There are many false teachings that have been circulating the Earth since Time began. Deception is the shiniest tool in Satan’s toolbox. Really, it is the only thing that he has going for him. Because he has no power over us unless we accept his lies!
Today, I want to focus on one particular area where people have been tricked into believing the lies of the enemy. There are several lies connected to this topic…and I thought I had heard them all… I think I have now. However, we can’t doubt that Satan will come up with new ones if he feels his foothold slipping.
I have heard some of these tales throughout my life, I just shrugged them off. But, recently I learned that my dearest and best friend is faltering under this teaching. I truly believe it is holding him back from walking in all that God has for him. I love this brother. My desire for him is that God reveals the truth to him and exposes the deception.
So, I just had to do the research. I found out that this is a hot topic in these Endtimes. That should not come as a surprise. After we are living in the days of DECEPTION. The enemy of our souls is pulling out all the stops and using every lie he can to pull us away from GOD.
Before we get any deeper into today’s topic, I want to lay some basic facts to bear in mind.
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No other earths – No one will ever find another EARTH. We are it. God had a purpose for this place and the people in it. It is specific to us and to this TIME and place.
In the universe are billions of galaxies, in our galaxy are billions of planets, but there is ‘Only One Earth.’
This was the theme of World Environment Day on June 5, and a sentiment shared by millions of people across the globe. ’ Source
In a galaxy that likely holds trillions of planets, ours is so far the only known life-bearing world. Source
In a galaxy that likely holds trillions of planets, ours is so far the only known life-bearing world. Source
Scientists have found thousands of other worlds, but they’re not like Earth. Source
So far, no evidence of life on the other planets of our solar system has been found. Source
God has a zero tolerance for sin
Psalm 5
4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
7 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
Angels were made to obey God’s commands and not given free will. Some will argue that angels did have free will because some of them rebelled. Not so. That is why they rebelled. The Word says that sin was found in him.
Isaiah 14
13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness:
It was not God’s intention that the Angels should fall. But He foresaw it. He knew He had to do something to STOP IT. Corruption, Iniquity, Chaos and DEATH had to be dealt with.
Psalm 103:20
20 Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.
Bless the Lord, all ye his angels, mighty in strength, who perform his bidding, ready to hearken to the voice of his words.
God wanted a family, one that understands HIM and CHOOSES HIM. Chooses to live according to his Commandments because they Love HIM. Not because they have no other choice. That did not work too well with the angels. Evil found a way to corrupt them. But, God foreknew that would happen. He already had a plan of Salvation before He even formed the world.
God wanted people who would choose HIM and Follow HIS Commandments because they love him. We all want to be wanted. To know we matter. To be chosen. God created us with this desire. So we would want a relationship with Him.
God created us for the sake of love. He has so much love to share and He wants a relationship with us. He chose us; now we choose Him. Source
Once this World reaches it’s culmination… There will be a NEW HEAVEN and A NEW EARTH. Those who CHOSE HIM will be given authority over those who are to come and OVER ANGELS.
1 Corinthians 6:2-3
2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
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This world is a test of our character. We are here to walk out our salvation. To study to show ourselves approved. We are here to learn about GOD and who He is and wants to be in our lives. We are here to follow Jesus who walked the sinless life before us. And we are here to be filled with the HOLY SPIRIT in POWER. The Holy Spirit was provided for us by the sacrifice made by God’s only begotten son. Because He died and paid our ransom, the Holy Spirit was sent to LIVE inside us. He is the one who gives us the power to overcome the works of the enemy in our lives and in the lives of others. The Holy Spirit is our guide, our comforter, our teacher. He reveals ALL TRUTH to us and without HIM we can’t even recognize truth. When we walk by the SPIRIT we crucify our flesh. Our flesh becomes dead, and we live but not us, but CHRIST who lives within us. We walk not in our righteousness, which is as filthy rags…but in HIS. The blood of Jesus, gives us the ability to stand before the ALMIGHTY, FULLY RIGHTEOUS GOD and call HIM ABBA DADDY!!
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There are treacherous untruths being bantered about on the topic of a Pre-Existence of our spirits. Now, some may say this is no big deal. It is not a matter that could lose ones salvation, so let it go. However, the TRUTH IS these seemingly trifling, insignificant lies, can get into the hearts and minds of those who are weak in their faith and cause real unrest and struggles. Lies can blur the truth and cause division and strife. TRUTH is the ONLY THING THAT MATTERS. Anything that is not TRUE is a LIE. A lie is an assertion that is believed to be false, typically used with the purpose of deceiving or misleading someone.
I came across the following image on a google search which lead me to the documentary posted below it.
