“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Gen.1:1,2. 

     Did GOD know of the holocaust that would befall the life in our world prior to His creation of it?  And if so, why did He proceed fully knowing of the suffering and death that would take place? 

     Let’s begin with Scripture’s opening words, “the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”  That Hebrew word for “moved” is used only two other times in Scripture.  And when we apply the meaning from those two verses to the words in Genesis, we get a sense of the true character of GOD as He began the creation week of Earth. 

     In Deuteronomy 32:11, the Hebrew word for “moved” is defined as a hovering mother over her young.  And in Jeremiah 23:9 the same word is defined as a trembling fear.  So when we combine these two meanings to the verse of Genesis we read: “And the Spirit of God hovered with trembling fear upon the face of the waters.” 

     In this we can now see not only the foreknowledge of GOD but also His emotions and anxiety directly involved in the creation of Earth.  It is wise to understand that our sensitivities to love, hate, fear, hope and desire were bequeathed to us from our Creator Who Himself experiences and expresses the same.  This is part of what it is to be created “in his own image, in the image of God” (Gen.1:27), and not just in His physical attributes.  Concerning our emotional similarities to our Creator, Jesus said, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (Jn.14:9).  And so, when we read the shortest verse in all of Scripture: “Jesus wept” (Jn.11:35) we may be sure that GOD the Father also weeps over those things that bring harm and death to those He loves. 

     There is another verse within a lovely passage revealing that GOD had foreknowledge of the coming holocaust, and how He took measures to prepare for it: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.” Eph.1:3-9. 

     Which brings us to the great question: Why did GOD the Father proceed knowing not only of the suffering and death that would flood the Earth throughout its history but also ordain the suffering and death of “His only begotten Son?”  The full answer to this question deserves more volumes than the Earth can hold.  But in keeping with Solomon’s wisdom, “Let thy words be few” (Eccl.5:4), the key issue deals with GOD’S everlasting gift of a freewill, and how its abuse has led to both sin and its consequence of death.  Every crime we see in this world is the direct result of the abuse of freewill.  This is why GOD says through His servant Moses, “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” Deut.30:19. 

     The source of all affliction, betrayal and death is the once perfect and holy angel, Lucifer who used his freewill to introduce the concept of war that was heretofore unknown in the universe.  He is the father of sin, and the first fruit of sin was to remove the tranquility GOD established, “In the beginning.”  And because the devil’s scheme was so calculated so as to lead one third of the angels to follow him, along with our Premier Father and Mother, Adam and Eve, we have been drawn into this warfare: a battle in which we gave no consent as did the others. 

     Enter the LORD Jesus Christ!  He came for us, and lived victoriously, and died without sin—and rose from the dead (because death can only hold sin of which Christ had none)!  His sacrifice, His love, His holy gallantry has delivered us who did not give our consent to be born into a world where every conceivable affliction is being carried out every moment of every day.  Nor did we give our consent to be born with a nature that is inherently prideful, selfish and indifferent.  So, the Gospel [Good News] declares that the salvation of GOD through Jesus Christ has covered everything that has been imposed on us without our consent, as Paul said to every believer, “Ye are complete in Him.” Col.2:10.  This is the “imputed” righteousness of Christ: the “new covenant” where GOD writes His Law in every willing heart: His law of heaven’s love embodied in the Ten Commandments.  We have the freedom to choose life over death, and all who desire to live, to love and be loved forever, His gift of eternal life is promised. 

     We read over and over in the Bible how GOD took the initiative to save His children from sin and death, and that His love and forgiveness came first, followed by His call to repentance; not the other way around, as it is written, “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom.2:4.  To see GOD in His true light, of care, longsuffering, and desire to fulfill our best future in this world and in the world to come is to see how  “the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” Rom.5:8.  In addition, GOD built into our constitution a desire for justice, mercy and love.  And through GOD’S gift of a freewill we educate and discipline these traits of conscience, under the Bible's direction, and thus, we have the freedom to leave behind a noble legacy; and not one of ruin as we see everyday in this present world.

“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” Isa.43:1.