The Two Beasts of Revelation

[Davy]

There is a pop belief going around in certain seminaries, which I won't name which ones, that are wrongly teaching that the 1st beast that comes up out of the 'sea' of Revelation 13:1, is about the Antichrist as a concept, pretty much leaving it open to just any interpretation one desires about "antichrist", except the only true interpretation that the Scriptures point to.

Then for their interpretation about the 2nd beast which Rev.13 mentions in verse 11, they push the "false prophet" label on that one when the Revelation 13:11 verse is pointing to the "dragon" (i.e., Satan per Rev.12:9). The "false prophet" idea is from Revelation 16.

The Revelation 17 chapter helps define the symbols in Rev.13, because it tells you more info as to what they mean. So really, both chapters should be studied together, along with other relevant chapters in God's Word, like Daniel 7.

If one sticks to the Scriptures as actually written, then all their cloudiness in it gets cleared away...

Rev 13:1-14
13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

This 1st beast comes up out of the "sea", so waters are used as a symbol. This beast has ten horns, seven heads, and ten crowns, which that second verse along with it especially point to the beast kingdom symbols given in Daniel 7. Thus the Daniel 7 chapter is made part of this Rev.13 revealing by Lord Jesus via His servant John.

In Rev.17, we are told the "seven heads" are "seven mountains". And that the "great whore" sits upon "many waters" and also sits upon "seven heads and ten horns". We are also told those "waters" represent "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues". That is about that 1st beast of Rev.13:1-2. It is about a 'kingdom' beast, a world-wide system over all the nations upon earth for the end of this world. It is the final 5th beast part of Daniel 2, the beast of the feet of ten toes made of part iron mixed with part clay. It is NOT the Antichrist. It's his beast kingdom. The Antichrist is not a system, nor kingdom; the Antichrist is an entity, a person.

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

Per Rev.17, the "seven heads" are "seven mountains", which is about this 1st beast, a beast kingdom over all nations that the "great whore" sits upon. One of the beast kingdom's 7 heads (one of its 7 mountains) suffered a "deadly wound", not the Antichrist.

When we look at Rev.17 about the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit, and learn of "the beast that was, and is not, and yet is", that is about this "deadly wound" that one of the seven heads suffered, and then is healed. There is even a direct connection to the Revelation 17:8 verse about those who will "wonder" when they behold that beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit, and he goes into perdition. Here in Revelation 13:3, we are told that same idea of "all the world wondered after the beast." So once again, Rev.17 is helping to explain these symbols in Rev.13. We just have to pay attention in study there.

Thus this "deadly wound" upon one of the beast kingdom's "seven mountains" happened some time in the past, and then for this Revelation beast system (which is for the end of this world), that deadly wound is healed. A question we might ask ourselves at this point is, "well who or what healed that deadly wound, and when exactly?" And remember, per Revelation 17:8, the beast was, and is not, and yet is, when all the world will wonder after it.


4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Per Rev.12:9 we know that "dragon" title is just another title for Satan, for he has many. These next verses reveal the whole world will worship that "dragon", except for Christ's elect whose names were written in the book of life from the foundation of the world. Per the end of this Rev.13 chapter, the Antichrist, who will speak as a "dragon", is who will setup the "image of the beast" for all to bow in worship to. So make no mistake, this is revealing that it will be Satan himself the whole world will worship as the coming Antichrist.


5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Those above events of his blaspheming against God, and having power over the saints for a time, and a times, and half a time (i.e., 3.5 years, or 42 months), was first mentioned in the Book of Daniel, especially Daniel 7:25. And those Daniel scriptures were describing a single person, mentioned as a "little horn" that comes up among ten horns, which Revelation 17:13-14 points to with the one the ten horns give their power to. So really, Rev.13 and prophecy in the Book of Daniel are linked together here by our Lord Jesus.