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Now, I have heard people say that we were in heaven with GOD before we came to earth and that God presented us with a mission and we had to agree to come. Then God erased our memory and we were incarnated as a human.
To me, that sounded so absurd. I found it hard to believe anyone could take that seriously. Apparently, there are those who do.
I don’t know why I am surprised by anything that people believe, people who don’t really know GOD. Anyone without the Spirit of GOD in them CANNOT discern TRUTH.
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No we were not. And nor did we “agree” to come to earth, we were willed here. But it is true that while we did not exist in physical form prior to our conception, we did “exist” in the mind of God.
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I don’t know if this teaching began in the Mormon church or not. I do know now that it is a teaching perpetuated by the Mormons.
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| A Mormon Teaching: |  |
We once lived in the presence of God
Before the earth was created, we all lived with God, our Heavenly Father. He wanted us to learn from experiences here on earth to help us become more like Him. Much like children leaving home for college, we needed to leave our heavenly home in order to grow personally, learn from our mistakes, find joy, and develop faith. To progress, we needed an environment that would test us and challenge us. So God created this earth and taught us His plan for our happiness. We are all here because we trusted in His plan, which is designed to allow us to return to live with Him again.
“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” —Ecclesiastes 12:7
Learn about God’s plan for us
Where did I come from?
Before you were born, you lived with God, your Heavenly Father. He knew you, loved you, and taught you about the choices that would lead to lasting happiness. This period is called the premortal life.
God presented His plan to us
God wanted us to come to earth to gain a physical body. Here, we face challenges and situations that help us learn and grow so we can become more like Him.
Jesus was chosen as our Savior
God knew that we would make mistakes, so He chose Jesus to come to earth and suffer for our sins. Jesus’s sacrifice allows us to be forgiven and cleansed of our sins so we can live with God again someday.
What is my purpose in life?
Here on earth, we don’t remember living with God. As a result, we must have faith and learn to choose between right and wrong. Life isn’t easy, but hard times let us appreciate happiness and peace.
Jesus’s sacrifice
Jesus suffered and died for our sins. But that doesn’t take our responsibility away—we must choose to accept Jesus by repenting when we make mistakes, being baptized, and keeping His commandments.
Where do we go after we die?
When we die, our spirit and body separate. Our spirit goes to the spirit world. It is a place of rest and happiness for those who have made good choices and a place to learn and progress for those who have not yet received the gospel of Jesus Christ. For those spirits who have rejected Jesus Christ, it a place to suffer for their sins.
The spirit world
The spirit world is not a final destination or judgment. In fact, because God is so loving and fair, those people in hell who never knew about Jesus are taught His gospel and given the opportunity to accept Him.
We will all live again
Jesus overcame death so we can all live again. This is called the resurrection. When we are resurrected, our spirits and bodies reunite. Our bodies will be perfect and will never die again.
Judgment
Jesus will judge us according to our actions and the desires of our hearts. He will be as merciful as He can. Because our actions and desires vary, heaven includes different kingdoms or degrees of glory.
The celestial kingdom
Our Heavenly Father and Jesus reside in the celestial kingdom. If you live by Jesus’s teachings and are cleansed from sin by His sacrifice, you will go there. You will live in God’s presence and experience lasting joy.
The terrestrial kingdom
People who refuse to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ but who live otherwise honorable lives will receive a place in the terrestrial kingdom.
The telestial kingdom
Those who continue in their sins and do not repent will receive a place in the telestial kingdom.
The purpose of life on earth
As part of God’s plan, we gain a physical body at birth. We face many challenges and temptations, but we also experience happiness and love. In order to learn by faith, God caused us to forget our life in heaven. He also gave us the freedom to choose so we could decide for ourselves between good and evil. Earth life became a proving ground where our decisions to live good lives and follow God would determine if we would be ready to return and live with Him again someday.
God gave His Son to be our Savior
Heavenly Father knew that during this life, none of us would be perfect. To overcome our sins and mistakes, God provided a Savior for us. He sent His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to allow us to be forgiven and to teach us how we can return to our Heavenly Father.
Missionaries can explain in detail the plan of salvation and the role of Jesus Christ, and they are happy to answer any questions you may have. The knowledge of God’s plan can change your perspective and help you live life with more hope, joy, and purpose.
You can know God’s plan through the Book of Mormon
You can know for yourself about the reality of God’s plan. You can also know how the teachings of Jesus Christ can help you live life with greater purpose, hope, and happiness, even in times of difficulty or uncertainty. These truths are taught clearly in the Book of Mormon. You can receive your own copy of this book for free.
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Well, we have seen what the Mormons teach. Let us dig a bit deeper into what the WORD OF GOD says on the topic.
What does the Bible say about the pre-existence of souls?
