Before the foundation of the world
- Note: The phrase "the foundation of the world" refers to when the world was created: God's actions in founding our world. It is only indirectly related to "the foundations of the earth." These were believed to be literal foundations, understood by many Bible readers to support the earth up until the time of Galileo. See The Foundations of the Earth for references.
The need for redemption
The Bible doesn't tell us much about anything "before the foundation of the world", though Proverbs 8:22-31 tells us that Wisdom was created before the earth itself.
The Bible does tell us clearly, though, that the need for redemption, and the Redeemer himself, were anticipated.
This need is not compatible with any perfect or idyllic Golden Age as found in mythology.
The New Testament teaching that the Redeemer, Jesus Christ, the one "in whom we have redemption" (Colossians 1:14), by whose sacrifice we were redeemed (1 Peter 1:18-19), was anticipated "before the foundation of the world" has important implications for our understanding of Origins, ruling out ideas that the Lord was created as a problem-solving afterthought. See Proverbs 8:22-31, Isaiah 46:9-10 and A Faith Based on the Lord Jesus Christ.
But how many worlds are there? There are Two Creations — might there be two "worlds"? If so which world was πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων ("before time began", 2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 1:2)?
"from (or, since) the foundation (or, creation) of the world"
in the New Testament
in the Old Testament
- Proverbs 8:22-31
- Wisdom before the Creation (R. Evans)