 

[BARNEY BRIGHT]

Revelation 13: 1,2 And I saw a wild beast ascending out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, and upon its horns ten diadems, but upon its heads blasphemous names. Now the wild beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were as those of a bear, and its mouth was as a lion’s mouth. And the dragon gave to the beast its power and its throne and great authority.
What is this freakish beast? The Bible itself gives the answer. Before the fall of Babylon in 539 B.C.E., the Jewish prophet Daniel saw visions involving ferocious beasts. At Daniel 7:1-8 he describes four beasts coming out of the sea, the first resembling a lion, the second a bear, the third a leopard, and “see there! a fourth beast, fearsome and terrible and unusually strong . . . and it had ten horns.” This is remarkably similar to the wild beast seen by John about the year 96 C.E. That beast of Revelation 13:1,2 also has the characteristics of a lion, a bear, and a leopard, and it has ten horns. What is the identity of the huge beasts seen by Daniel at Daniel 7:1-8 He informs us: “These huge beasts . . . are four kings that will stand up from the earth.” (Daniel 7:17)Yes, those beasts represent “kings,” or political powers of the earth.
In another vision, Daniel sees a two-horned ram that is struck down by a goat with a great horn. The angel Gabriel explains to him what it means: “The ram with the two horns stands for the kings of Media and Persia. And the hairy he-goat stands for the king of Greece.” Gabriel goes on to prophesy that the great horn of the he-goat would be broken and be succeeded by four horns. This actually happened more than 200 years later when Alexander the Great died and his kingdom was split into four kingdoms ruled over by four of his generals. (Daniel 8:3-8, 20-25)

It is clear, therefore, that the Only True God who inspired the Bible to be written, regards the political powers of the earth as beasts. What kind of beasts? One commentator calls the wild beast of Revelation 13:1,2 a “brute,” and adds: “We accept all the connotations that θηρίον [the·riʹon, the Greek word for “beast”] conveys, such as that of a cruel, destructive, frightful, ravenous, etc., monster.” How well that describes the bloodstained political system by which Satan has dominated mankind! Each of the seven heads of this wild beast stand for six major world powers featured in Bible history up to John’s day—Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome—and a seventh world power prophesied to appear later. compare Revelation 17:9,10

 

[Davy]

It is clear, therefore, that the Only True God who inspired the Bible to be written, regards the political powers of the earth as beasts. What kind of beasts? One commentator calls the wild beast of Revelation 13:1,2 a “brute,” and adds: “We accept all the connotations that θηρίον [the·riʹon, the Greek word for “beast”] conveys, such as that of a cruel, destructive, frightful, ravenous, etc., monster.” How well that describes the bloodstained political system by which Satan has dominated mankind! Each of the seven heads of this wild beast stand for six major world powers featured in Bible history up to John’s day—Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome—and a seventh world power prophesied to appear later. compare Revelation 17:9,10

Yep!

The 1st beast of Rev.13:1-2 is being compared to the previous world beast empires of past history.

But what is that beast with ten horns, seven heads, and only seven crowns mentioned back at Revelation 12:3-4 during the time when the "dragon" drew a third of the stars to earth?

 

[BARNEY BRIGHT]

Davy asked:
But what is that beast with ten horns, seven heads, and only seven crowns mentioned back at Revelation 12:3-4 during the time when the "dragon" drew a third of the stars to earth?[/Quote\]


This dragon is Satan, “the original serpent.” (Revelation 12:9; Genesis 3:15) He is a ferocious destroyer—a seven-headed dragon, or devourer, that can completely swallow his prey. How strange he looks! Those seven heads and ten horns indicate that he is the architect of the political wild beast soon to be described in Revelation Chapter 13. This beast also has seven heads and ten horns. Since Satan has a diadem on each head—seven in all—we can be sure that the world powers represented in that wild beast have been under his rulership. (John 16:11) The ten horns are a fitting symbol of the completeness of the power that he has exercised in this world.

The dragon has authority also in the spirit realm. With his tail, he “drags a third of the stars of heaven.” Stars can represent angels. (Job 38:7) Mention of “a third” would emphasize that a considerable number of angels have been misled by Satan. Once these came under his control, there was no escape for them. They could not return to God’s holy organization. They became demons, dragged along, as it were, by Satan their king, or ruler. (Matthew 12:24) Satan also cast them down to the earth. This refers to Noah’s day before the Flood, when Satan induced the disobedient sons of God to go down to earth and cohabit with the daughters of men. As a punishment, these “angels that sinned” have been thrown by God into the prisonlike condition called Tartarus, remember that I said Tartarus is a condition not a place. Genesis 6:4; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6.