The Bible says nothing about the pre-existence of souls because this is a man-made idea with no basis in truth. The Bible makes it clear that every human being is a unique creation of God (Genesis 2:7; Zechariah 12:1; Jeremiah 1:5). Each unique human soul begins at conception (Psalm 139:13–16; Isaiah 44:24) and will continue forever because we are created as eternal beings (Genesis 9:6; Isaiah 40:28; Matthew 25:46).
The concept of pre-existence cannot be followed to its logical conclusion. Pre-existence means one of three things: (1) the soul has always existed, (2) the soul was created at a previous time and waited, incorporeal, until it could inhabit a body on earth, or (3) the soul inhabited another body in the past and transmigrated to its current body. If (1) is true and souls have always existed, then human beings are also part of God, uncreated and self-determined. This concept is clearly contrary to the Bible’s claims that there is no other God but Yahweh (Genesis 5:1; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 4:12; Malachi 2:10; 1 Corinthians 8:5–6). If (2) is true and a soul waited in a heavenly nursery prior to earthly birth, then Genesis 2:7 is wrong: “The Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” The words “man became” indicate a definite beginning in which Adam’s soul and body came to life at the same time. If (3) is true, and a soul inhabited another body in a bygone era, then at what point was the soul created and for what purpose? The Bible is clear that each person will answer for his or her own life (Revelation 20:13; Romans 2:6; Jeremiah 32:19). When the previous body died, where did the soul go? Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.” This applies to everyone.
The Bible refers to death as a time when a person was “gathered to his people” (Deuteronomy 32:50; Numbers 20:24). This indicates that, at death, a person’s soul leaves his body and joins those who have gone before him. In Jesus’ parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31), the soul of Lazarus departed to the “bosom of Abraham” (verse 22). The soul of the rich man was in torment (verse 23). Neither of those souls re-inhabited another body, nor is there any indication that their souls had pre-existed. They each received the consequences of their life’s choices (verse 25). At the resurrection, we will be reunited with our original bodies in glorified form (1 Corinthians 15:42; Philippians 3:21). If pre-existence in another body were possible, which body would the soul inhabit?
Jesus is the only baby born into this world who existed before His birth (John 1:1; 17:5; Colossians 1:17). When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he declared, “This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me’” (John 1:30). John was conceived six months before Jesus (Luke 1:26, 36), yet he indicated that Jesus existed before he did. If John had pre-existed, he could not have made that claim. Jesus, as God, existed as one with the Father since the beginning. He told the Jewish authorities, “Before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:57–58). His human birth was a unique event never replicated on any level. God did know our names before we were created, because He is omniscient and dwells outside of time (Ephesians 1:4; Revelation 13:8). But we are each individuals; we are unique souls placed in unique bodies, and we will all stand before God to give an account of the unique earthly lives we were given (Romans 14:10; Revelation 22:12).
We did not exist with God before we were born on earth. 1 Cor. 15:46-47 says, “However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second is man is from heaven”1 The context is dealing with the resurrection of the body. Beginning with verse 35, Paul asks the question “How then are the dead raised?” Then Paul goes on to explain the resurrection of the believer and how the natural body must die before the spiritual one is raised. Paul is simply describing the proper order of existence. First, comes the natural body, then comes the spiritual or the resurrected body. If we lived in a previous existence, then Paul could have said something like, “First comes our spiritual body, then our natural body, then our resurrected body.” 1 Cor. 15:46-47 alone should be sufficient to put the argument to rest.
However, some say that 1 Cor. 15 is dealing with resurrection only and does not preclude a pre-existence. Again, looking at 1 Cor. 15:46-47 we get the answer. Paul does not mention bodies specifically. He mentions the nature of man in the proper order: natural then spiritual. Paul continues on in verses 48-49 to say, as is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” Notice that Paul says that we are first born from the earth and second from heaven. Then in verse 49, Paul says the heavenly, spiritual image of man is future, not past. The proper order of existence is the earthy first, the heavenly second. Therefore, it is clear that we have no pre-existence.
Jeremiah 1:5
One verse that is commonly used is Jer. 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you…” But this verse is not talking about pre-existence. It is talking about God’s ordination and appointment of Jeremiah to be a prophet to his nation. Let’s look at the whole verse: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
The Mormons say we preexisted with God, that God and his goddess wife produced offspring who inhabit human bodies at birth. This is a purely Mormon invention and is not found in the Bible. So, they will need to find whatever they can in the Bible to support their false doctrine.
One more point worth looking at is how God uses the word “know.” For example, the Bible says that God only knows believers, not unbelievers. “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me,” (John 10:27); and “…The Lord knows those who are his,” (2 Tim. 2:19); and, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness,” (Matt. 7:21-23). Of course, God knows who everyone is, He is omniscient. But God is showing us that when He says He knows us, He is referring to a salvation relationship.
