Among Finis Dake’s most elaborate and fantastic theological constructions stands his teaching about a pre-Adamic world that supposedly existed for millions or billions of years before the creation account we read in Genesis. This theory, known as the “Gap Theory” or “Ruin-Reconstruction Theory,” posits that between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2, an entire civilization existed, ruled by Lucifer, populated by a pre-Adamite race of humans, and ultimately destroyed by a flood when Satan rebelled against God. According to Dake, the six days of Genesis 1 describe not the original creation but a re-creation after this cosmic catastrophe.
Dake, Finis Jennings. God’s Plan for Man. Lawrenceville, GA: Dake Publishing, 1949.
This teaching represents far more than speculative theorizing about prehistoric times. It undermines the biblical doctrine of creation, contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture about human origins, creates theological problems regarding sin and death, and—most disturbingly—provides a foundation for racist ideology by suggesting multiple separate creations of different human races. The Gap Theory became a cornerstone of Dake’s entire theological system, influencing his interpretation of dozens of biblical passages and shaping his understanding of God’s plan for humanity.
Dake’s Own Words:
“We mean by ‘original creations’ the first creation of the heavens and of the Earth and all things therein. This was done ‘In the beginning’ or in the dateless past (Gen. 1:1)… The creation of the pre-Adamite world included the first inhabitants of the Earth, called ‘nations’ over whom Lucifer ruled (Isa. 14:12-14), ‘man’ who built cities (Jer. 4:23-26), and ‘the world (Greek, kosmos, social system) that then was’ (2 Pet. 3:5-8). The pre-Adamites were Earthly creatures as proved by the fact that they were drowned in the pre-Adamite flood.”
—Dake, God’s Plan for Man, pages unnumbered in “Ages and Dispensations” section
The Elaborate Fantasy of a Pre-Adamic World
Dake constructs an entire prehistoric narrative that he claims to find hidden in Scripture. According to his teaching, God originally created the heavens and earth in perfection countless ages ago. This original earth was populated by a race of human beings who lived in cities, had governments, and existed as complete civilizations.1 Over this pre-Adamic world, God placed Lucifer as ruler, giving him a throne on earth and dominion over these prehistoric nations.
In Dake’s imagination, this world lasted for an indeterminate period—possibly millions or billions of years. During this time, Lucifer ruled from a literal throne on earth, governing from a pre-Adamic Garden of Eden. The pre-Adamites built cities, established civilizations, and lived as mortal beings under Lucifer’s authority. All was perfect and harmonious until pride entered Lucifer’s heart and he attempted to overthrow God. Dake elaborates on this fantastic timeline: “This age could have lasted for thousands, millions, perhaps even billions of years. Lucifer, the first ruler of Earth, was the first to rebel against God. He conceived the idea and boldly attempted to carry out his plan to dethrone God and become the supreme ruler of God’s universal kingdom.”16
Dake writes: “That Lucifer had control of this pre-Adamite kingdom and ruled this social order is clear from such verses as Isaiah 14:12-14: ‘How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.’ In these verses we see that Lucifer had a throne (which implies dominion and rulership), and that his rulership extended over territory which existed, not in heaven (since his desire was to ‘ascend into heaven’) but on the Earth.”
This rebellion, according to Dake, resulted in a catastrophic judgment. God destroyed the entire pre-Adamic world with a flood, which Dake claims is described in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was “without form and void.”2 The fossil record, geological formations, and all prehistoric remains supposedly come from this destroyed world, not from any events connected to Adam’s world or Noah’s flood. Dake explicitly states: “It is to this original period that all fossils and remains of animals belong, as well as the geologic formations of the Earth, which went through one great cataclysm in the past.”17
The Supposed Biblical “Proof”
Dake believed he had discovered overwhelming biblical evidence for his Gap Theory. He assembled an impressive array of verses that he claimed proved the existence of this pre-Adamic world. However, examination of these texts reveals not careful exegesis but violent wresting of Scripture from its context. Let’s examine his primary “proofs”:
1. The Word “Replenish” in Genesis 1:28
Dake argued that when God told Adam to “replenish” the earth, this proved the earth had been previously “plenished” with inhabitants. He writes: “God told Adam to replenish the earth (Gen. 1:28). He told Noah to do the same thing 1,656 years later (Gen. 9:1). It is as reasonable to believe the earth was plenished before Adam’s time as it is to accept that it was plenished before Noah’s.”3
Dake went further, appealing to Webster’s dictionary to support his argument: “In Genesis 1:28, God blesses Adam and Even and says to them ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the Earth.’ The word ‘replenish’ is the same word used in Genesis 9:1 where we read ‘And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the Earth.’ According to Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, the word ‘replenish’ means: ‘to recover former fullness.’ It is apparent that Adam and Eve were to restore the Earth to its former fullness in exactly the same way that God required for Noah and his family.”18
The Refutation: This argument fails on linguistic grounds. The Hebrew word “male” simply means “to fill” not “to fill again.” The King James translators used “replenish” in its older English sense of “to fill” (as in “fully plenished”), not in the modern sense of “to fill again.” Modern translations correctly render this as “fill the earth.” There is no “re-” prefix in the Hebrew that would indicate filling again.
