Before the Foundation of the World

Tonight we watched the Star of Bethlehem movie. The lecturer begins with the question of whether the star was (zap!) a miraculous phenomenon that God zotted into existence when Jesus was born, or was it instead a naturally-occurring alignment of stars and planets that was part of nature? His conclusion is that the star was a naturally-occurring alignment that God built into the skies when He created the world, such that it would point to His Son's birth at the right time and place.

You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. (1 Peter 1)

If it is true that God built this into the stars, that means these signs (Genesis 1:14) were already planned before the creation of man. If that is true, then God knew from before the foundation of the world that Christ, the blameless Lamb, would shed His blood to redeem you.

Okay, I knew that. I knew that God wasn't [gasp!] caught by surprise when man sinned. God didn't have to come up with Plan B to unite His people to Himself.

But think about what that means. It means that He knew before He created man that He would save them. Not only does it mean He knew, but it means He created anyway. He knew what it would cost Him to save mankind from their rebellion and hatred of Him. But He didn't say "Phooey on this; who needs it?"

That is a love too big to comprehend.