Therefore, we did not preexist. We are born here in this world and will enter the next.
The World Mission Society Church of God
Spreads Hope and Happiness All Over the World
Church Introduction Video
is established by God
The Church of God was established by the Second Coming Christ Ahnsahnghong, in the Republic of Korea, at the ends of the earth in the east, in 1964. The name “Church of God” originates from the Bible (1 Co 1:2; Gal 1:13). The name signifies that it is the “church established by God,” and the “church whose owner is God.” Under God’s blessing, the Church has grown to have over 3.7 million members, in nearly 7,500 churches, throughout 175 countries–all within only half a century. It is carrying out missionary work and volunteer services worldwide with the goal of preaching the good news of salvation and happiness to all people.
TEACHING FROM THE WORLD MISSION SOCIETY CHURCH OF GOD IN KOREA
Where do we humans come from? And where are we going?
Through the Bible, let us first find the answers to these questions: Where and how did we exist before we were physically born in human form? And why is it that we were born on this earth?
“The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began. When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water; before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, before he made the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world . . . and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. Then I was the craftsman at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence . . .”Pr 8:22–30
Solomon, who wrote the book of Proverbs, said that he had already been born—from eternity, before the world began. Then he added, “I was given birth, before he [God] made the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world.” This means that he already existed before the creation of the world.
Solomon also said that he was the craftsman at God’s side when God created the heavens and marked out the foundations of the earth. The King James Version refers to the craftsman as “one brought up with him [God].” Who do you think Solomon called “Father” when he was living with God in God’s kingdom? He must have called God “Father.” On this earth, however, he called David “father”; he was born as a son of David and became the third king of Israel. Thus, we have human fathers on this earth and the Father of our spirits in heaven.
SOLOMON may have written the proverb, but he was not referring to himself. That is obvious when you read the Proverb in full context. He was writing as led by the Holy Spirit, about WISDOM and really about the coming savior, Jesus Christ.
Job 8
1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.
36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
Without realizing our previous life, we cannot understand why we should call God “Father” and “Mother.” When we lived in heaven before we were born on this earth—before we were clothed in human flesh, we called God “Father” and “Mother.”
Through Solomon, one of the Biblical characters, the Bible testifies that all human beings were God’s children like Solomon, and also shows that they will return to God’s arms when they die and leave this earth. Our origin is in heaven, not this earth, and we all have to go back to our true home. The book of Job also shows us this fact.
Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand . . . Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!”Job 38:1–4, 21
Again, they are taking a scripture out of context to make it appear to verify their teaching. If you read the WHOLE text, it is very clear this is not the TRUE MEANING.
JOB 38
1-Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God (angels in heaven) shouted for joy?
8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,
10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,
11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14 It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.
15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.
16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?
17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.
19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?
21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great? These remarks are all said in a manner of sarcasm because the person God is referring to certainly was not there and does not and cannot know.
22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go and say unto thee, Here we are?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?
37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,
38 When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?
39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,
40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.
In the book of Genesis we can see God’s work of creation; it records that in six days God created the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them and on the last day of creation God made man. In the book of Job, however, God told Job that he had already been born when He marked out the foundations of the earth—when He created the heavens and the earth.
Since Solomon already existed before God created the earth, where did he live then? And where was Job at that time? They must have lived in another world, not this planet earth. It must be the kingdom of God, Heaven, because they lived with God.
Do you think it is only the story of Solomon and Job? Through the case of Solomon and Job, God has taught us where we were and how we existed before we came to this earth. We were beautiful angels, (NO were not angels. We are a totally different creation from angels. We will never be angels. But, when we come into our inheritance, we will be above the angels.) God’s children, who lived in the kingdom of heaven. This fact is proven well in the book of Ecclesiastes, too.
and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.Ecc 12:7
Here, the “dust” means human flesh (Ge 2:7). The above verse says that the dust [flesh] returns to the ground and that the spirit returns to God who gave it. Through this verse, we can clearly understand that our soul came from heaven. We existed in a spiritual body, an angelic body, even before we were born on this earth in the flesh. So, when people die, their bodies rot away in the ground and their spirits return to where they were before they put on flesh.
That is not what the Scripture says at all. Yes, our bodies were formed from the dust of the earth and they will return to dust. But our spirit was given by GOD to us at our CONCEPTION. We did not even exist until our two parents came together. THE SEED for us existed. But WE were CREATED/BORN when our parents conceived us. GOD formed us in the womb of our mother and placed our spirit within us. So, upon our physical death, our spirit returns to GOD.
