What is the concept of Lucifer's flood? Is the idea of a Luciferian flood biblical?

TL;DR:

The concept of Lucifer’s flood, part of the gap theory, suggests a catastrophic event preceding the six-day creation. The Luciferian flood is speculative and lacks biblical support, conflicting with Scripture’s teachings on creation, sin, and death.

what does the bible say?

Part of the gap theory is the idea of Lucifer's flood, also called the Luciferian flood. Lucifer’s flood followed a time when Satan ruled the earth, which was populated by soulless men. During this time, say gap theorists, the rebellion of Satan occurred, and God punished him by bringing a flood. This theory states that the fossil records come from the millions of years before this flood, and the six-day creation happened afterward, when the earth was "without form and void." The Bible provides a clear and cohesive narrative of creation in Genesis. Genesis 1:1–2 describes God’s creation of the heavens and the earth, and the six-day creation sequence follows without reference to gaps or pre-Adamic events. Death and sin are directly tied to the fall of Adam and Eve (Romans 5:12), making the idea of death occurring before humanity biblically untenable. Faith requires trusting in God’s Word over speculative theories (Hebrews 11:1).

from the old testament

Genesis 1:1–2: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void…” These verses describe the earth in its initial unformed state, without any indication of prior catastrophes or judgment.
Exodus 20:11: “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them…” This verse confirms that all of creation occurred within the six-day framework, without gaps or preexisting events.

from the new testament

Romans 5:12: “Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin…” This verse affirms that death did not exist before Adam’s sin, directly challenging theories involving pre-Adamic death or fossils.
Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” This verse reminds believers to trust in God’s Word, rather than in speculative explanations.

implications for today

Lucifer's flood and the gap theory are pure speculation. If we believe the Bible to be literally true, it is unsupportable to simply insert things, like Lucifer's flood or the millions of years in the "gap," for the purpose of making sense of scientific theories and geological discoveries. The fact is those discoveries are not explained in the Scripture.

Gap theory and the Lucifer's flood theory depend on a lot of speculation. They are an attempt to explain and understand why the Bible and the scientific record do not agree in terms of the age of the earth. We do not know the answer to this. Maybe, someday, we will. It may be difficult for us to trust God in places where the Bible is silent, but it is not a good idea to come up with theories based entirely on speculation that have no basis either scientifically or biblically.

The idea of Lucifer’s flood arises from a desire to reconcile Scripture with modern scientific theories, such as the fossil record or geological timelines. However, Christians must resist the temptation to insert speculative events into Scripture to align it with external evidence. Instead, we should approach these disagreements with humility, acknowledging that some answers remain beyond human understanding—at least until more evidence is discovered. Faith requires trust. Even science requires faith. But when science presents supposedly conflicting claims, we must seek the truth, knowing that it will align with God’s Word. The emphasis should remain on the clarity of Scripture, seeking the truth, and holding on to the centrality of the gospel message.

understand

Lucifer’s flood is speculative; it is part of the gap theory and lacks biblical support.
Genesis 1:1-–2 describes creation without referencing a pre-Adamic flood.
Romans 5:12 shows death entered through Adam’s sin, not before.

reflect

How does trusting in the Bible’s creation account challenge or strengthen your faith?
Where in your life do you struggle to trust God when the Bible is silent?
How does understanding the biblical connection between sin, death, and Adam's fall influence your view of salvation through Christ?

engage

Why is it important for Christians to base their beliefs on Scripture, rather than speculative theories?
How can we reconcile apparent conflicts between Scripture and scientific discoveries while maintaining faith in God’s Word?
What does the gap theory and the concept of Lucifer’s flood reveal about human attempts to explain mysteries of creation?