“For 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” (Isaiah 45:18).
This verse is the key proof-text for the “gap theory,” which attempts to accommodate the evolutionary “ages” of geology by placing them in a hypothetical gap between the first two verses of Genesis. Genesis 1:2 states: “The earth was without form” (Hebrew tohu), but Isaiah says, “He created it not in vain” (same word, tohu). Thus it is argued that the earth became “tohu” long after the primeval creation, as a result of Satan’s rebellion in heaven supposedly allowing the geological ages to be inserted between these two events.
Actually, the meaning of tohu is very flexible; it occurs 20 times and is translated 10 different ways, depending on context. In our text above, Isaiah was not writing about the initial state of the creation, but the purpose of the creation, that purpose being to provide a beautiful and appropriate home for mankind.
The translation “in vain” was required by Isaiah’s context, just as “without form” best fits the context in Genesis 1:2. There is no conflict, since the two passages are dealing with two different subjects, and Isaiah’s message simply extols God’s ultimate and certain goal for His creation.
When God first created the space/time universe, only the basic elements of the earth (Genesis 1:1) were created, with neither structure nor inhabitant, but that was not its full purpose. God had merely “created” the heavens according to this verse. But then, with great care, He formed the earth, made the earth and established the earth, and all this was done to make it ready to be inhabited by men and women who would share His image and know His love. HMM
Formed To Be Inhabited
The Latest
CREATION PODCAST
3 Game-Changing Benefits of a Theory of Biological Design | The...
Science is objective. At least, that’s what we’re told. But there are inherent issues with this statement that can cause very real...
Hong Kong Dinosaurs Explained by the Flood
The recent discovery of the first dinosaur fossils in Hong Kong came as a surprise to evolutionary paleontologists. It was totally unexpected since...
''Ancient'' Skin Impressions
Cornified skin is the top layer of skin (epidermis) and is composed of dead skin cells that are tightly packed together and thickened. This is the Creator’s...
Heart Cockle Shells: Another Amazing Case for Creation
There has been an incredible discovery concerning a bivalve mollusk called the heart cockle (Corculum cardissa). These bivalves have symbiotic partnerships...
Bird Brain Evolution?
Recently, a fascinating bird skull dated by evolutionists to be over “80 million years old” was discovered at a Brazilian quarry.1
Paleontologists...
CREATION PODCAST
Undoing Darwin's DEVIOUS Designs | The Creation Podcast: Episode...
Science is objective. At least, that’s what we’re told. But there are inherent issues with this statement...
December 2024 ICR Wallpaper
"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." (Isaiah...
CREATION.LIVE PODCAST
From the Beginning to the End | Creation.Live Podcast: Episode...
Genesis and Revelation provide stunning bookends of the biblical canon. The first describes the beginning of creation while the second gives us...
Happy Thanksgiving!
All of God’s children must overcome the temptation to allow God’s sovereign provision of our needs to be overshadowed by the pleasure of...
Kids Edition 2024: Language
Hi, kids! We created a special Acts & Facts just for you! Have fun doing the activities while learning about the wonderful world God...