Now we have a certain place to go. Since we came from heaven, isn’t it also the eternal kingdom of heaven where we will have to go? The kingdom of heaven is a place full of joy and happiness and it is glorious beyond our imagination (1 Co 2:9). That is our spiritual home we must go back to.
We lost the kingdom of heaven because of our sins
As God’s children, we lived in the glorious kingdom of heaven. Then, why is it that we came down to this earth? The moment when we became flesh, we lost our memories of heaven. However, God has reminded us of all the facts through the Bible.
Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.Isa 59:1-2
NOW, please… clearly this scripture is again taken out of context and perverted. Because there is NO SIN OR INIQUITY in the presence of GOD. The sins and iniquities referenced here are of humans here on earth. OUR sins committed in this life.
Isaiah 59
1 Behold, the Lord‘s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
5 They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.
8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.
11 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.
12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;
13 In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.
16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.
18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.
19 So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.
20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord.
21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.
The Bible says that our iniquities have separated us from God. The reason why the angels who lived in the glorious kingdom of heaven were born in human likeness to live on this earth was because of the grave sins they had committed in heaven. For human beings who were living without knowing this fact, God came to the earth with the good news that they would be able to return to the heavenly kingdom. There is no truth to anything in this paragraph. Again, we were never angels and we did not exist in heaven before our conception on earth by earthly parents. There was no sin in HEAVEN. Satan fell and took 1/3 of the angels with him. But, sin does not exist where God is present.
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” Lk 19:10
This scripture also is taken out of context and perverted to justify their false perceptions. Jesus in this verse was speaking of the LOST SHEEP OF ISRAEL. At the time, he had come ONLY unto ISRAEL. The time of the gentiles had not yet begun. He was telling the Scribes and Pharisees that those who were already walking in righteousness were not his target…(though there were really none or very few of those) but, those who had come under bondage to sin because the blood of animals could only provide temporary reprieve not permanent salvation. He had come to be SALVATION.
Jesus says that the reason why He came to this earth was to seek and to save the lost from heaven. He also tells us that the lost from heaven are sinners.
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mt 9:13
Matthew 9
10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
Putting the words of Jesus together, we can understand that all human beings were lost from heaven because of their sins. In regard to this fact, the book of Isaiah says, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God.” We were angels, but we sinned in heaven and have been ultimately cast down to the earth. This earth is a spiritual prison where the angels who sinned are confined. For this reason, our life here on earth cannot help but be painful and laborious.
So God has taught us to repent first. Unless we repent and receive the forgiveness of our sins, we cannot return to heaven, our home, forever.
Jesus was telling the Pharisees and Sadducees that everyone who falls short of the Commandments of GOD is sick and they NEED a SAVIOR. Everyone has sinned and needs to repent. That means to turn away from sin. Jesus came to set us free from slavery to the sin nature. The Pharisees and Sadducees were under the mistaken belief that they were without sin, because they followed the law. However, the law of GOD had been corrupted and the blood of animals was not sufficient to provide salvation. The Hebrews need a SAVIOR and He came FIRST to them. Now, he has paid the price once for ALL and gentiles/pagans can also receive SALVATION/DELIVERANCE.
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INTRODUCTION
The wonderful part about being a Christian is that we often learn new Bible theories from others around us, some are interesting, and others really take us by surprise.
I recently came across a group of people who claimed that everyone who has ever lived on planet Earth, actually existed and lived in spirit form in heaven with the Father, prior to them being born.
I have to say, this doctrine wasn’t only interesting but very surprising, considering what the Scriptures actually teach on this subject. A favourite go-to passage for those who believe that we existed before we were born is found in Jeremiah.
‘Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’ Jeremiah 1:5
God tells Jeremiah that He ‘knew’ him before he was formed in the womb. Does this mean that Jeremiah pre-existed in heaven?
Someone once said to me that the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible itself. So, when we come across a passage of Scripture which appears to contradict another teaching of the Bible, we must look elsewhere in the Scriptures in order to harmonise what’s being said.
Is the Bible teaching us that God ‘knew’ Jeremiah in some sort of premortal life prior to coming to earth or is it simply saying that because God had foreknowledge, He can know people prior to their existence?
The latter interpretation fits the context as we read in Romans that because of God’s foreknowledge, He ‘calls into being things that were not,’ Romans 4:17.
Because God is omniscient, He knows everyone before their conception and birth. He knows those that are His and those that are not His, He isn’t bound by time. Before Jeremiah was born, He appointed Jeremiah to be His prophet and appointed him to be God’s messenger to the people. Jeremiah is told that God has had His eye on him for a long time, even before he was born when he was just a thought in the mind of God.
The text is simply saying that Jeremiah’s ordination took place in the mind of God before Jeremiah was born. The apostle Paul had the same call to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, Galatians 1:15-16.
Another go-to passage for those who believe that we existed before we were born is found in the Psalms.
‘Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.’ Psalm 51:5
Is the Bible teaching us that David ‘sinned’ in some sort of premortal life prior to coming to earth or is it simply saying that he recognises his sinfulness and has no excuse?
This is a Psalm written by David after his sinful behaviour with Bathsheba but notice it deals with the sin of an adult and shows the repentance of an adult, Psalm 51:10-13.
If you take the time to read the whole Psalm, you’ll see that he isn’t saying he existed before he was born or that he was born a sinner, he’s saying that his mother, conceived him in sin, his mother was sinful, the K.J.V. makes this clearer.
He isn’t saying he existed before he was conceived, he’s saying he was born into a sinful world, sin was everywhere and all around him from birth. Even Jewish historians teach that David was saying that he was born in a sinful environment.
Two more go-to passages for those who believe that we existed before we were born are found in Job.
‘Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.’ Job 38:4
‘While the morning stars sang together, and all the angels shouted for joy?’ Job 38:7
Those who hold the view that we existed before we were born tell us that, ‘although the Lord didn’t tell Job where he was before the foundations of the earth were laid, the very question implies that Job was in existence somewhere. We can’t help but conclude that we were in existence with Job and Jeremiah and the Lord Jesus Christ before the earth was created.’
CONTEXT! CONTEXT! CONTEXT!
Any reasonable person who knows how to study the Bible will always tell us to keep in mind the context. In the context of this chapter, we read that God is asking him several rhetorical questions to which the answers were simply, ‘no!’ In other words, Job wasn’t in existence when these things took place. Read the following passages from this chapter in their context, Job 38:4-8 / Job 38:11-13.
When we keep the text in its context, we see that all the answers to all the questions God was asking Job was ‘no!’ Job didn’t know who did these acts of creation, nor did he himself command the morning to take hold of the ends of the earth because Job wasn’t even in existence at the creation of the angels or the earth!
THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SCRIPTURES… GOD is declaring WHO HE IS and WHY HE has a right to make the rules. GOD was there. We know that JESUS was there, because the WORD of GOD tells us he was and that nothing was made without him. We know the Holy Spirit was there, because we see him from the beginning as the one who moves upon the waters. ANYBODY ELSE can just shut their mouths. HE IS GOD! We should feel blessed and thankful that HE LOVES US!!
FOR ME, I am in awe of the fact the being who is so wise, powerful, creative, loving, and majestic cares about every detail of my life, and the life of everyone. Each individual. That he desires to fellowship with ME!! WOW. That is powerful.
Another go-to passage for those who believe we existed in spirit form before we were born is found in Ecclesiastes.
‘And the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.’ Ecclesiastes 12:7
The people who believe that we existed before we were born love this verse because they say, if our spirits return to God, they must have been with God at some point before. Let’s look at the context of this verse.
‘Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them’—before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain; when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim; when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when people rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint; when people are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags itself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then people go to their eternal home and mourners go about the streets. Remember him—before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Everything is meaningless!’ Ecclesiastes 12:1-8
Notice that the references to man ‘going to his eternal home’ and his spirit returning ‘to God who gave it’ aren’t used to describe some kind of glorious return to heaven. They are part of a chain of references to death, mourning, terror, decay, breaking, shattering, dimming, and the like. These are deep, dark words about tragedy, loss, and death.
‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher.’
This is all about despair, not happiness about our future in heaven, Solomon is using synonyms for death. The passage is speaking about the meaning of this earthly life and the question of how we should live it in light of our fragile mortality. To have our spirit return to God means to die.
Another go-to passage for those who believe we existed in spirit form before we were born is found in John’s Gospel.
‘His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ John 9:2
Were the disciples of Jesus asking whether this blind man sinned in some type of spirit world? Or were they referring to the concept of blaming their parents for their own sin?
The Jews considered that any problem anyone had was a result of sin. A commonly held idea at the time was that physical impairments are the result of sin. If a child was born with a physical disability, the parents would normally be blamed, Ezekiel 18:20.
It was sometimes considered that the child sinned in the womb before birth and so carried the disability for life, but this argument is weak to say at least.
The entire idea of physical problems being the result of our sin before we are born is in no way supported by Christian literature. The Bible clearly teaches of a reckoning afterlife, not during. This would also have a problem when faced with the fact that all eventually die.
The reaction of Job’s ‘friends’ demonstrated the false thinking and many today think in the same way, perhaps subconsciously, when they say, ‘what have I done to deserve this?’