 

[Davy]

Davy asked:
But what is that beast with ten horns, seven heads, and only seven crowns mentioned back at Revelation 12:3-4 during the time when the "dragon" drew a third of the stars to earth?[/Quote\]


This dragon is Satan, “the original serpent.” (Revelation 12:9; Genesis 3:15) He is a ferocious destroyer—a seven-headed dragon, or devourer, that can completely swallow his prey. How strange he looks! Those seven heads and ten horns indicate that he is the architect of the political wild beast soon to be described in Revelation Chapter 13. This beast also has seven heads and ten horns. Since Satan has a diadem on each head—seven in all—we can be sure that the world powers represented in that wild beast have been under his rulership. (John 16:11) The ten horns are a fitting symbol of the completeness of the power that he has exercised in this world.

The dragon has authority also in the spirit realm. With his tail, he “drags a third of the stars of heaven.” Stars can represent angels. (Job 38:7) Mention of “a third” would emphasize that a considerable number of angels have been misled by Satan. Once these came under his control, there was no escape for them. They could not return to God’s holy organization. They became demons, dragged along, as it were, by Satan their king, or ruler. (Matthew 12:24) Satan also cast them down to the earth. This refers to Noah’s day before the Flood, when Satan induced the disobedient sons of God to go down to earth and cohabit with the daughters of men. As a punishment, these “angels that sinned” have been thrown by God into the prisonlike condition called Tartarus, remember that I said Tartarus is a condition not a place. Genesis 6:4; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6.

The original timing when Satan drew those third of angels was at his original rebellion in coveting God's Throne in that old world. The reason why that is shown there in those beginning Revelation 12:1-5 verses is because those first few verses represent a summary of the beginning of this world down to the time of Jesus' future reign with a rod of iron. That beast is pointing to the kingdom that Satan originally setup in the old world when he first rebelled. It's given in connection with the type of beast kingdom to be setup again at the end of this present world mentioned starting at Rev.13.

 

[BARNEY BRIGHT]

The original timing when Satan drew those third of angels was at his original rebellion in coveting God's Throne in that old world. The reason why that is shown there in those beginning Revelation 12:1-5 verses is because those first few verses represent a summary of the beginning of this world down to the time of Jesus' future reign with a rod of iron. That beast is pointing to the kingdom that Satan originally setup in the old world when he first rebelled. It's given in connection with the type of beast kingdom to be setup again at the end of this present world mentioned starting at Rev.13.

I disagree. I can find no scriptures that agrees with any rebellion on Satan part until he caused Adam and Eve to sin. Causing Angels to fall into sin isn't recorded until Genesis chapter 6.

 

[Davy]

I disagree. I can find no scriptures that agrees with any rebellion on Satan part until he caused Adam and Eve to sin. Causing Angels to fall into sin isn't recorded until Genesis chapter 6.

The parable about the king of Tyrus in Ezekiel 28 is about Satan, because the flesh king of Tyre never was in God's Garden of Eden, nor ever was a "anointed cherub that covereth".

Ezek 28:12-15
12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
KJV

I'm sorry you don't know about that. Every believer on Christ Jesus should know about that. And that was NOT at a time of Adam and Eve, for by the time Satan appears in Eden as "that old serpent" tempting Eve, he was already in his role as adversary. The above is about a time BEFORE he rebelled against God.

 

[BARNEY BRIGHT]

The parable about the king of Tyrus in Ezekiel 28 is about Satan, because the flesh king of Tyre never was in God's Garden of Eden, nor ever was a "anointed cherub that covereth".

Ezek 28:12-15
12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
KJV

I'm sorry you don't know about that. Every believer on Christ Jesus should know about that. And that was NOT at a time of Adam and Eve, for by the time Satan appears in Eden as "that old serpent" tempting Eve, he was already in his role as adversary. The above is about a time BEFORE he rebelled against God.