2. Jeremiah 4:23-26 as Description of Pre-Adamic Destruction
Dake extensively quotes Jeremiah’s vision: “I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.”
Dake claims: “Before the time of Adam, men lived in cities and fruitful places on earth, so they must have eaten food and been mortal as we are today.”4 He elaborates further, stating: “The only time Jeremiah could have seen the earth without form and void and totally dark and desolate of all life was at the same time Moses saw it thus, as recorded by him in Gen. 1:2. There never has been a time from Adam until now when the earth was in such a state (not even at the time of Noah’s flood), and there will never be a time of such a curse in the eternal future.”5
Dake provides an elaborate list of what he believes Jeremiah saw: “That there were mountains and hills on Earth, but they were being shaken by an earthquake, which no doubt caused the remains of animals to be deposited in the depths of the Earth beneath many layers of solid rock, such as are now being found as men dig in the Earth. That there had been men on Earth, but not one was left after God got through overthrowing Lucifer’s kingdom on Earth. That there had been birds on the Earth, but that there was not one left. That there had been fruitful places on Earth, but they had become a wilderness. That there had been cities made by the inhabitants of the Earth, but that there was not one city left after this judgment. That these cities were broken down, that all vegetation, men, and animals were totally destroyed by the presence of the Lord and by His fierce anger.”19
The Refutation: Jeremiah 4 is clearly a prophecy about the coming Babylonian invasion of Judah, not a description of prehistoric events. The context makes this abundantly clear—the chapter begins with a call for Judah to repent (v. 1-4) and warns of invasion from the north (v. 6). Jeremiah uses dramatic hyperbolic language to describe the devastating judgment coming upon Judah. To rip these verses from their prophetic context and apply them to a prehistoric world is eisegesis of the worst kind.
3. Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 as Lucifer’s Pre-Adamic Rule
Dake interprets Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:11-17 as describing Lucifer’s rule over a pre-Adamic earth. He argues that references to Lucifer’s throne, his weakening of nations, and his presence in Eden all refer to a prehistoric period.6 Dake explains: “According to Isa. 14:12-14, Lucifer actually invaded heaven from earth, hoping to defeat God and take His kingdom; but, Lucifer himself was defeated and his kingdom cursed. Before his defeat he had a throne and therefore a kingdom and subjects to rule over. His kingdom was under the clouds, under the stars, and under heaven—therefore, on earth.”7
Dake details Lucifer’s position even further: “In Ezek. 28:11-17 we have another description of Lucifer before he fell and of his position on Earth and the cause of his rebellion… Ezekiel 28:13 tells us that Lucifer was also in a pre-Adamite garden of Eden: ‘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.’ No earthly king of Tyre was ever in Eden, as was this angel, nor does this Eden refer to Adam’s Eden, although Lucifer was in it also. The Eden here was a garden in the earth when he ruled in perfection and sinlessness before he fell.”20
The Refutation: Isaiah 14 explicitly identifies its subject as the king of Babylon (v. 4), and Ezekiel 28 addresses the prince and king of Tyre (v. 2, 12). While these passages may contain dual references that include Satan’s fall, they primarily address historical human rulers. The “nations” weakened were contemporary nations, not prehistoric civilizations. Any application to Satan must be understood as typological, not as historical narrative about pre-Adamic times.
4. 2 Peter 3:5-7 and “The World That Then Was”
Dake seizes upon Peter’s phrase “the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished” as proof of his pre-Adamic flood. He argues this cannot refer to Noah’s flood because Noah’s family survived, so the “world” (kosmos – social system) didn’t completely perish.8 Dake insists: “Peter indicates that the pre-Adamites were mortal beings, for they could be drowned. The world (Gr. kosmos, social order) that then was (before Adam’s day), being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth which are now (since the 6 days’ work of Gen. 1:3—2:25) . . . are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”9
He elaborates on why this cannot refer to Noah’s flood with an extensive list of contrasts: “Peter could not be referring to the flood of Noah any more than did Moses in Gen. 1:2, for the entire social order was not destroyed in Noah’s time. Obviously, Noah and his family were saved on the ark, continuing the social system which began with Adam. If ‘the world that then was’ is the same as that between Adam and the flood of Noah, then God made ‘the heavens and the earth which are now’ since the flood of Noah, but this the Bible does not teach.”21
The Refutation: Peter is clearly referring to Noah’s flood, as the context demonstrates. He’s addressing scoffers who deny the coming judgment (v. 3-4), and he uses Noah’s flood as a historical precedent for God’s judgment. The “world that then was” refers to the antediluvian world order, which did indeed perish in Noah’s flood even though Noah’s family survived. Peter’s argument depends on his readers knowing about Noah’s flood from Scripture, not some unknown prehistoric catastrophe.
The Creation of Pre-Adamite Races
Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of Dake’s Gap Theory is his teaching about pre-Adamite races. According to Dake, these pre-Adamites were fully human beings, created separately from Adam’s race. They were described as “nations” with different characteristics, living in cities, under governments, capable of sin and rebellion.