Sometimes people suffer the consequences of their parent’s sin e.g. children born with drug addiction or aids; they don’t inherit the sin but the consequences. It would appear as if no restitution can be made for sin, and as sin piles upon the shoulders of the old, the load becomes too great, sickness results and death ensues. Obviously, this is not the truth.
Jesus denies that the man’s blindness is due to sin and He doesn’t put the tradition to the test here but removes the idea that the blindness was a result of sin.
JESUS’ EXISTENCE BEFORE HE WAS BORN
‘And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.’ John 17:5
Now there’s no arguing with the text above that Jesus existed in heaven with the Father before He was born, Hebrews 7:3, but you won’t find anywhere in the Scriptures that teach that any other human being existed in heaven with the Father before they were born.
A little earlier in John’s Gospel, we find Jesus arguing with the Pharisees in which He tells them something interesting, something which concerns our subject of existing in spirit form, in heaven, before we were born.
WE DIDN’T EXIST BEFORE WE WERE BORN
‘You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.’ John 8:23
Notice that Jesus says, that we are ‘not’ from above, but He is from above. He makes a distinction between His preexistence ‘from above’, that is heaven, and their origin ‘from below’, that is this world.
The apostle Paul is in total agreement with Jesus, he clearly says that ‘the natural body comes first, then the spiritual’, 1 Corinthians 15:46-47.
Notice also that Paul is in agreement with Christ, he supports the statement of Jesus being the only person from heaven when he says that the ‘first man’, Adam is of the earth, whereas the ‘second man’, Jesus, is the Lord from heaven.
Jesus also tells us that no man has ever seen God, nor heard His voice, nor seen His face like He has, John 1:18 / John 5:37.
Think about Jesus’ words for a second, if we all existed in spirit form, in heaven with the Father before we were born, then Jesus wouldn’t be able to say what He just said in those two passages. Jesus wouldn’t be able to say that no one has seen the Father’s face or heard His voice if we existed in spirit form before we were born. That just wouldn’t make any sense!
WHEN WERE WE GIVEN OUR SPIRIT?
The apostle Paul gives us a complete description of the nature of man in Thessalonians.
‘May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ 1 Thessalonians 5:23
Here, the apostle clearly reveals that humans are triune beings, consisting of ‘spirit and soul and body’. And even though this is the only verse in the Bible in which the three-fold nature of man is mentioned, these three elements, body, soul and spirit, are referred to in different combinations in other places, in both the Old and the New Testaments, Ecclesiastes 12:7 / Matthew 10:28 / Hebrews 4:12 / Romans 8:16 / 1 Corinthians 5:4 / Hebrews 12:13.
‘The LORD God formed the man from the soil of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.’ Genesis 2:7
We see here that God formed or fashioned or moulded, man’s body out of the ground, and we read, that God, ‘breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man, became a living being’.
We need to remember that we’re not to suppose that man was a ‘dead soul’ until God breathed into him ‘the breath of lives.’ The word ‘life’ is plural in the Hebrew text. In other words, there was nothing before; it was the entrance of ‘the breath of lives’ which actually constituted him ‘Man’.
Notice that the word ‘became’ is categorical. We should read the verse in this way; ‘God ‘breathed’ into his nostrils the breath of lives, and Man came into being, a living soul’. That phrase, ‘a living soul’, is adjectival and describes and defines man ‘after’ God breathed life into the form which He had shaped, Zechariah 12:1.
OUR SOUL IS SELF-CONSCIOUS
The ‘soul’ is our unique self, it’s the part of our being that because it’s rational and moral, determines the actions performed by our body, and which, therefore, renders us personally accountable for what we do.
And so, it is our ‘soul’ which will ultimately be either saved or lost, depending on our response to the offer of the salvation which was made first possible by the coming of Christ into the world.
OUR BODY IS EARTH-CONSCIOUS
So now let’s look at the body, as someone once said to me ‘The Body is of the earth and for the earth’. We might describe the body as ‘Earth-conscious’, since it is the physical tool or instrument, by means of which a person’s ‘soul’ or ‘self’ by its very nature is invisible and is able to function in a physical world.
This is one reason why Jesus needed a physical body, John 1:1-2 / Philippians 2:6-8 / Hebrews 10:5.
OUR SPIRIT IS GOD-CONSCIOUS
If we consider the body to be ‘Earth-conscious’, and the soul to be ‘Self-conscious’, we may think of the spirit as being ‘God-conscious’.
‘But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding’. Job 32:8
In other words, our spirit is part of our nature which enables us to reach out to and communicate with God. It’s the spiritual dimension of our character.
The spirit isn’t something we are, it’s something we need to retain in order to stay alive because we have no power in ourselves to do that. We are utterly dependent on God every moment, every breath we take is literally a breath borrowed from Him. The breath of God is life and death, Psalm 146:3-4 / Psalm 104:27-30.