That scripture in Ezekiel, which I knew about by the way, doesn't say exactly when iniquity was found in the Angel that became Satan the Devil. The only scripture we have when iniquity was found in this Angel who became Satan the Devil is in Genesis 3: 1-5. So you saying this Angel who became Satan the Devil was already an adversary before the incident of Adam and Eve, show me that scripture that says that. As I said Ezekiel says that iniquity was found in this Angel. The only scripture I have that shows us when this Angel became an adversary against the true God is Genesis 3:1-5

 

[n2thelight]

I disagree. I can find no scriptures that agrees with any rebellion on Satan part until he caused Adam and Eve to sin. Causing Angels to fall into sin isn't recorded until Genesis chapter 6.

Do a study on the 3 earth ages you can start from the below if you like

Three World Ages Bible Study

within that you can also see the rebellion of satan

Rebellion of Satan Bible Study

Had satan not rebelled mankind would never been made flesh

 

[n2thelight]

That scripture in Ezekiel, which I knew about by the way, doesn't say exactly when iniquity was found in the Angel that became Satan the Devil. The only scripture we have when iniquity was found in this Angel who became Satan the Devil is in Genesis 3: 1-5. So you saying this Angel who became Satan the Devil was already an adversary before the incident of Adam and Eve, show me that scripture that says that. As I said Ezekiel says that iniquity was found in this Angel. The only scripture I have that shows us when this Angel became an adversary against the true God is Genesis 3:1-5

This may help

ezekiel28

revelation12

 

[BARNEY BRIGHT]

Do a study on the 3 earth ages you can start from the below if you like

Three World Ages Bible Study

within that you can also see the rebellion of satan

Rebellion of Satan Bible Study

Had satan not rebelled mankind would never been made flesh

These are books of man not scripture. Show me in Scripture where it's said that Satan rebellion started before he rebelled in the garden of Eden

 

[n2thelight]

These are books of man not scripture. Show me in Scripture where it's said that Satan rebellion started before he rebelled in the garden of Eden

Chapter 12 in the Book of Revelation
Ezekiel 28

Because you don't understand it doesn't make it not so.

Gave you the study on the 3 earth ages within in that is scripture confirming his rebellion was long before mankind was made flesh.

No argument, just planting seeds

 

[n2thelight]

@ BARNEY BRIGHT

Let me ask a question, do you think satan had a chance to repent of his sins?

 

[BARNEY BRIGHT]

Chapter 12 in the Book of Revelation
Ezekiel 28

Because you don't understand it doesn't make it not so.

Gave you the study on the 3 earth ages within in that is scripture confirming his rebellion was long before mankind was made flesh.

No argument, just planting seeds

You keep believing books of men, I'll continue staying in Scripture. As I said Ezekiel 28 tells that iniquity was found in the Angel that became Satan the Devil Ezekiel 28 doesn't tell when iniquity was found in this Angel neither does Revelation Chapter 12. The only scripture that tells us when iniquity was found in this Angel is Genesis 3:1-5

 

[n2thelight]

You keep believing books of men, I'll continue staying in Scripture. As I said Ezekiel 28 tells that iniquity was found in the Angel that became Satan the Devil Ezekiel 28 doesn't tell when iniquity was found in this Angel neither does Revelation Chapter 12. The only scripture that tells us when iniquity was found in this Angel is Genesis 3:1-5

You stay in scripture ,yet you don't understand. Revelation 12 is not a book of man. satan will deceive the whole world ,just like he did in the world before.

You site Genesis 3 , start at the beginning when the world became void and without form.

Sorry you think my answer to you was words of men, but I think that's why we have teachers.

Ask God He will show ya

 

[BARNEY BRIGHT]

You stay in scripture ,yet you don't understand. Revelation 12 is not a book of man. satan will deceive the whole world ,just like he did in the world before.

You site Genesis 3 , start at the beginning when the world became void and without form.

Sorry you think my answer to you was words of men, but I think that's why we have teachers.

Ask God He will show ya

I never said Revelation 12 was a book of man, I said Revelation 12 doesn't specifically say when iniquity was found in the Angel who became Satan the Devil.
As far as you saying, "in the beginning when the world became void and without form," the scriptures don't say, "in the beginning the world became void and without form," it says, "the earth was without form and void", not that it became without form and void."

