'Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world' (John 17:24).

Egapesas, 'lovedst', is in the aorist, and cannot be used in a sentence like

this: 'Thou lovedst Me before the setting up of a future world order'.  The

sentiment and the wording of John 17:24 are similar to an earlier statement

in the same prayer,

'The glory which I had with Thee Before the World Was' (John 17:5).

The second reference is 1 Peter 1:20, where, speaking of Christ as the Lamb

without blemish, Peter says: 'Who verily was foreordained before the

foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you' (1

Pet. 1.20).  Phanerothentos is the aorist 'was manifested', and this took

place before the first century A.D. or nineteen hundred years ago, 'in these

last times', Peter's own day.  If Christ was foreordained 'before' He was

manifested, and if He was manifested nineteen hundred years ago, then it is

utterly impossible to interpret this passage:

'Who verily was foreordained before God sets up His World order in the

future, but was manifested nineteen hundred years earlier'.

This is not all, however.  There are a number of passages which relate

certain callings and events to a period denominated 'From the foundation of

the world'.  Apo, 'away from', when referring to time could be rendered by

the word 'since' or 'after'.  Now it is self -evident that if an event

happened 'after' X then any event that happened 'before' X cannot at the same

time be future to it.  In Luke 11:50,51 we are taken back to Genesis 4, and

if Genesis 4 is 'since' or 'after' the foundation of the world, no one in his

senses can believe but that 'before the foundation of the world' Must Be At

Least not later than Genesis 3.

'That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed From The Foundation

of the world ... from the blood of Abel' (Luke 11:50,51).

Foundation of World

Genesis 1:2 -3.

Abel Genesis 4.

Before Foundation

After Foundation

of World.

of World.

Where we have a date line, with two periods, 'before' and 'after', and

where one of these periods is dated as is the case with the martyrdom of

Abel, argument ceases, the matter is no longer debatable.  We were chosen in

Christ before Abel was slain.  That is a fact.  No more need be said.

Positive teaching on the meaning of the words 'before the foundation of the

world' will be found in the article devoted to Ephesians1, where reasons for

translating katabole 'overthrow' and relating it with Genesis 1:2 are

presented.  The reader should view with suspicion any 'proof' that may be

advanced by anyone that fails to provide a conspectus of occurrences and

usage of the word in question.

A survey of the scattering and the gathering of Israel, and their association

with the land and the city of their fathers, their repentance and the coming

of the Lord.