Chapter 1 "Before the Foundation of the World"
Phillips points out that there are many places in the scriptures that mention the foundations of the world.
"All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.
This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.” Matthew 13:34-35
"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matt 25:34
"....so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation." Luke 11:50
For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. Heb 4:3
"For then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Heb 9:26
"Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain." Rev 13:7-8
"The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come." Rev 17:8
"He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you." 1 Peter 1:20
God's eternal purposes in redemption:
1. The splendor of the Lord's person.
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. John 17:24
While on earth, his disciples were viewed as ignorant, unlearned men. Jesus himself was viewed as a Galilean, disrespected. At the last supper, Jesus desires the disciples "may be with me where I am" in order to "see my glory."
2 The selection of the Lord's people.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. Eph 1:3-4
Phillips uses the analogy of a chess master who allows the novice player free choice over the board but who inherently has much more control over the board because of his chess experience and understanding.
He also stresses that the act of being chosen is much more about being adopted by God, "Election is not so much about the salvation of sinners (if at all). It is about the high calling, the magnificent destiny, and the eternal enrichment of God's people" (19-20).
"God is not restricted by the tenses of time....Since God dwells in the eternal present, it is obvious that the moment He chose us and the moment we chose Him was the very same moment in God's eternal present tense."
3. The scope of the Lord's passion.
The trinity determined the plan for redemption before the foundation of the world was laid. Phillips likens it to his wife's music box. When we look inside, we "see" the complete tune pegged out in metal prongs, but it is only over time, over playing the box, that the tune will come to life, "The whole plan, from a past eternity to ages yet unborn is all pegged out in heaven" (21). During WW II he relates the BBC would report "Everything is proceeding according to plan," so that although the world may feel precarious as difficulty unfolds, God proceeds according to His plans.
I found both of his analogies--the chess game and the music box--helpful in understanding God's preeminence and foreknowledge in relationship to human understanding and will.
"All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.
This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.” Matthew 13:34-35
"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matt 25:34
"....so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation." Luke 11:50
For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. Heb 4:3
"For then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Heb 9:26
"Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain." Rev 13:7-8
"The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come." Rev 17:8
"He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you." 1 Peter 1:20
God's eternal purposes in redemption:
1. The splendor of the Lord's person.
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. John 17:24
While on earth, his disciples were viewed as ignorant, unlearned men. Jesus himself was viewed as a Galilean, disrespected. At the last supper, Jesus desires the disciples "may be with me where I am" in order to "see my glory."
2 The selection of the Lord's people.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. Eph 1:3-4
Phillips uses the analogy of a chess master who allows the novice player free choice over the board but who inherently has much more control over the board because of his chess experience and understanding.
He also stresses that the act of being chosen is much more about being adopted by God, "Election is not so much about the salvation of sinners (if at all). It is about the high calling, the magnificent destiny, and the eternal enrichment of God's people" (19-20).
"God is not restricted by the tenses of time....Since God dwells in the eternal present, it is obvious that the moment He chose us and the moment we chose Him was the very same moment in God's eternal present tense."
3. The scope of the Lord's passion.
The trinity determined the plan for redemption before the foundation of the world was laid. Phillips likens it to his wife's music box. When we look inside, we "see" the complete tune pegged out in metal prongs, but it is only over time, over playing the box, that the tune will come to life, "The whole plan, from a past eternity to ages yet unborn is all pegged out in heaven" (21). During WW II he relates the BBC would report "Everything is proceeding according to plan," so that although the world may feel precarious as difficulty unfolds, God proceeds according to His plans.
I found both of his analogies--the chess game and the music box--helpful in understanding God's preeminence and foreknowledge in relationship to human understanding and will.
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