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You thought the Gap Theory was just a theory. The reality is—it’s a fact. Perhaps that surprises you and leaves you disappointed by the writer’s apparent arrogance. But the Scriptures couldn’t be clearer—there is a definite gap.
Consider a few verses in Genesis 16 (not Genesis 1), and you will quickly see it with your own eyes:
“And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly…Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him…” Genesis 16:15 – 17:2
The careful reader will spot it immediately. For sure, it wasn’t millions of years. Abram is 86 at the end of Chapter 16 and 99 at the beginning of Chapter 17. (99-86=13). Yes, the Bible reveals a 13-year gap in Abraham’s life.
Scripture records nothing of God speaking to Abram during that time. It appears to be a silent stretch in his walk with God.
Abram is one of the most remarkable men in the Bible. His story is told throughout Scripture, and his name is mentioned in 29 books of the Bible — yet there is a gaping hole in his biography.
What happened?
God had promised Abram and Sarai a child. But at 86, Abram decided he could wait no longer. Together, they took matters into their own hands. Through Hagar, Ishmael was born.
They got their child. But not God’s way. And then—silence. Ishmael was born, and then the lights seemed to go out on Abram’s life. A blackout. A gap occurred.
It’s a sad time when we take matters into our own hands and veer off course in our lives, rather than trusting God. The drift begins. The clock starts ticking—one year out of touch. The second year, pressing on in our own strength but feeling the distance. The third year – still adrift. Years four, five, and the clock keeps ticking.
It’s a sobering thing when we step ahead of God instead of waiting on Him. A drift begins. A distance is experienced, and a chill is felt.
But we must be careful here—not every quiet or hidden season is a wasted one. Moses spent forty years in the wilderness. Far from the spotlight, yes—but those were years of preparation in the school of God. Paul spent time in Arabia shortly after his conversion. Scripture tells us little about those days, but they were no doubt formative.
Even Jesus lived in relative obscurity from age twelve to thirty — years lived in perfect submission to His Father.
Some hidden years are not barren—they are deeply fruitful.
But Abram’s 13-year gap season seemed to be quite different. This was not a season of waiting on God. This was a season of moving ahead without Him. It may be a stretch to link the number 13 in the Word of God to self-will, but, interestingly, its first reference is tied to rebellion (Genesis 14:4)—reminding us how quickly the human heart can step outside God’s order and plan.
Is a gap forming in your life?
Outwardly, Abram likely continued on as before. But something vital was missing. The nearness. The freshness. The sense of walking with God. No major faith milestones for God are mentioned in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11) in Abraham’s life during that period.
Thirteen long years. Then—grace. At age 99, the Lord appeared to him again:
“I am God Almighty—El Shaddai.” Genesis 17:1
The gap closed. The silence broke. Abram was brought back into step with God. And what Abram could never accomplish on his own, God did. Within a year, Isaac was born.
Yes, Abram recovered. Yes, he finished well. But those years were gone. And the consequences of stepping outside of God’s will would reach far beyond his lifetime.
You may recover from a wrong turn. God is gracious. But we need to stop and ask ourselves: why risk the loss? Why live with consequences that could have definitely been avoided?
If a gap is forming in your life—close it today.
Confess it. Get back in step with the Lord. Running on a head is a lonely, sometimes scary and often regrettable season in our lives. Restoration and communion are beautiful seasons in our lives.
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