angels under his authority
to facilitate the tasks of the commission he had received from God. But Satan rebelled against the authority of
his maker, and caused one-third of the angels to follow him in his rebellion,
and they also fell from favor with their creator. I believe this rebellion occurred between
Genesis 1:1 and 1:2, and changed God’s original creation of the earth in verse
1 to the desolate waste found in verse 2 (Please see Updates 148A & 148B).
Genesis 1:1,2 – In the beginning God created the
heaven and the earth. [2] And the earth was (became) without form (tohu), and
void (bohu); and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God
moved upon the face of the waters.
Our understanding of time, as finite human beings,
is really incapable of grasping time as God views it. Peter alludes to this principle in his second
epistle.
II Peter 3:8-12 – But, beloved, be not ignorant of
this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a
thousand years as one day. [9] The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as
some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
I believe that perhaps as long a period of time as
six billion years passed between Genesis 1:1 and 1:3, and that the verses from
1:3 onwards are about a restoring, a reconstruction, a reshaping, a remolding
of God’s original creation, which was marred by the fall of Satan. I do not believe man ever existed upon the
earth until the sixth day of the restoring of the earth by its creator. I believe Genesis 2:7 occurred on the sixth
day of the remolding of God’s first creation.
Genesis 2:7 – And the Lord God formed man of the
dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man
became a living soul.
I believe that one of the reasons God created man
was to place him over the creation he had assigned Satan as prince before his
sin against God. But Adam also sinned,
and lost his position as ruler over the creation. God then immediately advised Adam and Eve
that he would one day send a Seed from their lineage to crush the power of the
prince of this world, Satan, and thereby restore man as its ruler. Jesus was that Seed.
Genesis 3:15 – And I will put enmity between thee
and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and
thou shalt bruise his heel.
Christ came as that Seed possessing power over Satan
and all his fallen angels, which are now also identified as devils or
demons. Christ, as the pre-incarnate Son
of God, saw Satan when he first fell billions of years ago.
Luke 10:17,18 – And the seventy returned again with
joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. [18]
And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
When Satan fell, about one-third of the angels fell
from heaven with him as his followers. A
falling star looks like a long bolt of lightning coming down from the heavens,
and the stars of Revelation 12:4 represent all the angels that fell to the
earth long ago with the Dragon, who is Satan.
Satan fell from heaven billions of years before the
Seed arrived in the manger in Bethlehem, but patiently waited for the Seed’s
arrival in the flesh, hoping to destroy him and keep his kingdom. But the Seed grew to manhood, was crucified
for our sins, and Philippians 2:6-11 was fulfilled. Christ is in heaven today
as the intercessor for all who have their faith in him for the salvation of
their souls.
Philippians 2:6-11 – Who, being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made himself of no
reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself,
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [9] Wherefore God
also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
[10] That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and
things in earth, and things under the earth; [11] And that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
If we confess him in this life, he will confess us
forever as his children. It is a matter
of first believing in the heart he is the total sacrifice for your sins to the
extent you believe he is still alive by calling on his name to save you. Confession of him from your mouth as your
Savior then naturally follows.
Romans 10:9,10 – That if thou shalt confess with thy
mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:13 – For whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved.
Acts 4:12 – Neither is there salvation in any other:
for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be
saved.
So Satan fell long ago, with one-third of the
angelic host, but failed to destroy the Christ child, who is now in heaven with
all the power of God.
Revelation 12:4,5 – And his tail drew the third part
of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood
before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as
soon as it was born. [5] And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all
nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his
throne.
Christ judged the prince of this world, and Satan
was found wanting, and the power he held over men through the threat of death
was broken by the Seed, who stepped on the serpent’s head and broke his
power. But in so doing, the Seed’s heel,
which walked upon earth to redeem mankind, was more than bruised at Golgotha.
Isaiah 53:5 – But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our
peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
But the Seed’s death passed judgment on Satan, and
this world over which Satan was prince, and now the power of the Holy Spirit
draws men to the resurrected Seed through the preaching of the cross.
I Corinthians 1:18 – For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power
of God.
John 12:32 – And I, if I be lifted up from the
earth, will draw all men unto me.
John 14:30 – Hereafter I will not talk much with
you: for the prince of this world (Satan) cometh, and hath nothing IN ME.
Satan could never possess the righteousness of God
that is in Christ after falling, hence Jesus said, “and hath nothing IN
ME.” We can only be made the
righteousness of God by our position in Christ.
II Corinthians 5:21 – For he hath made him to be sin
for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God IN HIM.
Christ alone can impute to us his righteousness, and
he imputes it based on our faith in him to save us from the power of death,
which is eternal separation from him in a lake of fire. The power of Satan is broken, and now men and
women can be set free from the condemnation of God for their sins by trusting
in Christ’s sacrifice for their sins.
Only faith in the saving power of the Son can forever remove us from the
condemnation of God for what we all are – born sinners.
John 8:36 – If the Son therefore shall make you
free, ye shall be free indeed.
Lord willing, in our next Prophecy Update, I will
clearly define from Scripture what I believe Satan did that caused his
fall. I will also discuss the dinosaurs,
evolution, when man was placed on this earth, and other things I am often asked
about creation.