 

[n2thelight]

I never said Revelation 12 was a book of man, I said Revelation 12 doesn't specifically say when iniquity was found in the Angel who became Satan the Devil.
As far as you saying, "in the beginning when the world became void and without form," the scriptures don't say, "in the beginning the world became void and without form," it says, "the earth was without form and void", not that it became without form and void."

I know you don't like as you say, mans word over scripture ,so I take that to mean the commentary ,however Rev 12 does show the rebellion of satan, then known as lucifer.

satan , led a coup and 1/3 of God's children followed him, this was before man became flesh

Now ,gonna try dropping some seeds again, concerning void and without form

Genesis is the first book of the Bible, and was written by Moses. In Hebrew it is called "the Book of the Beginnings", however in the Greek Genesis is called "the Book of the Generations, and Creation."

The book of Genesis and the book of Revelation have much more in common than most people think. The book of Genesis is a record of the beginning of this earth age, while the book of Revelation is a record of prophecy as to the end, or destruction of this flesh earth age.

Genesis records Satan's first rebellion, and Revelation records Satan's last rebellion. Then in Genesis we find where sin enters into the world in this earth age, and Revelation reveals it's final doom at the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Book of Genesis is a key to understanding the rest of the Scriptures. When Jesus talks about the planting of the seed, and the offspring of that seed [children]; we will see in Genesis the meaning of this and find out just what Jesus was teaching us through His parables. In fact we will see in Matthew 13:35 where Jesus is teaching in parables the secrets of the prophets of the Old Testament. They were secrets hidden and not understood by mankind from the foundation of the world [Kosmos; in the Greek}.

The name "Genesis" is not even a Hebrew word, but a Greek rendition out of the Septuagint, which is part of the Torah. The original Hebrew name of this book was "The Beginnings".

Those that stand and use this Word of God as the basis for placing the age of the earth at 6000 years, just don't understand the original Hebrew text. It is easy to document that this earth is many millions of years old. However, the traces of Adamic man only can be traced to about that 6000 year period of time. Now lets go the the Scriptures and document some of these statements.

Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

There are two bodies mentioned in this verse; the heaven and the earth. It simply stated a fact and left the time factor out. The verse not only did not say when, but left it totally to our imagination, as to the eternal span of time, and how the creation took place.

Genesis 1:2 "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep."

Who is that Spirit of God? He is the Holy Spirit, and it is God's Spirit that moved upon the face of the waters.

In the Hebrew translation of the word, "was", as used in this verse "...the earth was without form,..."; in the original text it reads "became without form...". This same mistranslation of the word "became", and turning it into the word "was" is also present in Genesis 2:7. It should read there; "..and man became a living soul."

was
1961 hayah
hayah (haw-yaw); a primitive root [compare OT:1933]; to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):KJV - beacon, altogether, be (-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, follow, happen, have, last, pertain, quit (oneself-), require, use.

void
922
bohuw (bo'-hoo); from an unused root (meaning to be empty); a vacuity, i.e. (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin:
KJV - emptiness, void.
The correct Hebrew translation from the Massoretic Hebrew text for the words, "without form" is "tohu-va bohu" in the Hebrew Strong's dictionary. So we see that the earth was not "created without form", but it "became [tohu] without form and void". Lets go to Strong's Hebrew dictionary, reference number 1961 to verify the word "was", that we read in this verse. "Yahah, haw-yaw; a prime root, to exit; to become, or come to pass." [#1961]


Excerpt from The Companion Bible Appendix 8:

The word "without form" (Hebrew tohu) is used of a subsequent event which, we know not how long after the Creation, befell the primitive creation of Genesis 1:1. It occurs in Genesis 1:2. Deuteronomy 32:10. 1Samuel 12:21 (twice). Job 6:18; 12:24; 26:7. Psalm 107:40. Isaiah 24:10; 29:21; 34:11; 40:17, 23; 41:29; 44:9; 45:18, 19; 49:4; 59:4. Jeremiah 4:23.