Dake writes extensively about these supposed pre-Adamite humans: “They are called nations in Isaiah 14:12. The Hebrew word goy is translated Gentiles, nations, people, and heathen hundreds of times, but never angels. It follows then that the nations Lucifer ruled over must have been made up of men.”10
He continues with what he considers proofs: “Peter indicates that the pre-Adamites were mortals, for they drowned. In 2 Peter 3:5 we read ‘that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water,’ proving that the earth was not created all wet as described in Genesis 1:2 when ‘the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.'”11
Dake even speculates about the origin of demons from these pre-Adamites, asking a series of rhetorical questions: “Where did the demons come from if they are not the spirits of the pre-Adamite races? Did God create them as demons, or were they created holy as were all things that are recorded? If they were created holy, then they sinned on the Earth, or they would not be confined in prisons under the Earth. So when did they sin on the Earth if not before Adam?”22
The Biblical Truth About Human Origins
Scripture is absolutely clear about human origins:
- One Human Race: “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26)
- Adam as First Man: “The first man Adam was made a living soul” (1 Corinthians 15:45)
- Eve as Mother of All: “Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living” (Genesis 3:20)
- Sin Through One Man: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin” (Romans 5:12)
Dake attempts to circumvent 1 Corinthians 15:45’s clear statement that Adam was the “first man” by claiming: “This verse can be understood by realizing that Adam was created the first of this present race of men. It should never be taken to mean that he was the first man who ever lived on the earth, for nations of men—mortal beings capable of being drowned in a flood—operated in a social system before Adam and the flood of Lucifer’s time.”12
This is theological sleight of hand at its worst. Paul’s entire argument in 1 Corinthians 15 and Romans 5 depends on Adam being the first human being, the federal head of the entire human race. If there were humans before Adam, Paul’s theology of sin and redemption collapses.
Contradicting Both Scripture and Science
The Gap Theory fails both biblical and scientific scrutiny. It represents an attempt to harmonize Scripture with old-earth geological theories while maintaining a literal six-day creation. However, it satisfies neither biblical creationists nor scientific materialists, and for good reason—it contradicts both special revelation and natural revelation.
Biblical Contradictions
1. Death Before Sin: The Gap Theory requires death, suffering, and destruction before Adam’s sin. Yet Scripture clearly teaches that death entered through Adam’s sin: “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22). If pre-Adamites lived and died before Adam sinned, death is not the wages of sin but part of God’s original creation.
2. The Meaning of “Very Good”: Genesis 1:31 states that “God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” If the earth was littered with fossils from a destroyed civilization, buried under the judgment of God for Lucifer’s rebellion, how could God call it “very good”? Would a cemetery of a destroyed race be “very good”?
3. The Sabbath Pattern: Exodus 20:11 states, “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day.” This verse encompasses all creation, leaving no room for a previous creation that was destroyed. The Sabbath commandment loses its foundation if the six days merely describe a re-creation.
4. The Order of Creation: According to Genesis, the sun, moon, and stars were created on day four. But Dake’s theory requires them to have existed for millions of years before the six days, providing light for the pre-Adamite world.13 This directly contradicts the creation order given in Genesis 1. Dake tries to escape this problem by claiming: “The sun, moon, and stars were created in the beginning before the earth existed. The work of day 4 was the regulation of them in connection with the restored earth.”23 But this is simply reading into the text what is not there.
5. Satan’s Fall Timing: Ezekiel 28:13-15 describes Satan in Eden in a state of perfection “till iniquity was found in thee.” This suggests Satan fell after the creation of Eden, not billions of years before. The Gap Theory requires Satan to have fallen before Genesis 1:2, but Scripture suggests he was still perfect when placed in Eden.
Scientific Problems
Ironically, while the Gap Theory was developed to accommodate geological ages, it fails scientifically as well:
1. Geological Evidence: If a global flood destroyed the pre-Adamite world between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2, where is the geological evidence? The fossil record shows no evidence of a massive extinction event immediately before the appearance of modern humans. The geological column, which Gap Theorists accept, shows gradual development over millions of years, not a sudden catastrophic destruction followed by re-creation. Dake claims: “Scientists assert that the Earth went through JUST ONE great catastrophe at an unknown period in the past; that animal remains show that they died in great agony; and that some unexplainable something happened to the Earth itself to cause it to be turned upside down.”24 But this is a gross misrepresentation of what scientists actually say.
2. Fossil Distribution: Fossils are found in sedimentary layers deposited over vast periods. If all fossils came from one pre-Adamite flood, why are they sorted into distinct layers with different species? Why do we find human remains only in the uppermost layers if humans (pre-Adamites) existed from the beginning?
3. Radiometric Dating: If Gap Theorists accept the old age of rocks (which is why they need the gap), they must accept radiometric dating. But radiometric dating shows continuous deposition and life throughout earth’s history, not a gap of destruction and re-creation.
4. No Evidence of Advanced Pre-Adamite Civilization: If pre-Adamites built cities and had advanced civilizations for potentially millions of years, where is the archaeological evidence? We find stone tools and primitive remains, but no evidence of the advanced civilizations Dake describes.
