Signs in John's Gospel - The Lamp Broadcast

These Are Written, That… 209
In Scripture, the enacting of God’s plans and purposes as they
pertain to man are looked upon as occurring at two different times
preceding man’s creation — “before the foundation of the world,” and
“from the foundation of the world” [cf. Matt. 13:35; 25:34; Luke 11:50;
John 17:24; Eph. 1:4; Heb. 4:3; I Peter 1:20; Rev. 13:8; 17:8].
“Foundation” is the translation of the Greek word, katabole, a compound
word which literally means “to cast down” or “to throw down”
[kata means “down,” and bole means “to cast” or “to throw”]. The manner
in which this word is used in a general sense in the expression, “foundation
of the world,” could describe God’s past act of casting/throwing
down the world [i.e., creating the world] out in space.
However, katabole appears to be used in a more specific sense in
Scripture, referring to God’s subsequent act of restoring the ruined
creation in Gen. 1:2b ff rather than His initial act of creating the earth
in Gen. 1:1. In this respect, matters mentioned in the verses where
this expression is used would refer to God’s actions regarding His Son
and man at two different times in history, following the creation of the
heavens and the earth:
a) “Before [Gk., pro] the foundation of the world” [before the
restoration of the ruined creation, in eternity past, which could
be any time between the creation (Gen. 1:1) and the restoration
of the ruined creation (Gen. 1:2b ff).
b) “From [Gk., apo] the foundation of the world” [the time
of the restoration of the ruined creation (Gen. 1:2b ff), when God
began counting 7,000 years of time in relation to His Son and man
as it pertained to regality and this earth].
All of the O.T. sacrifices formed types which pointed forward to
some facet of the person and work of Christ, in the antitype, as they
had to do with and were based upon Christ’s finished work at Calvary.
And these same O.T. sacrifices could also only reflect back upon and
be intimately associated with the Lamb “slain from the foundation of
the world.”
The latter [the Lamb slain at a time anticipating Gen. 1:2b ff and
man’s subsequent creation and fall] allowed for the former [the O.T.
animal sacrifices]. And as well this allowed for God’s satisfaction
through animal sacrifices during 4,000 years of O.T. history. Then,
the whole of the matter is inseparably tied to that which subsequently
occurred at Calvary.)