CONCLUSION
It’s always good to study with others who have different beliefs from our own, but we must do so carefully, otherwise, we’ll end up being led astray, Ephesians 4:11-14.
The theory that we existed in spirit form, in heaven with the Father before we were born may well be interesting or even surprising to most of us, but it clearly doesn’t harmonise with the Scriptures as a whole.
‘But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one, we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!’ Galatians 1:8-9
The answer is easy. No. We were not spirit beings prior to birth. While the soul of man will live eternally (either in Heaven or in Hell), the soul of man did not exist in a spirit form (or any other form) prior to conception. Erroneously, some seem to think that Jeremiah 1:5 suggests a spiritual pre-existence:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.
Since the Bible does not support any idea of the preexistence of man in any form, let’s try to understand what this verse means.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” That raises the question, how did God know us before He formed us in the womb? There are two possible answers:
1) We existed in some form, and at some place, prior to being conceived (formed) in the womb and that’s how God knew us.
2) God’s knowing us is different and outside the natural realm of how we know something.omniscience (all knowing) and His eternality (always existing) makes it possible for Him to have knowledge of someone before conception.
While the first is a possible answer, it is not a biblical answer. God’s Word does not support such an idea.
God’ Word does, however, teach a knowledge of God, which is wondrous and beyond our comprehension and yet completely true and understandable. God existed in eternity past. He exists now, and He will exist will continue to exist in eternity future. God is eternal. God is also omnipresent. Present in every moment of time, past present, and future. God is also omniscient (all-knowing). He is able to have knowledge of someone before conception or something before it occurs.
Since there is no biblical support for #1, let’s dig deeper into #2.
Before I formed you…
When God said, “before I formed you…” He was clearly speaking of a beginning time of man’s existence. He marked that beginning time and defined it as “in the womb.” The text indicates that, when God spoke of knowing man prior to hiss being formed, He was speaking from His foreknowledge– HIs omniscience. Foreknowledge does not support the idea of a pre-existence, but rather of God’s pre-knowledge, [be]fore-knowledge, because God is eternally existent in past, present, and future all at the same time. This is difficult to understand since our minds are finite and our natural state exists within our time dimension, so let’s try to better understand by looking at examples of God’s foreknowledge.
Revelation Through Foreknowledge
God often spoke and gave revelation through His foreknowledge. Consider this prophecy given to Isaiah:
Isaiah 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Isaiah 45:1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;
These words were given to Isaiah by the Lord. They were written 200 years before Cyrus was born and yet they speak of God knowing Isaiah two centuries prior to Cyrus being formed in his mother’s womb. This does not suggest that Cyrus preexisted in any kind of spirit form, but rather is a revelation of God’s perfect foreknowledge. Because God is outside the constraints of our time dimension, He is omnipresent and omniscient. God knew that Cyrus would be born and He knew all things that would do.
The Foreknowledge of God
Remember, God’s foreknowledge is omniscient (all-knowing) and infallible (without error). Our knowledge is limited and subject to error. However, there is a type of foreknowledge we can have. An example is having knowledge of a premeditated crime—a crime that is already planned but has not yet been committed. While this is a type of foreknowledge, it does not make the perpetrator a criminal prior to the crime, any more than God’s knowledge of Cyrus makes him a spirit being prior to his mother conceiving him.
Of course, man’s foreknowledge is also fallible. In our example of the premeditated crime, something could occur to stop the person from committing the crime. God foreknowledge is infallible. What He foreknows will come to pass.
So again, in Jeremiah 1:5 when God says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, “ it is not speaking of a pre-existant being, but of God’s foreknowledge to speak of things that are yet to come into existence as if they already exist because they will, with all certainty, exist.
Testimony of God’s Foreknowledge
Prophets spoke of God’s foreknowledge:
Isa 42:9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them.
Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’
Dan 2:28 “But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed…
Jesus spoke of God’s foreknowledge:
Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
Paul of God’s foreknowledge:
Rom 4:17 …God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did….
Conclusion
Praise be to God! The One who knows all (omniscience), is ever present (omnipresent), is all powerful (omnipotent) and is all-good (omnibenevolent).
Psa 145:1 I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable.
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I suppose that none of this matters to the unsaved souls who do not have the ability to discern TRUTH. But, for those Followers of Christ who are new in the faith, or are still working through the influences from their past, or for those whose faith has been weak because they have not been filled with the Holy Spirit in POWER, or for those who have been beaten down by the troubles of this life… these TRUTHS are vital. Don’t give the DEVIL any ground. GET DEEP IN THE WORD OF GOD and be filled DAILY by HIS SPIRIT. We are in the last days. HOLD TIGHT TO TRUTH!!
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