The Linguistic Confusion About “Without Form and Void”
Central to Dake’s Gap Theory is his interpretation of Genesis 1:2, particularly the Hebrew phrase tohu va bohu (“without form and void”). Dake argues that this phrase describes a state of chaos and ruin that resulted from judgment, not an initial creative condition. He writes extensively about the Hebrew:
“The word ‘was’ in verse 2 is from the Hebrew bayah, which is a verb to become, not the verb to be. It is translated became 67 times (Gen. 2:7; 19:26; 20:12; 24:67; Ex. 4:3-4; Num. 12:10; etc.); becamest (1 Chron. 17:22; Ezek. 16:8); came and came to pass 505 times (Gen. 4:3; 6:1,4; 11:2, 5; etc.); become 66 times (Gen. 3:22; 18:18; 48:19; etc.); come and come to pass 131 times (Gen. 4:14; 6:13; 18:20; 27:40; etc.); and many times be in the sense of become (Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 14; 3:5; etc.).”25
He continues: “The phrase ‘without form’ is from the Hebrew tohu, which means waste, desolation, or confusion. It is translated waste (Deut. 32:10); without form (Gen. 1:2, Jer. 4:23); vain (Isa. 45:18; 1 Sam. 12:21); confusion (Isa. 24:10; 34:11; 41:29); empty (Job 26:7); vanity (Isa. 40:17, 23; 44:9; 59:4); nothing (Job 6:18; Isa. 40:17); and wilderness (Job 12:24; Ps. 107:40). The Hebrew word for ‘void’ is bohu, which means empty, ruin or void. It is translated void (Gen. 1:2; Jer. 4:23) and emptiness (Isa. 34:11).”26
Based on this linguistic analysis, Dake concludes: “God did not originally create the Earth in such a waste and ruined state. It is definitely stated in Isa. 45:18 that God did not create the Earth tohu (vain, or desolate), yet in Gen. 1:2 the Earth was tohu. If the Earth was not originally created desolate, then it must have been created, inhabited, and later became desolate.”27
The Linguistic Truth: While hayah can mean “become,” it most commonly means “was” or “existed.” The context determines the meaning, and nothing in Genesis 1:2’s context requires or even suggests “became.” The phrase tohu va bohu simply describes the earth’s initial unformed state before God’s creative work of ordering and filling it. Isaiah 45:18 doesn’t contradict this—it speaks of God’s ultimate purpose for creation (to be inhabited), not its intermediate creative stages. God didn’t create the earth to remain empty; He created it to be filled, which is exactly what the six days accomplish.
Implications for the Image of God
Dake’s teaching about pre-Adamites has profound implications for the doctrine of the image of God (imago Dei). Scripture teaches that humans are uniquely created in God’s image: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27). This image-bearing is what distinguishes humans from animals and gives humans their unique dignity, worth, and responsibility.
But if pre-Adamites existed as Dake teaches, several questions arise:
Were pre-Adamites made in God’s image? If yes, then Adam was not unique, and the biblical emphasis on Adam as the first image-bearer is false. If no, then they were not truly human, contradicting Dake’s claim that they were men who built cities and civilizations. Sub-human creatures don’t build civilizations.
Did Christ die for pre-Adamites? If pre-Adamites were truly human, did Christ’s atonement cover their sins? But they lived and died before sin entered through Adam. This creates an impossible theological puzzle. Either they sinned without Adam (contradicting Romans 5:12), or they died without sin (contradicting Romans 6:23).
What about their souls? If pre-Adamites had eternal souls, where did these souls go when they died? They couldn’t go to Abraham’s bosom (it didn’t exist yet), they couldn’t be judged by Christ (He hadn’t come yet), and they couldn’t be saved by looking forward to the Messiah (the promise hadn’t been given yet).
Dake’s Attempted Solution:
Dake tries to solve these problems by arguing that pre-Adamites were a completely different order of human being, unrelated to Adam’s race. But this solution creates more problems than it solves. It essentially argues for polygenism—multiple separate creations of different human races—which has been used to justify racism and deny the unity of humanity. This connects directly to Dake’s racist teachings examined in Chapter 10.
How the Gap Theory Feeds Racist Ideology
The connection between Dake’s Gap Theory and his racist ideology is not accidental but systemic. Once you accept that God created different races of humans at different times, it becomes easier to argue that these races are fundamentally different and should remain separate. This is exactly where Dake’s theology led him.
The Gap Theory provides a theological framework for arguing that:
1. Different races have different origins: If pre-Adamites were a separate creation, perhaps some modern races descend from them rather than from Adam. This would make racial differences not just skin deep but fundamentally ontological—different kinds of beings.
2. Racial mixing violates creation order: If God created different races separately, mixing them would violate His creative intent. This is exactly what Dake argued in his “30 reasons for segregation of races,” where he claimed God intended races to remain separate forever.
3. Some races might be inferior: If different races have different origins, some might be created with different capacities or purposes. This opens the door to racial hierarchy and the dehumanization of certain groups.
4. Segregation is divinely ordained: If God created races separately and destroyed a world for mixing, then racial segregation isn’t just permissible but mandatory. This is the logical conclusion of Dake’s system.
While Dake doesn’t explicitly state that modern races descend from pre-Adamites, his theological framework makes such ideas possible. By undermining the unity of humanity in Adam, the Gap Theory opens the door to the very racism that the gospel explicitly rejects. Paul’s declaration that God “hath made of one blood all nations of men” (Acts 17:26) stands as a direct rebuke to any theology that divides humanity into separate creations.
