I was recently asked this question:
Q: Were there other human like creatures around before Adam and Eve?
Interesting question, and one that has been contemplated by many a Christian thinker!
According to Scripture, which is our only authority, mankind was created by God somewhere between 6000 and 7000 years ago in the Garden of Eden; and there were no other humanoid creatures at that time, only the beasts of the fields, the fouls of the air, fishes, whales, insects and small animals, and all the trees and plants.
Scripture does, however, suggest that Satan occupied the Earth with his angels at a time prior to the Genesis account of creation.
Whether there were “human-like creatures“ during this time, we cannot know; for Scripture does not say. What we know for certain is that everything spiritual or physical is created by God the Son, “For by him (Jesus) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”(Col.1:16-17)
Satan, like man, is created and is unable to create anything outside of God. He can only pervert that which God has created. And we know that he does this within our created universe, and he most certainly did so in the former world before Genesis. And we don’t know what God created back then, if He wanted us to know He would have told us, so it is not important. Considering the fact that Satan is both here and exists now in time, and that the impenitent men who refuses to believe in the Son of God as Saviour will be cast into hell with Satan and his angels after the judgment of Christ upon the world. Yet, God in His mercy, has give us the information of what we must know, in Scripture, that we might be able to receive His mercy. And that mercy is Christ crucified on the cross and risen to glory to sit at the right hand of the throne of His Father.
“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”(Rom.8:34)
Of course, there is no physical trace of that pre Adam civilization left, but some of the ‘folk tales’ and ‘mythologies’ down the ages may be shadowy representations of what once may have been. The devils are still upon the earth and they have the ability to influence the minds and imaginations of men, so many of the fantastic tales may possibly be stories passed down from devils to men. But again, these are suppositions. However, there are some verses in Scripture which many believe point to a description, at least in shadow and part, of the reality of a world in existence before our present world, of which began in Genesis. I will put forth the two most obvious, but there are others for those who are interested.
Read Ezekiel 28:13-17 for a description of Satan in the 1st Garden of Eden, what is called the ‘mineral garden’, where the garden was comprised of precious stones, as opposed to the trees and plants of Adam’s garden.
And then read Isaiah 14:12-27, which many interpret as Satan’s casting down at the hand of his creator, – God. We also see in the language of Isaiah language a suggestion that the Earth was destroyed at this time as well; many consider the “Assyrian” referred to in this chapter is a type of Satan himself.
When Satan fell and rebelled against God, God destroyed the Earth at that time, and what we see in Genesis chapter 1 is the reformation of the Earth.
A reading of the first 2 verses gives an indication of this. How, one may say? Verse one says that ‘God created the heavens and the earth in the beginning’, and verse Two says the ‘earth was without form and void’!
Well, we know that God only creates things that are perfect, He would not create something “without form and void “, so we can infer from this statement in verse two, that the earth was destroyed and then recreated. Verse two of Genesis chapter 1 is the beginning of the ‘reformation of the earth’.
It was possibly flooded, much like in the days of Noah; hence the verse “And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.”(Gen.9:11) may refer to 2 separate floods.
In theology, this is what is referred to as the ‘pre-cosmic fall’.
So, since Satan and his angels are spiritual beings and are unable to be killed in the ‘pre cosmic’ flood ( think of the devils in the swine running into the sea, and all the tales of sailors who have encountered sirens and sea monsters, in Job it says “ Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.”(Job 26:5). Satan and his angels were cast out of the presence of God and now exist on the earth, and they have been here for a very long time now, – 7000 years plus however long they dwelt on the earth before the ‘pre-cosmic fall’ possibly thousands or millions of years, God knows! -and they will continue to be here until the final judgement, when God will cast them into the lake of fire that He prepared for them to deal with them once and forever.
“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:”(Matthew 25:41)
It was in the garden that Satan then tempted Adam, and brought the sin and rebellion into the world of which we now witness on all sides of us how plain and simple it is – that mankind is fallen and separated from God and serves his own purposes, and Satan‘s purposes as well. For this world is the kingdom of Satan until that day that Satan is once and forever cast into outer darkness.
And it is in chapter 3 of Genesis that the gospel is first given to Adam; after he fell from grace with God we read, (the Lord says to Satan)“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”(verse 15) this is the first telling of the gospel in scripture. The seed of the woman is the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom there will be enmity between the seed of Satan and his chosen people, who are Christians. Satan bruised the heel of Christ, by causing sinful man to have Him crucified, but this was God’s plan from eternity, and the bruising( better read as ‘crushing’) of the head, in this verse describes Christ’s victory on the cross over Satan.
This is what we call the ‘covenant of grace’! It is the gospel, the good news! God has a purpose in everything, even the fall of man. And it is all for His glory’s sake.
“That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”(1Cor.1:31)
From this point, at Genesis 3:15, until the end of the book of Revelation, the entire Scripture is a declaration by God of what He is doing, has done, and ultimately will do, in redeeming his creation from sin, and death, which brought into creation through Adam.
And God be praised in the highest! For on the cross at Calvary’s Hill, the Lord Jesus Christ, the second eternal person of the Godhead, redeemed all of creation by dying in weakness and establishing his kingdom here on earth and in eternity so that All, who believe on him should not perish with the devil and his angels in the lake of fire, but have everlasting life.
Colossians 2:13-15 “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
Scripture Alone 