1 Peter 1:20 – He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.
Genesis records the beginning of Creation and human history. However, Genesis does not record what happened in eternity past as Moses chose not to tell us about such things as the creation of angels, fall of Satan in the unseen realm of Heaven, or what the eternal God was doing before Creation. Therefore, it would be a mistake to view Genesis 1 as the beginning of history as it is instead an explanation that creation comes from God and was made habitable for human life.
Before Creation and mankind, there was history independent of creation; before energy, time, space, or what we know of as the material world was spoken into existence, God existed and made angels and other divine beings before humanity was created. The rest of Scripture gives us some clues as to that part of history in eternity past which preceded human life.
In Genesis 1:26 we read, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…’” Here is a reference to the Trinity, which is the one and only God who exists equally as the three persons of Father, Son, and Spirit. It is this personal Trinitarian God who existed in eternity past before the creation of the world or humanity in a perfect and harmonious relationship of love and communication. This is important to note because other religions that wrongly do not believe in the Trinity are prone to believe that God made mankind because He was lonely, lacking, and longing for relationship. The Bible teaches that God has no need and is a personal God complete with love, communication, and relationship in His very nature.
In the New Testament, we do get some glimpses into what preceded Creation in eternity past through the words of Jesus, Paul, and Peter.
In John 17:5 Jesus says, “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”
In John 17:24 Jesus says, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”
Ephesians 1:4 says, “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.”
1 Peter 1:20 says, “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.”
2 Timothy 1:9b says, “…because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began”.
Titus 1:2 says, “in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began”.
Before the creation of the world and mankind, in eternity past, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit dwelt together in glory and love. Additionally, God the Father chose God the Son to execute the plan of salvation by coming to earth to die for the sins of His people and rescue us from Satan, sin, and death. This plan of salvation that was executed by the Son through the Spirit’s power was devised by God the Father before Creation and before we sinned. In this we see that though God is not responsible for human sin, He also was not taken by surprise when our first parents sinned, but rather foreknew it would occur and had already devised a plan to remedy our sin by redeeming us through Jesus.
Have you ever thought about what happened before the creation of the world? In awe and wonder, praise God for the fact that He existed before even the creation of the world and thank Him that this same God is personal and our loving, Heavenly Father.
To help you study the book of Genesis with us, we have the first of three free e-book study guides here.
For a free PDF of Pastor Mark and Dr. Breshears’ Doctrine book, click here as chapter 3 specifically addresses creation.
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