Ephesians 1:4 – before the downcasting of the world…

… according as He chooses us in Him before the downcasting of the world…

The date of our predestination was “before the downcasting of the world”. That is the literal text. The Greek word ‘katabolé’ is usually translated by ‘foundation’, but literally it is ‘downcasting’. Used as verb it means ‘overturn’, ‘demolish’ and ‘damage’. For many people ‘downcasting’ associates to a catastrophe. Mostly then it is connected to the earth as ‘chaos and vacant’ (Genesis 1:2). But downcasting isn’t necessarily negative. In Hebrews 6:1 we read about ‘again downcasting the foundation’.  Compare it with pouring out a foundation. Also that is downcasting.

And in Hebrews 11: 11 we read about Sara who received strength to (literally translated) ‘obtain power for downcasting of seed’.  She was infertile, but God made her a mother. In this matter the ‘downcasting’ points to the birth of Isaak. The downcasting of the world may involve the birth of the world.

Try to imagine: before the world’s birth, GOD already had us in mind…. He chose us. That stands completely loose from our merits.

Delen: