What is the first earth age?

Answer

The initial era of the earth, as suggested by proponents of the theory, was a period preceding Genesis 1:2, during which human beings existed as pre-incarnate souls. Advocates of an initial earth age also cite Genesis 1:1, Jeremiah 4:18, and 2 Peter 3:5 to bolster their arguments. According to the concept of the initial earth age, God created the earth originally many thousands or millions of years ago, but that world was tainted by Satan’s rebellion. In the perspective of the initial earth age, those who remained faithful to God during that time became the “elect” mentioned in the New Testament and were assured eternal life. In many aspects, the theory of the initial earth age resembles the Mormon teaching of spirit children. Belief in an initial earth age is a subset of the broader gap theory.

While the gap theory generally posits a lengthy period covered by Genesis 1:1, belief in the initial earth age extends further by assuming the existence of human souls before the creation of man. Belief in an initial earth age does not appear to be widespread, and most references to it link it to Shepherd’s Chapel, under the leadership of Arnold Murray. The belief is also associated with the erroneous serpent seed doctrine and varying degrees of anti-Semitic beliefs. Such connections do not definitively determine its veracity, but they do indicate that the theory of the initial earth age should be approached with caution and careful examination.

The notion of an initial earth age lacks biblical support for several reasons. Firstly, it is not directly substantiated by the biblical text. Advocates of the initial earth age theory point to different interpretations of Greek and Hebrew words that they argue support the notion of a “first earth” destroyed before the flood. These assertions are heavily influenced by bias and do not naturally arise from the text or the definitions of the words in question. Secondly, and more importantly, the concept of an initialEarth’s age is contradicted by passages like 1 Corinthians 15:46–47, which state that the physical precedes the spiritual. This contrasts with the initial earth age concept.