The Influence on Extreme Dispensationalism
Dake’s Gap Theory became foundational to his entire dispensational scheme. He divided history into elaborate periods, each with different rules, different peoples, and different relationships with God. The pre-Adamite world became the “Dispensation of Angels” in his system, setting a pattern for his complex and often contradictory dispensational teachings.14
Dake explicitly lays out his dispensational framework based on the Gap Theory: “The eternal plan of God, or the dispensational plan of the Bible, are summed up in the following eight points: I. The Eternal Past, II. The Original Creations, III. The Pre-Adamite World, IV. The Rebellion and Overthrow of the Pre-Adamite World, V. First Re-creation of the Earth, VI. The Seven Dispensations for Man, VII. Second Re-creation of the Earth, VIII. The Eternal Future.”28
This extreme dispensationalism, built on the Gap Theory foundation, leads to:
Multiple plans of salvation: If God dealt differently with pre-Adamites than with Adam’s race, perhaps He has different salvation plans for different groups. Dake’s dispensationalism tends in this direction, suggesting different gospels for different times.
Fragmented Biblical interpretation: Every passage must be assigned to its proper dispensation. Verses about destruction might refer to the pre-Adamite flood, Noah’s flood, or future judgment. This fragments Scripture and makes coherent interpretation impossible.
Speculative theology: Once you accept one massive speculation (the Gap Theory), others follow. Dake’s theology is filled with elaborate theories about angelic hierarchies, prehistoric worlds, and future ages, all built on the sandy foundation of the Gap Theory.
Diminished redemptive history: The Bible’s grand narrative—creation, fall, redemption, restoration—gets lost in dispensational complexity. Instead of one story of God redeeming His creation, we have multiple stories of different creations and destructions.
Dake’s Rhetorical Questions: Building a Case on Speculation
One of Dake’s primary argumentative strategies involves posing dozens of rhetorical questions that he claims can only be answered by accepting the Gap Theory. He writes: “There are many questions which cannot be answered apart from a belief in the pre-Adamite age.”15 Let’s examine some of these questions and see how they reveal the circular reasoning at the heart of his system:
Dake asks: “How did Lucifer become the devil and the prince of demons? When did he weaken the nations, ascend into heaven to exalt his throne above the stars, and fall from heaven as in Isa. 14:12-14? How did demons originate, for what purpose, and when? What caused the calamity of Gen. 1:2; Jer. 4:23-26; Ps. 104:6-9; 2 Pet. 3:5-6? Why was hell prepared for the devil and his angels as stated in Mt. 25:41, and why was it located beneath the earth? Why was Adam told to replenish and not merely to plenish it?”29
He continues with more questions: “When was there war in heaven, and when was Lucifer cast out if not before Adam, as stated in Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:11-17; Luke 10:18? If they were a part of Adam’s creation, why were they not mentioned at least one time since all other creatures of less importance are mentioned that were a part of the work of the six days? Who was it that was sinful enough to cause man to sin if there were no pre-Adamite sinners to be sinful when Adam was created?”30
The Problem with This Approach: Dake’s rhetorical questions assume what they’re trying to prove. Many of his questions are based on misinterpretations of Scripture (like “replenish”) or false premises (like demons being pre-Adamite spirits). Others simply don’t require the Gap Theory to answer them. Scripture doesn’t tell us every detail about Satan’s fall or the origin of demons, but that doesn’t mean we must invent an elaborate prehistoric world to fill in the gaps. The argument from ignorance (“we don’t know, therefore Gap Theory”) is logically fallacious.
Why Intelligent People Fall for This
The Gap Theory might seem obviously flawed, yet many sincere, intelligent Christians have accepted it. Understanding why helps us approach those influenced by it with compassion rather than condescension.
Reasons for the Theory’s Appeal:
1. Apparent resolution of science-Bible conflict: For Christians troubled by scientific claims about the earth’s age, the Gap Theory seems to resolve the tension. It allows them to accept both geological ages and a literal Genesis. The relief of this apparent resolution can blind them to the theory’s problems.
2. Impressive array of proof texts: Dake marshals dozens of Bible verses to support his theory. For those without training in hermeneutics, this looks like overwhelming biblical evidence. The sheer volume of citations can intimidate questioners into silence.
3. Answers to difficult questions: Where did demons come from? Why does evil exist? Where do fossils fit? The Gap Theory provides neat answers to these complex questions.15 The human desire for comprehensive explanations makes the theory attractive.
4. Apparent scholarly depth: Dake’s detailed notes, references to Hebrew and Greek, and complex charts give an impression of scholarly authority. Many readers assume someone who knows this much detail must be right about the big picture.
5. Trusted recommendation: Many encounter the Gap Theory through trusted pastors, teachers, or family members who use the Dake Bible. This trust transfer makes critical evaluation less likely.
6. Incremental acceptance: The theory is often introduced gradually. First, the possibility of a gap is suggested. Then evidence is presented for something happening in that gap. By the time the full theory is presented, the reader has already accepted its foundations.
