BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN

I am preaching on Good Friday at our local church and have been praying “what should I preach about”? The words kept coming to me (as I prayed) BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORD. These words are used numerous times in the New Testament so I thought I would meditate on them. The first verse I want to comment on is Revelation 13:8 NKJV All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

I will probably not write one thing that is new is this blog today, but, it is sure good to be reminded. Was God surprised when Adam & Eve sinned in the garden, no He wasn’t I am sure he was saddened and disappointed but already had a plan, The Book of Hebrews tells us that without shedding of blood there is no remission (of sins). So God had a plan to deal with the curse of sin produced by His creation. God is also consistent just God, so someone had to take God’s justice upon them, and blood had to be shed, so in eternity past He poured out His wrath on His only son and as Jesus shed His blood, God’s justice was fulfilled. John expresses it this way in 1John 2:2NKJV And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. Propitiation is a very old English word that in simple terms dealt with (forever) the sin question Hallelujah.

John goes on and tells us that throughout eternity will be reminded that Jesuswas the SLAIN LAMB, for we will se him constantly in heaven.Revelation 5:6 NKJV And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, we will never forget it was and is and always will be ALL BECAUSE OF JESUS.

Then is Ephesians 1:4-5 NKJV we see the term again Just as He CHOSE us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having PREDESTINED us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. The words chosen and elect are beautiful Bible words (as is predestined) sadly it causes so much anger amongst God’s people, LET US SIMPLY BELIEVE GOD’S WORD, AND THANK AND PRAISE HIM EVERY DAY THAT HE CHOSE US.

Before God created the world He saw us and chose us, it blows my mind, but oh I am so thankful, and He knows my name Isaiah 49:16 N KJV tells us See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Jesus lifts His Hands in intercession to the Father and sees our names engraved in His hand, isn’t that just awesome?

Hillsong church has this lovely song, which is sung in many Evangelical & Charismatic churches which I love.

Verse 1
Before the world began,
You were on his mind.
And every tear you cry,
Is precious in his eyes.
Because of his great love,
He gave his only son.
Everything was done so you would come.

Chorus
Come to the Father,
though your gift is small.
Broken hearts, broken lives,
He will take them all.
The power of the word,
the power of his blood.
Everything was done so you would come.

Verse 2
Nothing you can do,
Could make him love you more.
And nothing that you’ve done,
Could make him close the door.
Because of his great love,
He gave his only son.
Everything was done so you would come.

The death of Jesus was not a last minute plan rushed together because of Adam’s sin, but BEFORE THE WORD BEGAN God’s so GREAT SALVATION was planned. The shedding of blood of course speaks of the sacrifice dying which Jesus did on the Cross but the grave could not hold Him and after three days He rose again to make our Salvation complete. Romans 4:25 NKJV declares who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

Justification is a legal term which means we have been declared NOT GUILTY, and all this happened. BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN.