The gap theory addresses the apparent discrepancy between the biblical account of a 6,000-year history of mankind and the geologic and fossil records suggesting a world millions or billions of years old. It proposes an unknowable expanse of time between the last word of Genesis 1:1 and the first word of Genesis 1:2. According to this theory, in the beginning, the eternal God created the entire physical universe out of nothing, as stated in Genesis 1:1. Then, God placed lucifer, an angel who later became satan, on a throne as ruler of the earth, where he governed tens of millions of angels for an indeterminate period. After possibly millions or billions of years, lucifer rebelled, convincing a third of the angels to join his insurgency, leading to a horrific battle that resulted in cataclysms across the solar system. God defeated this revolt and cast the rebellious angels back to the earth, creating the chaotic state described in the first part of Genesis 1:2. Finally, God renewed the earth and created mankind approximately 6,000 years ago, as reflected in Psalm 104:30. The gap theory finds further support in the interpretation of Hebrew words and textual markers, such as the Rebia in the Masoretic text after Genesis 1:1, indicating a pause, and the translation of "was" in Genesis 1:2 as "became," suggesting the earth became without form and void. Additionally, the Hebrew terms "tohu" and "bohu," translated as without form and void, imply desolation, confusion, and ruin, supporting the idea that the earth was not originally created in chaos but became so due to a catastrophic event.

Scientists often date fossils, such as dinosaur bones and those termed human or early man, to thousands or even millions of years before the creation of Adam. None of the facts discovered by science contradict the Bible, though many theories proposed by scientists to explain their facts are at odds with God's Word. As part of the message of the soon-coming Kingdom of God, it is explained that there was a previous world of immense duration over which angels were given rule. It is evident that this previous world ended in chaos and destruction due to the rebellion of the angels. Whatever forms of breathing, physical life existed at the time of that titanic destruction would have died in it. Then followed a week of re-creation, and on the sixth day of that week, God created man and endowed him with human spirit. Any accurately dated fossils older than 6,000 years would consequently be pre-Adamic.