I agree that the earth was severely damaged by a rebellion but this rebellion involved angels not beings from other planets. When you get to Genesis 1:14,15,16,17 this 4th day is when GOD created the universe but Earth previously existed and was before the universe. Therefore other planets did not yet exist before the fourth day. The creation of the other heavenly bodies also created time as the sun, moon and stars are what man uses to determine time. Therefore before the fourth day there was no such thing as time. This fellow is confusing aliens from other planets with angelic beings, angels were the princes not aliens. As far as I know angels were the first of GODS creation. There is nothing in scripture that speaks about aliens from other planets. The only beings in scripture are GOD, the angels and humans. Pre-adamic Earth was the first estate of the angels but this was lost to all of them because of the rebellion that devastated the Earth and Genesis records a recreation of Earth to prepare it for humanity.
My brother, we certainly have different views in the re-creation of our planet. Please bear with me while I share what I have learned over time. The view I have is a bit lengthy.
First, this initial chapter was written to people who lived a long time ago who knew basically nothing about the skies, planets, moons, and stars. Their view would be very limited. This story is one of the bringing about the planet that they experience daily. It is all a chapter dedicated to establishing an understanding of the dimensions of the One True God and His power and authority. If is not a science book or a "history of the universe" book.
Since that is my initial starting place, my understanding starts with a picture in my mind of a dark circular water-covered ball. While we might surmise a previous condition that is not covered by water where there was something else going on, we can imagine things from other evidence in scripture along a time-line with pieces of what-might-have-been before Genesis 1:3.
Now we choose to see verse 3 as a science project or a spiritual metaphor. Since this chapter is all about Yahweh and not astrophysics, my "God is light" mind steps in. Since I also believe that events took place prior to 1:3, I think the initial darkness was a spiritual condition where Yahweh shut down the Earth including removing Himself from its existence. Thus, it was dark and flooded. (By the way, a water-covered Earth would have to contain a great deal of water OR the Earth had no structure - no mountains, no valleys, etc. (Just my imagination here.)
Now Yahweh is going to restart that planet again with a new creation. That would seem to require His presence there. The first things that would happen would be that light once again covers the Earth. The WHOLE earth - at the same time, because in Him; there is no darkness. (That is simply my mind having a temporary vision here.)
Since God new creation will have life, plant, animal, people; there would be order with them and set up for their needs. Thus, since these things will require rest, sleep, food, etc; there would have to be both light and dark. So, Yahweh separated light from dark - and THIS happened before He created the two lights! If we consider the creation story, we must see that the 1st day did not have sunlight. It had God-light. He started it with evening first, followed by day.
Ever wonder why God put an expanse in the middle of the waters? Not that, when he did that, He did not created land yet. He put water above the expanse and water below. (We must remember that all this activity is "local" to the planet -the part that the Israelites could see. So, we will have a water-covered ball, but there is an outer ball also with water. The expanse was between the two layers of water. The upper layer was called Heaven. This ended the second day. It is necessary to understand that "Heaven" here was simply the sky as seen by the light coming from Yahweh. It was not what we refer to as "Heaven" now.
Next, Yahweh drew the water under the heavens together into ONE place. Here I consider only one continent surrounded by water "under the expanse." He called the dry land Earth and the water He called Seas. The original word for sea is written in plural form and I don't know why. I don't think it has much bearing on how people would see the waters from a shoreline. Anyway, God saw that it was good - but He was not done with that day yet.
They next creating work for the third day was various plants with seeds - and He saw that this was good as well. At this point, without being told in scripture specifically, I think I can safely assume that the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil were created as well. But, this was the Third Day.
These plants need something that enabled them to grow and flourish. So, God said "Let their be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate day from night." It appears that this transition had to happen for some reason. Well, once can imagine all sorts of things, but God's light would be pure light, while the Sun's light contained energy and other components like UV light. Photosynthesis would enable the plants to grow. But, we know today the harmful effects of the UV light. Fortunately for the ancients people, that water above the expanse filters out most of it.
Ever wonder why the people at that time could live so long? First the decrease in UV rays protected people from the aging process. Secondly, that layer of water above the expanse would be heavy. That heavy weight would have to be supported - by air pressure. For the things liking on the surface of the earth, it would be like living in a modern barometric pressure tank. Science already know the those tanks promote quick healing of wounds. Lack of UV rays and high barometric pressure would lead to much longer lives.
Now, God set a Sun to rule the day and a Moon to rule the night. I have often wondered how the clause "and the stars" was added to this passage as if it was an afterthought. It does not seem to fit with the flow of the sentence. The positions of both Sun and Moon with the Earth's movement established times and seasons. God saw that this was good and this was the 4th day.
Here comes day #5: fish and fowls are created. God blessed them and instructed them to be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters.
Then, on the 6th day, God creates land animals that walk and creep on the ground. Along with them, God created man "after our likeness." He also gave man dominion over the fish, the birds "of the heavens" and over the livestock (technically "beasts" from where we the word "behemoth" and over all the earth and every creeping thing.
The difference that becomes apparent here is the chapter one shows that God made the male and the female and blessed them with instructions to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Man was to have dominion over plants, fish, birds, and every living thing that moves on the earth.
I take note that Yahweh's initial instruction was that all animals and man would eat plants - not animals.
God saw that it was very good; the 6th day. On the 7th day, God was finished and He rested.
So, after this lengthy thing, this story is about ONLY the planet we live on. It does not address the universe other than to mention stars. We have no story of whatever else God has done or anything else He created. I don't feel like I am in a position to say what else Yahweh has done of not done.
