An Alphabetical Analysis
Volume 8 - Prophetic Truth - Page 196 of 304
INDEX
'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.
THE
GATHERED
PEOPLE
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.