The Pastoral Damage
Beyond theological error, the Gap Theory causes real pastoral damage. Consider these testimonies from those affected:
A Sunday School Teacher’s Confession:
“I taught the Gap Theory to children for years using Dake’s notes. I told them about prehistoric worlds, Lucifer’s rebellion, and pre-Adamite races. When one child asked if prehistoric men went to heaven, I couldn’t answer. That question haunted me and eventually led me to study the issue properly. I had to go back and correct years of false teaching. Some of those children, now adults, still believe what I taught them.”
A Seminary Student’s Discovery:
“I arrived at seminary confident in my biblical knowledge from years of Dake Bible study. When my Hebrew professor showed that ‘replenish’ simply meant ‘fill,’ my entire theological system began unraveling. I felt betrayed and angry. It took counseling and patient mentoring to rebuild my faith on solid ground.”
A Pastor’s Regret:
“I preached through Genesis using the Gap Theory framework. My congregation was fascinated by tales of prehistoric worlds and Lucifer’s ancient rebellion. But when we got to Romans 5, I couldn’t explain how death entered through Adam if millions had already died. My attempt to harmonize Dake’s theory with Paul’s theology confused my congregation and weakened their trust in Scripture’s clarity.”
These stories represent thousands who have been led into confusion by the Gap Theory. The damage extends beyond intellectual error to spiritual confusion, weakened faith, and diminished confidence in Scripture’s clarity.
The Biblical Account of Creation
Against Dake’s elaborate speculation stands the simple, profound biblical account of creation. Genesis 1 presents God creating the universe in six days, with humanity as the crown of creation. This account, taken at face value, teaches:
1. Direct Creation: God spoke the universe into existence. There’s no hint of previous creations, destructions, or reconstructions. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1)—not re-created, not restored, but created.
2. Recent Creation: The genealogies and chronologies of Scripture point to a recent creation of thousands, not billions, of years ago. While precise dating may be debated, the biblical framework is clearly of recent origin.
3. Perfect Creation: Everything God made was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). There was no death, suffering, or destruction until sin entered through Adam’s disobedience. Paradise was real, not built on the graves of previous civilizations.
4. Unified Humanity: All humans descend from Adam and Eve. We are one race, one blood, one family. This unity is essential to both the problem (sin through Adam) and the solution (redemption through Christ, the last Adam).
5. Purposeful Creation: Humans were created to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We’re not an afterthought following a failed pre-Adamite experiment but the deliberate crown of God’s creative work.
6. Sabbath Pattern: The seven-day week, rooted in creation, provides rhythm for human life. This pattern loses meaning if the days represent reconstruction after catastrophe rather than original creation.
Theological Implications of Rejecting the Gap Theory
Rejecting the Gap Theory isn’t merely about defending traditional interpretation; it has profound theological implications that strengthen biblical faith:
For Hamartiology (Doctrine of Sin):
Sin entered through one man’s disobedience, not through Lucifer’s prehistoric rebellion. This preserves the biblical teaching that humans, not angels, were given dominion over earth. Satan is an interloper in God’s good creation, not a former legitimate ruler. His defeat by Christ is therefore a liberation, not merely a change of management.
For Anthropology (Doctrine of Humanity):
Humans are unique image-bearers, not one of multiple experiments in human creation. Our dignity, worth, and responsibility flow from this unique status. There are no superior or inferior races, no separate creations, no ontological differences between people groups. We are all equally created, equally fallen, and equally offered redemption.
For Soteriology (Doctrine of Salvation):
Christ’s work as the last Adam depends on Adam being the first human. If there were humans before Adam who lived, sinned, and died without any possibility of redemption, God’s justice and mercy are called into question. The Gospel requires one human race, fallen in one man, redeemed through one Savior.
For Eschatology (Doctrine of Last Things):
The new creation will be a restoration of God’s original “very good” creation, not another in a series of creations and destructions. The continuity between creation and new creation gives meaning to human history and hope for the future.
Responding to Those Influenced by the Gap Theory
Many sincere Christians have been influenced by the Gap Theory. How should we respond to them? With patience, compassion, and careful biblical instruction:
Practical Steps for Helping Others:
1. Begin with Common Ground: Affirm their commitment to Scripture’s authority. The problem isn’t that they don’t believe the Bible but that they’ve been taught to misinterpret it.
2. Focus on Clear Scripture: Start with passages that clearly contradict the Gap Theory, like Exodus 20:11, Romans 5:12, and 1 Corinthians 15:45. Let Scripture interpret Scripture.
3. Examine Context Carefully: Show how Dake’s proof texts (like Jeremiah 4) make perfect sense in their actual context without requiring a Gap Theory. Demonstrate proper hermeneutics by example.
4. Address the Underlying Concern: Often people accept the Gap Theory because they’re troubled by scientific claims about earth’s age. Address this concern with resources on young-earth creation or framework interpretation, depending on your conviction.
5. Provide Better Resources: Recommend solid study Bibles and commentaries that properly interpret Genesis. Replace error with truth rather than just removing error.
6. Be Patient with the Process: Abandoning the Gap Theory may require reconstructing one’s entire theological framework. This takes time and can be emotionally difficult.
