The most common "gap theory" assumes that a chronological gap occurs between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2, during which vast spans of geologic time are presumed to have elapsed. It is thus postulated that the Earth was initially created in the distant past, and that all geologic events pointing to an old Earth (and perhaps even evolution) transpired before some event that reduced the Earth to a state of formlessness or chaos as described in Genesis 1:2. This interpretation requires Genesis 1:1-2 to be translated thus:"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. --gap occurs here-- Now the earth became formless and void (or waste and ruin)..." One suggested explanation for the event that throws the Earth into chaos is the fall of Lucifer (Satan). Revelation 12:7-12, Isaiah 14:12, Ezekiel 28, Luke 10:18Those who hold this viewpoint on when the gap occurred point out that the "clock" on the "six days of Genesis" could not have started "ticking" until the (re)emergence of light in Genesis 1:3 as that verse indicates that this was the evening and morning that make the first day of Genesis, and light had to be present to initiate an evening.Some Gap Creationists postulate that a gap occurs between the seventh day, the one of rest, and the account of the Fall of Adam and Eve and hence that of Mankind through the agency of the temptation of Satan in the form of a snake. According to this theory, this amount of time would be sufficient for all of the geologic events which have happened to make the appearance of the Earth to be quite old.However, not all adherents of the Gap Theory accept that the scientific geological record refers to the gap between initial creation and regeneration, preferring instead to rely on the Biblical flood as a sufficient explanation for the mass extinction of many groups and classifications of creatures, including the dinosaurs, and geologic upheaval resulting in what could be misinterpreted as an old earth.This revised theory proposes that time in its current measurable form didn't exist prior to the Fall of Adam and Eve. God and all spiritual beings exist outside of time, therefore time is irrelevant. In this environment, the matter of whether the universe was created in one second or over several billions of years is immaterial; also, the principles of physics were optimal - for example, the speed of light was infinite. Some adherents to this revision also believe that the universe was created considerably smaller and subsequently grew after an immense conflict between Satan and Michael (archangel), which resulted in the signs of a universal cataclysm, which the non-theistic scientific community interprets as evidence for a Big Bang. The Earth may have pre-existed this event or may have arisen from it, but in both cases was left empty and desolated, and was selected for recreation. In this revised theory, mankind is created by God to take the role of spiritual partnership that was formerly occupied by Lucifer, and intended to re-establish God's intended order throughout the regenerated universe as part of an ongoing creative process. Only in such a capacity, can the general state of decay beyond the earth, and throughout the cosmos, be attributed to the Fall of Adam and Eve.In contradistinction with other Old Earth creationists, Gap creationisms generally agree with the account of six literal 24-hour days as given in Genesis, and that everything done during this six day period was "very good". However, there are a number of scriptures which adherents contend support the Ruin/Reconstruction theory of an earth existing prior to this six day event.God is light and cannot create anything in a less than perfect state, so a newly created earth from the hand of God shouldn't have been without form and void, and shrouded in darkness. Deuteronomy 32:4, Isaiah 45:18 1 John 1:5 The Holy Spirit was "renewing" the face of the earth as he hovered over the face of the waters. Psalms 104:30 Angels already existed when God "laid the foundations of the Earth", so there had been at least one creative act of God before this. Job 38:4-7 Satan had fallen from grace "in the beginning". A state of sin in the universe, but not yet in mankind, is demonstrated by the serpent's temptation of Adam and Eve to sin before they were actually corrupted by sin. Ezekiel 28:11-19, John 8:44 The death that "came to all men" through Adam was spiritual death, not physical death. At least two men in the past (Enoch and Elijah) did not die physically. Furthermore, Jesus is said to bring life to all men, and yet physical death still occurs. In fact, Jesus personally dealt with this very same confusion between physical and spiritual death among the Pharisees. Genesis 5:23-24, 2 Kings 2:11, John 8:51-53, Hebrews 11:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 Related to all of this is the fact that space, time, water, and the rock and metal which constitutes the main body of the earth existed in Genesis 1:2 before the period of six days began. In fact, the Bible doesn't discuss details on the creation of the body of the earth at all; beginning in verse 3, Genesis 1 only discusses the surface of the planet. These scriptures are cited by supporters of the gap theory without an appeal to scientific or secular investigations. Gap creationists do not necessarily agree with theories given by science, including the Big Bang and Evolution and others. In fact, a gap creationist may believe that the earth is only 6,000-10,000 years old; ie. that the "gap" was of a very short duration. The contention is simply that Scripture records the Genesis account to be a reconstruction of an existing earth.