The Hebrew bohu, rendered "void", means desolate, and occurs in Genesis 1:2. Isaiah 34:11. Jeremiah 4:23. The two words together occur in Genesis 1:2. Isaiah 34:11. Jeremiah 4:23.

end Companion Bible excerpt
"Tohu" of the earth, then means that total destruction had come to pass upon the earth. The second "was" in the verse is in italics type because there is no verb "to be" in the Hebrew language. One of the problems in translating the Hebrew into English is that the verb, "to be" is not distinguished from the verb, "to become".

At the end of Genesis 1:1 the first earth age ceased to exist in its previous form. God created the earth to be inhabited, and then He destroyed it. There was an entire earth age that existed between verses one and two of Genesis. This first earth age is spoken of in II Peter, Jeremiah, Proverbs, and Jude. We will look into these Scripture passages and try to understand the deeper meaning of our Father's Word.

If you don't understand that there was a first earth age, you will not understand why God would say in Malachi 1:3; "And I hated Esau...". God hated Esau even while he was in his mother's womb. It was in the first earth age that God hated Esau, because of what Esau did in that first earth age. It was what Esau's soul did in that age that so angered God; and that anger passed on to the embryo of Esau, when his soul entered into this earth age. See also Romans 9:13.

 

[BARNEY BRIGHT]

n2thenight said:
satan , led a coup and 1/3 of God's children followed him, this was before man became flesh[/Quote\]

I agree that revelation 12 is speaking of a coup and that Satan caused 1/3 of God's Angels to follow him but there is no scriptural evidence that this happened before humans were created. There's nothing in Revelations 12 that's saying this happened before man was created. The only scriptural evidence that we have where this Angel who became Satan first acted out on his desire to have the worship that only belonged to Jehovah God is at Genesis 3:1-5.

What you're trying make biblical seems to me is called, "The Gap Theory," which made it's appearance in the work of Scottish theologian Thomas Chalmers, who proposed it in 1814. His view was popularized by the Plymouth Brethren writer G. H. Pember in his book Earth’s Earliest Ages in 1876.

I honestly don't believe the details of the Hebrew words and grammar in Genesis 1:2 do not support the gap theory. The noun tōhû here does not mean “ruin” or “desolation” I don't believe in the sense of necessarily implying the ruin of an original pristine state.

There is no biblical evidence that God created plants and animals in an original creation, which was then destroyed under God’s judgment prior to Adam’s fall. The gap theory’s appeal to Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 is tenuous at best.

There is nothing in those passages in Isaiah 14 or Ezekiel 28 about an original creation of plants and animals, or about Satan being cast down to the earth and causing geological catastrophe, mass extinctions, death, chaos, and ruin.These additional details of the theory have to be manufactured by imagination and speculation.

Scripture itself nowhere teaches the gap theory. The gap theory does not rest on internal exegesis of the text of Genesis 1 interpreted in the light of the subsequent Scriptures that allude to and comment on it. Rather, it rests on postulating, presumably somewhere in Genesis 1:1, the creation of plants and animals in a primeval creation before the re-creation of the plants and animals of days 3, 5, and 6. So I understand there are those that believe The Gap Theory I don't believe it to be biblical.

 

[Davy]

n2thenight said:
satan , led a coup and 1/3 of God's children followed him, this was before man became flesh[/Quote\]

I agree that revelation 12 is speaking of a coup and that Satan caused 1/3 of God's Angels to follow him but there is no scriptural evidence that this happened before humans were created. There's nothing in Revelations 12 that's saying this happened before man was created. The only scriptural evidence that we have where this Angel who became Satan first acted out on his desire to have the worship that only belonged to Jehovah God is at Genesis 3:1-5.
....

There is Bible evidence, it's just that your eyes are still closed, and no doubt because of following men's traditions.

Before Satan Rebelled:
Ezekiel 28 -- God originally created Satan perfect in his ways, and he served God, and Satan was the "anointed cherub that covereth", which means to guard The Mercy Seat, and he was at God's Altar serving. This was when Satan had no sin.