7. Emphasize the Gospel: Keep the focus on what’s essential—salvation by grace through faith in Christ. The Gap Theory is serious error, but believing it doesn’t automatically damn someone.
The Broader Pattern of Speculation
The Gap Theory exemplifies a broader pattern in Dake’s theology: elaborate speculation presented as biblical fact. This pattern appears throughout his work:
Angelic Hierarchies: Detailed charts of angelic ranks and responsibilities with no clear biblical basis.
Multiple Heavens: Elaborate descriptions of different levels of heaven and their inhabitants.
Future Ages: Detailed predictions about future dispensations and eternal ages.
Spirit Bodies: Claims that all spirits, including God, have physical bodies.
Each speculation builds on others, creating an intricate system that seems impressive but lacks biblical foundation. The Gap Theory is the cornerstone of this speculative edifice. Remove it, and much of Dake’s system collapses.
This speculative tendency appeals to those who want to know more than Scripture reveals. The desire to understand everything, to have answers for every question, to map out all of history and eternity, is understandable but dangerous. Scripture tells us what we need to know, not everything we want to know. “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever” (Deuteronomy 29:29).
Conclusion: Standing on Solid Ground
The Gap Theory and Pre-Adamite race teaching represent some of Dake’s most elaborate and damaging errors. Built on misinterpreted verses, linguistic confusion, and wild speculation, these theories undermine biblical authority, contradict essential doctrines, and open the door to racist ideology. They transform the simple, powerful Genesis account into a complex mythology that obscures rather than reveals God’s truth.
The tragedy is that many sincere believers, seeking to understand Scripture better, have been led into this labyrinth of error. They wanted solid biblical teaching but received elaborate speculation. They sought to honor God’s Word but were taught to distort it. They desired to resolve apparent contradictions but created real ones.
Against Dake’s speculation stands the clear teaching of Scripture: God created the heavens and earth in six days, all humans descend from Adam and Eve, sin entered through Adam’s disobedience, and redemption comes through Christ alone. This simple truth is more powerful than any elaborate theory, more satisfying than any speculation, and more reliable than any human system.
We don’t need to reconcile Scripture with ever-changing scientific theories by inventing gaps and prehistoric worlds. We don’t need to explain fossils by imagining destroyed civilizations. We don’t need to complicate the Gospel with multiple races and dispensations. The biblical account, properly understood, provides everything we need for faith and practice.
As we continue our examination of Dake’s errors, remember that our goal isn’t merely to tear down false teaching but to build up biblical faith. Every error exposed should drive us back to Scripture, every speculation rejected should increase our confidence in God’s clear revelation, every complicated theory abandoned should deepen our appreciation for the simple profundity of biblical truth.
The Gap Theory may seem like ancient history, a curious footnote in theological error. But its influence continues, its damage persists, and its refutation remains necessary. As long as the Dake Bible remains in print, as long as his theories influence preachers and teachers, as long as sincere believers are led astray by his speculation, we must continue to expose error and proclaim truth.
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
- Why might the Gap Theory seem attractive to Christians struggling with questions about the age of the earth? How can we address these concerns biblically?
- How does the teaching of pre-Adamite races undermine the biblical doctrine of the image of God? What are the implications for human dignity and worth?
- In what ways does the Gap Theory connect to and support racist ideology? How does the biblical teaching of one human race counter racism?
- Why is it important that death entered through Adam’s sin rather than existing before his creation? How does this affect our understanding of the Gospel?
- How can we help those who have been influenced by the Gap Theory without being condescending or harsh? What approach shows both truth and love?
Footnotes
1 Finis Jennings Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible (Lawrenceville, GA: Dake Bible Sales, 1963), Genesis 1:2 notes. “The earth was created to be inhabited (Isa. 45:18), and was inhabited before the flood of Gen. 1:2 and the work of the 6 days of Adam’s time (Gen. 1:3—2:25; Isa. 14:12-14; Jer. 4:23-26; Ez. 28:11-17; 2 Pet. 3:5-7).”
2 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Genesis 1:2 notes. “God destroys Lucifer’s kingdom on earth completely, and curses the earth by destroying every bird, animal, fish, city, inhabitant, and all vegetation. He then turns the earth upside down, and by means of a great flood makes it empty and a waste (Gen. 1:2; Ps. 104:5-9; Isa. 14:12-14; Jer. 4: 23-26; Ez. 28:11-17; 2 Pet. 3:5-7).”
3 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Genesis 1:28 notes. “The command for Adam to replenish the earth (fill it again), not plenish it, proves that the earth had been filled before this (Gen. 1:28). God gave the same command to Noah, after the second universal flood (9:1-2). Should we conclude from His command to Noah to replenish the earth that He meant to fill it for the first time, and not refill it?”
4 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Jeremiah 4:23-26 notes. “In the time before Adam and chaos, men lived in cities and in fruitful places on earth like men of today, so they must have eaten food and been mortal as we are today.”
5 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Genesis 1:2 notes. “The only time Jeremiah could have seen the earth without form and void and totally dark and desolate of all life was at the same time Moses saw it thus, as recorded by him in Gen. 1:2. There never has been a time from Adam until now when the earth was in such a state (not even at the time of Noah’s flood), and there will never be a time of such a curse in the eternal future. The only time Jer. 4:23-26 could be fulfilled was before Adam, for the earth was in such a condition when the Spirit began the 6 days’ work of restoring it to a second habitable state (Gen. 1:2-21).”
