This is not for the faint of heart. It's not so much a devotional, as it is a Bible study which compares Scripture with Scripture to get you to search your Bible for yourself.
To get to the point of my theory, I must start out with some explanation as to how I came to this conclusion.
First, I present the gap theory:
The gap theory states that there was an earth before the adamic one was formed by God in Genesis 1.
The verse used is Genesis 1:2. Let us look at the verses of Genesis 1:1-2- In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
If we move through the rest of the verses in Genesis we see that on day one God made light. On day two God made the firmament. On day three God brought the dry land out of the waters, and brought forth vegetation. On day four, God made the sun and moon and stars. On day five God makes fish and birds. On day six God makes animals and man. The seventh day God rests.
Notice that he never created the earth. The earth was already present in Genesis 1:2, so when exactly was it created? It had to be before day 1.
Next, I must look at the fall of Satan:
Isaiah 12:13-14 tells us about Satans fall. 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.
Before the devil fell, however, he had a different image and a different job title and a different name- Lucifer.
Ezekiel 28 gives us the tale of Lucifer under an assumed name- the king of Tyrus. Ezekiel 28:12-16- 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. 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. 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. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
Lucifer's original image was an anointed cherub. He was a beauty musical creature who covered the throne of God. But, his pride got the best of him and he so God casts him out of heaven.
The most interesting thing that I've been stumped by was the stones of fire. Where are the stones of fire that he walked up and down in. It's given in the past tense, like his being in the Garden of Eden, so I would assume the stones of fire are something from long ago.
Jesus makes mention of hell and says that it was created for a reason. Matthew 25:41- Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
When was this created? I would say after the devil sinned. But, when the Bible talks of creation it says the angels sang for joy- I would think they wouldn't be so joyful if they knew a place of destruction had been created for their doom.
Job 38:4-7- Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
God created the world, yes. But, when? Was there an original that was rendered wicked and destroyed?
Job 22:15-20- Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood: Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them? Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me. The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn. Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
This sounds like it could refer to Noah's flood. But, it says they were cut down out of time as if something has been erased from history. The flood is in the Bible, as well as in many different cultures around the globe.
And, it states that the remnant of them the fire consumeth. Could this be the stones of fire that Lucifer was mentioned walking among?
Psalms 104:5-6- Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.
The foundations were not removed for ever even though they were covered with the deep. Could this be why the earth was without form and void? Because, there was an earth before the one we live on?
II Peter 3:5-7- For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
What are they willingly ignorant of? Anyone who believes the Bible will believe in Noah's flood. I believe that they are ignorant of a world before the one we call Earth. God destroyed that world and then buried it in a deep.
Stick with me, I'm know it's getting long!
Now, may I introduce the main character, Melchizedek:
Melchizidek is only mentioned twice in the Old Testament.
The first time is after Abraham comes back from war. He is only mentioned in three verses as a king and a priest of the most high God. Whether Abraham knew him before this encounter, or no, he seemed to understand there was something different about this man and offered him tithes.
Genesis 14:18-20- And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
The next time we see his name is in the book of Psalms. God is promising someone an everlasting priesthood. It's an oath that He is making and He's using Melchizidek as an example (perhaps because it was an oath that He has made before?).
Psalms 110:4- The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
The next time we hear the name Melchizedek is over a thousand years later in the book of Hebrews. In fact, Paul makes reference to him more through Hebrews chapter 5 through 7 than he is ever mentioned in the Old Testament.
Hebrews 5:5-7- So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Hebrews 5:10-11- Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
My first thought is "how much more would Paul have said if they weren't dull of hearing?".
This is showing that it was referencing the coming Christ in Psalms when the oath was made. Christ became our priest who offered the sacrifice, his sinless blood, upon the altar of mercy to obtain salvation for all those who would ask.
The interesting question is who was crying with strong tears offering prayers and supplications? It could easily be talking about both Christ and Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6:17-20- Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
In the next chapter Paul is telling of God's oath in greater detail. Curiously, he mentions two immutable things- but I'm only seeing one mentioned- His oath.
Hebrews 7:1-6- For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
Again, Melchizedek is reference as the king of Salem and the priest of the most High God, but he is here also called the King of Righteousness and the King of Peace.
Then, an interesting phrase is mentioned- without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days not end of life; but made like unto the son of God. Only Adam and Eve are without father and mother, so that makes Melchizedek a mysterious character.
If we had only the verses in the Old Testament, then we would think that Melchizedek was a mortal man who was doing right and worshiping God around the time that Abraham lived. But, this phrase blows that idea out of the water!
Hebrews 7:11-17- If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Here we see that when Paul is comparing Christ's position as priest that he completely bypasses the Levitical priesthood and goes to Melchizedek. Why?
Well, there are a few hints.
First, Melchizedek was from a different tribe. Tribe in the Bible is used in reference to the Jews. The Gentile people are never called tribes. But when Melchizedek was around there were no tribes.
Christ was not of the Levitical tribe where priests descend, he was of the tribe of Judah from which kings descend.
Next, Melchizedek's priesthood was after the power of endless life, and not the law which brought death. Christ was going to bring eternal life through salvation!
Could this be why Paul mentions two immutable things? God was not referring to "things" but to two different immutable oaths that He had made with two different people.
Hebrews 7:21-22- (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
Is it possible that there is an eternal priesthood before Jesus?
And, the last piece before I give my theory...
Matthew 19:4- And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
This is clearly a reference to Adam and Eve, because Jesus is sourcing the Scriptures!
Mark 10:6- But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
Jesus said that at the beginning of the creation God made male and female, but he never says they were Adam and Eve.
Now, for my theory-
God created the heavens and the earth and put on it a man and a woman. This world wasn't the one we know today, it was created in ancient times and it was called by another name- Salem.
The man was called Melchizedek, and we can only guess at the woman's name. He is mentioned as being without father and mother because he was created by God just like Adam and Eve were. And, he is without beginning and end because this period in history was cut down out of time.
Why?
When Satan was filled with pride and cast out of heaven, he came to this ancient planet and caused the woman to sin. This story has a different outcome because unlike Adam, Melchizedek did not sin.
Melchizedek was truly from a different tribe. And when his wife sinned he offered prayers and supplications with strong cryings and tears to the most high God to not kill him with the rest of his world.
Because he had not sinned, the most high God swore with an oath that he would become a priest forever through the power of an endless life. And, God doesn't lie! So, when that ancient world was destroyed, Melchizedek was not because he was granted immortality and taken to heaven to be a priest forever before God's throne.
Then, God took what was Salem and started again creating what we now call heaven and earth, this time with the center of the earth being hell for the devil and his angels.
Adam and Eve were told to repopulate the earth, because the original population had been destroyed with one man being relocated.
When the humans were tempted they both sinned, and this earth was cursed. More angels fell and the earth was flooded, but not the universe, and a family survived- Noah.
As the populations grew God's plan for the Messiah was put into action and Christ came to die for mankind.
Christ pleads with God not to forsake his soul in hell. He fears, because he will become sin on the cross. And, with the most eternal oath they both know he hears the Father swear after the order of Melchizedek, that eternal priesthood promise that Christ saw was fulfilled so long ago.
How did I come to this conclusion?
Ecclesiastes 1:9- The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
You can agree, or not. As I said it is a theory, which won't be debunked or validated until we stand before God's throne.