After Satan Rebelled:
Genesis 3 -- Satan appears in God's Garden of Eden as "that old serpent", already in his role as adversary against God, meaning, he had ALREADY rebelled. Also, God had warned Adam and Even in His Eden about sin and disobedience that would bring death. Hebrews 2:14 tells us Satan was given the power of death; that could only happen after... he had rebelled, which strongly reveals that by the time of Adam and Eve, Satan's sin that caused death began with his fall from heaven, yet before death and sin was assigned to Adam and Eve for disobeying God. This is why 1 John 3:8 says that he that commits sin is of the devil, because the devil sinned from the beginning.

That is a very simple matter to understand based on the Scripture evidence. The only reason why anyone would reject what those Scripture evidences show is because they instead would rather follow a tradition of men.

So actually, it is YOU that is following what 'man' says, and not what God's Word reveals.

 

[Timtofly]

There is Bible evidence, it's just that your eyes are still closed, and no doubt because of following men's traditions.

Before Satan Rebelled:
Ezekiel 28 -- God originally created Satan perfect in his ways, and he served God, and Satan was the "anointed cherub that covereth", which means to guard The Mercy Seat, and he was at God's Altar serving. This was when Satan had no sin.

After Satan Rebelled:
Genesis 3 -- Satan appears in God's Garden of Eden as "that old serpent", already in his role as adversary against God, meaning, he had ALREADY rebelled. Also, God had warned Adam and Even in His Eden about sin and disobedience that would bring death. Hebrews 2:14 tells us Satan was given the power of death; that could only happen after... he had rebelled, which strongly reveals that by the time of Adam and Eve, Satan's sin that caused death began with his fall from heaven, yet before death and sin was assigned to Adam and Eve for disobeying God. This is why 1 John 3:8 says that he that commits sin is of the devil, because the devil sinned from the beginning.

That is a very simple matter to understand based on the Scripture evidence. The only reason why anyone would reject what those Scripture evidences show is because they instead would rather follow a tradition of men.

So actually, it is YOU that is following what 'man' says, and not what God's Word reveals.

Genesis 2:1-5 gives a reasonable explanation.

1 "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, along with everything in them.
2 On the seventh day God was finished with his work which he had made, so he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 God blessed the seventh day and separated it as holy; because on that day God rested from all his work which he had created, so that it itself could produce.
4 Here is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created. On the day when Adonai, God, made earth and heaven,
5 there was as yet no wild bush on the earth, and no wild plant had as yet sprung up; for Adonai, God, had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no one to cultivate the ground.
6 Rather, a mist went up from the earth which watered the entire surface of the ground.

On the Day of the Lord. Compare this with the final Day of the Lord. The last 1000 years will be an imperfect, yet perfect, mirror of the first 1000 years. For 1000 years Satan as an angel was confined to sitting and watching as an angel/star above the creation, watching the sons of God multiply. Plenty of time to think and reason things out. Then when God created the Garden and placed Adam in it, it seemed a Covenant was made, and Satan ended up being allowed as a serpent in the Garden. Satan could only have rebelled after the first 1000 years of perfection in creation. More than likely it coincided with the sons of God themselves in Genesis 6. There was no death, and seeds did not even die and spring up as wild plants and weeds. Seeds were the food for all the sons of God and the animal life: Genesis 1:29-30

29 Then God said, “Here! Throughout the whole earth I am giving you as food every seed-bearing plant and every tree with seed-bearing fruit.
30 And to every wild animal, bird in the air and creature crawling on the earth, in which there is a living soul, I am giving as food every kind of green plant.” And that is how it was.

Comparing the fact that green plants never came to maturity or decay, but kept producing seeds and the verses in chapter 2 that states no new plants grew from any seeds, not even in the "wild", then we see that even the insects and all life, that breathed air, ate all the seeds as their diet for 1000 years. Literally NOTHING died.

Yet, after the 1000 years, God planted a tree and named it the knowledge of good and evil, and gave Adam the simple task of not eating any of the fruit it grew. If Adam ate, then he would be the first to die. Evil and sin would become everyday, common knowledge. Did Satan ask God about evil, while God was in the process of planting the Garden? Not even Satan knew about evil, yet that curiosity must have been driving him insane. He deceived Eve, by making the claim that God was withholding knowledge from all of creation.