6 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Ezekiel 28:11-17 notes. “In Ez. 28:11-17 we have a picture of Lucifer before he fell, as the anointed cherub or protector of the earth, as being full of wisdom and perfect in beauty, as ruling in a garden of Eden (before Adam), as being created of God and perfect in his ways up to the time of his fall. The passage gives the reason for his fall and the result of it. The only time this could have been true of Satan was before the days of Adam, thus proving a pre-Adamite world.”
7 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Isaiah 14:12-14 notes. “According to Isa. 14:12-14, Lucifer actually invaded heaven from earth, hoping to defeat God and take His kingdom; but, Lucifer himself was defeated and his kingdom cursed. Before his defeat he had a throne and therefore a kingdom and subjects to rule over. His kingdom was under the clouds, under the stars, and under heaven—therefore, on earth. Having weakened the nations over whom he ruled, and wanting to be like God and take His place in heaven, Lucifer led the invasion of heaven. All this had to be before Adam’s day, for no such things have occurred since Adam was created.”
8 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, 2 Peter 3:5-7 notes. “Gr. kosmos, social system. The one that then was, being deluged with water, perished (v 6). This refers to the pre-Adamite world that totally perished by the flood of Gen. 1:2; Ps. 104:5-9. There was no man, bird, or any other life left after this flood (Jer. 4:23-26, notes). This was when Lucifer rebelled (Isa. 14:12-14; Ez. 28:11-17; Mt. 13:35; see notes on these scriptures).”
9 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Isaiah 14:12-14 notes. “Peter indicates that the pre-Adamites were mortal beings, for they could be drowned. The world (Gr. kosmos, social order) that then was (before Adam’s day), being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth which are now (since the 6 days’ work of Gen. 1:3—2:25) . . . are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men . . . we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
10 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Isaiah 14:12-14 notes. “They are called nations in Isaiah 14:12. The Hebrew word goy is translated Gentiles, nations, people, and heathen hundreds of times, but never angels. It follows then that the nations Lucifer ruled over must have been made up of men.”
11 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, 2 Peter 3:5 notes. “This proves the earth was not created all wet as in Gen. 1:2, but dry, then flooded, and later restored to a dry state as in Gen. 1:9-10.”
12 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Isaiah 14:12-14 notes. “The only statement in Scripture that causes some to stumble over the idea of pre-Adamites being men is 1 Cor. 15:45 where it speaks of the first man Adam; but this could be understood by realizing that he was created the first of this present race of men. It should never be taken to mean that he was the first being who ever lived on the earth, for others, even nations made up of men—mortal beings capable of being drowned in a flood—operated in a social system before Adam and the flood of Lucifer’s time.”
13 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Genesis 1:14-19 notes. “The sun, moon, and stars were created in the beginning before the earth existed (v 1; Job 38:4-7). The work of day 4 was the regulation of them in connection with the restored earth.”
14 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Introduction. “From the dateless past to the end of the 7 days of 1:3—2:25. The period may be called the Antechaotic Age—the Dispensation of Angels, because angels ruled various planets (Isa. 14:12-14; Ez. 28:11-17; Col. 1:15-18).”
15 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Genesis 1:2 notes. “There are many questions which cannot be answered apart from a belief in the pre-Adamite age. How did Lucifer become the devil and the prince of demons? When did he weaken the nations, ascend into heaven to exalt his throne above the stars, and fall from heaven as in Isa. 14:12-14? How did demons originate, for what purpose, and when? What caused the calamity of Gen. 1:2; Jer. 4:23-26; Ps. 104:6-9; 2 Pet. 3:5-6? Why was hell prepared for the devil and his angels as stated in Mt. 25:41, and why was it located beneath the earth (Mt. 12:40; Eph. 4:7-11)? Why was Adam told to replenish and not merely to plenish it? These and other questions go unanswered apart from a belief in the pre-Adamite world.”
16 Finis Jennings Dake, “Ages and Dispensations,” in God’s Plan for Man (Lawrenceville, GA: Dake Publishing, 1949), section IV.
17 Dake, “Ages and Dispensations,” section II.
18 Dake, “Ages and Dispensations,” section IV.
19 Finis Jennings Dake, God’s Plan for Man (Lawrenceville, GA: Dake Publishing, 1949), 123.
20 Finis Jennings Dake, Dake Bible Study Correspondence Course: The Heavenly Hosts (Lawrenceville, GA: Dake Publishing, n.d.), lesson on “Lucifer’s Pre-Adamite Kingdom.”
21 Dake, God’s Plan for Man, 128.
22 Dake, God’s Plan for Man, 132.
23 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Genesis 1:14-19 notes.
24 Dake, God’s Plan for Man, 128.
25 Dake, God’s Plan for Man, 118.
26 Dake, God’s Plan for Man, 118.
27 Dake, God’s Plan for Man, 118.
28 Dake, “Ages and Dispensations,” section I.
29 Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Genesis 1:2 notes.
30 Dake, God’s Plan for Man, 131-132.
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