Proverbs 8:22-31 “The LORD possessed (H7069- qanah) me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth (H2342- chuwl); when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. 27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: 28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; 31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.”

Proverbs 8:22-31 is among the very few historic prophecies – revelations which pulls the curtain back to reveal events which preceded the creation of this world. Others in this category include Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. In each of these, the figure of the prophecy is represented by something or someone else. Lucifer is represented by the king of Babylon (Isa. 14) or prince of Tyre (Eze 28).

While Christ is typified through out the Bible by different people, figures and symbols, here we find Christ being hypostatized or personified by the attribute “Wisdom”. Some argue that this is merely an allegory or a parable but this is more than an allegory or a parable, for Proverbs 8 is the basis for John’s Prologue and even the opening hymn of Hebrews 1.

In Proverbs Chapter 8, Wisdom is personified…and we are told that this Wisdom was brought forth; when there were no fountains…”

Trinitarians insist that “wisdom” in Proverbs 8 has no connection with Christ but let’s take a look at the following passages.

“Therefore also said the WISDOM OF GOD, I will send them prophets and apostles… Luke 11:49

“Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:” Matthew 23:34

In Luke 11:49 “wisdom of God” is personified and is speaking, “I will send them prophets and apostles… but we find in Matthew 23:34 that it is Jesus speaking the same.

“But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the POWER of God, AND THE WISDOM OF GOD.” 1Corinthians 1:24

“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, WHO OF GOD IS MADE UNTO US WISDOM, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” 1Corinthians 1:30

Here we find that in both 1Corinthians 1:24 and 1:30, Paul refers to Christ as both the power and the wisdom of God.

Moreover, in the statements below, we find Ellen White affirming Christ as the Wisdom in Proverbs 8. Ellen White quotes Proverb 8:22-27 and Micah 5:2 but notice the context. The context is in regards to Christ pre-existence:

“The Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, existed from eternity, a distinct person, yet one with the Father. He was the surpassing glory of heaven. He was the commander of the heavenly intelligences, and the adoring homage of the angels was received by Him as His right. This was no robbery of God. “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way,” HE DECLARES, “before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth” (Proverbs 8:22-27). {1SM 247.4} {E. G. White, Review and Herald, April 5, 1906 par. 7}

“HE DECLARES” Who is declaring about how He was “possessed” and was “set up” and “was brought forth”? It is Christ, “the divine Son of God.”

“His ‘goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.’ Micah 5:2. AND THE SON OF GOD DECLARES CONCERNING HIMSELF: “The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting.… When He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.” Proverbs 8:22-30.” (Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34)

Again, it is the Son of God declaring concerning Himself… and also note here that Micah 5:2 is mentioned in connection with Proverbs 8. It’s worth noting that the expression, “whose goings forth” ( H4163 מוֹצָאָה mowtsa’ah ) in Micah 5:2 quoted above, carries such meanings as origin, place of going out to or from. Thus, the passage can be read,  His “goings forth [place of origin] have been from of old, from everlasting.” One might think, since “everlasting” means without beginning, it is not compatible with the idea of an ontologically begotten Son. While that is the default response by many, it would be helpful to examine the text more clearly. For further study on “everlasting” click HERE.

Notice again the context in which Ellen White cites Proverbs 8 in another statement:

“Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God…. In speaking of his pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God. He to whose voice the Jews were then listening had been with God as one brought up with Him.”—The Signs of the Times, August 29, 1900. (Ev 615.2)

It’s unfortunate that the statement above, taken from the book, Evangelism, inserted an ellipsis after “self-existent Son of God…” The reason being is what follows that was LEFT OUT! Following is the original quote. Portion that is left out from the book, Evangelism, is inserted below between the brackets in bold.

“Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God. [ The message He gave to Moses to give to the children of Israel was, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” The prophet Micah writes of Him, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, tho thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of Thee shal
l He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” ST August 29, 1900, par. 13 THROUGH SOLOMON CHRIST DECLARED: “The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth…. When He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment; when He appointed the foundations of the earth; then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.” ST August 29, 1900, par. 14 ] In speaking of His pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God. He to whose voice the Jews were then listening had been with God as one brought up with Him.” {ST August 29, 1900, par. 15}

By replacing the portions of the statement with the ellipsis, we have a partial statement that is divorced from its proper biblical context relating to Christ’s pre-existence. Notice again the context with the missing portions included. Ellen White frames the statement with, “Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God…”  followed by making references to Micah 5 and Proverbs 8, alluding Christ’s origin or begetting. Then, she concludes by stating “In speaking of His pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages.”

Yet another statement where Ellen White identifies the “wisdom” of Proverbs 8 as Christ:

“The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old,” CHRIST SAYS. ‘When He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment; when He appointed the foundations of the earth; then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.’ But the only begotten Son of God humbled Himself to come to this earth. He took the sinner’s place; the guiltless suffered for the guilty. This was the hiding of His glory. ‘Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death.’” —E. G. White, Signs of the Times – February 22, 1899, Pg. 2

Thus, it is quite clear from the language, describing Proverbs 8, that Ellen White was holding in tension both the Divine (“pre-existent, self-existent”) and Begotten (“possessed” and “brought forth”) aspects of Christ’s personality.

“THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, ‘THE DIVINE SON OF GOD,’ ‘EXISTED FROM ETERNITY, A DISTINCT PERSON, YET ONE WITH THE FATHER.’ He was the surpassing glory of heaven. He was the commander of the heavenly intelligences, and the adoring homage of the angels was received by him ‘AS HIS RIGHT.’ This was no robbery of God. ‘The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way,’ he declares, ‘before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, ‘I WAS BROUGHT FORTH;’ when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills ‘WAS I BROUGHT FORTH;’ while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth.” (EGW, RH April 5, 1906, par. 7)

Again, we find this tension between Christ having “existed from eternity” and yet making a clear reference to Him being “brought forth” in Proverbs 8.

It’s imperative that when we come across such expression as “self-existent,” that we do not hastily ascribe meaning based on our pre-existing bias but to recognize that it is a term we find in Ellen White’s writings (not a biblical term) and that it is most proper to establish the meaning by examining the usage of the term in Ellen White’s writings. Click HERE for the word study on “self-existent.”

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More on “possessed” and “brought forth”

There are a few additional points to consider here. If look up the phrase “brought forth” in a Bible word search, you get about 128 hits and you find that sometimes the expression, “brought forth” is talking about being born, but it’s also very often a phrase used to identify other things. Examples; the angels took Lot and “brought him forth” out of the city. God “brought forth” Israel from Egypt. Thus, is it possible that the “brought forth” in Proverbs 8 may have other meaning? As mentioned, let’s take for example the angels who took Lot and “brought him forth” out of the city (Gen 19:16). Well the Hebrew verb here is “yatsa.” The same thing is true when God “brought forth” Israel out of Egypt (Exo 3:12). This is a completely different verb than the one in question in Proverbs 8. Two Hebrew verbs that are pertinent to this discussion. The first is the Hebrew verb “qanah” ( h7069 קָנָה ) found in Pro 8 vs. 22. The KJV renders this verb as “possessed” but it actually means “to get.” It is in the past tense so it is properly rendered as “got” or “gotten.” This same verb is used by Eve in Genesis 4:1, speaking of Cain, when she said “I have gotten a man from the LORD.” The second verb that concerns us is “chuwl” ( h2342 חוּל ) which is found in vss. 24, 25 as “brought forth.” The specific form of verb that is in here indicates birth language. It’s the same as the usage in Psalm 51:5; Job 15:7. Thus contextually it is impossible to avoid birth language here.

As Richard Davidson correctly notes,

“the idea of “create'” both in Ugaritic literature and the OT parallels is in the specific sense of parenthood; ‘Gen 4:1 and Pr. 8:22 refer primarily to bearing or begetting children.’ This seems to be the consensus position in recent scholarship” (Richard Davidson “Proverbs 8 and the Place of Christ in the Trinity” pg 48).

Thus some versions of Scripture like the EXB and NABRE render this verb as “begot” which, contextually speaking, is the most accurate rendering.

“possessed” (H7069, “qanah”)

Gen 4:1 “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten (H7069, “qanah”) a man from the Lord.”

or Gen 14:19 “And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor “qanah” ( h7069 קָנָה ) of heaven and earth:

Thus, we’ve got two verbs here that are used 3 times in this passage that strongly indicate we are dealing with birth language here just as Eve bore Cain (Gen 14:1) and God being the “possessor” (“qanah”) or the originator of heaven and the earth (Gen 14:19).

There is no basis (as some claim) to make this only a matter of anointing or bestowal in a soteriological sense of the sonship on a pre-existing being who was not the actual/ontological Son of God prior to bestowal or anointing.

“brought forth” (H2342, “chuwl”)

The “brought forth” clearly denotes labor (having pain and travail), or giving birth:

Psa 51:5 “Behold, I was shapen (H2342) in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

Psalm 90:2 “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed (H2342) the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

Isa 13:8 “And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain (H2342) as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.”

Isa 26:17 “Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, (H2342) and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.”

Isa 45:10 “Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?” (H2342)

Isa 51:2 “Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare (H2342) you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.”

Isa 54:1 “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: (H2342) for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.”

Isa 66:7 “Before she travailed, (H2342) she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.”

As you can see the Hebrew word, “chuwl”, translated as “brought forth” clearly refers to a birth language. Therefore, Prov 8 denotes “wisdom” or Christ being “brought forth” as in begetting or being begotten.

To the question, if it is possible that the Son was “brought forth” in the creation of the world or is referring to Christ’s incarnation?

Some people believe that but if you look at Proverbs 8, that conclusion is not possible. Look at the timing markers in the passage. Vs. 22 says that the Lord begot wisdom “before” his works since. Vs. 23 says He was set up “from everlasting, from the beginning, before the world.” Vs. 24, 25, explain that He was brought forth before the fountains of water, before the mountains and hills. Thus it is impossible that this is reference to His humanity. We are speaking here about an event that occurred before this world was, even from everlasting.

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The Bible refers to Christ as God’s Son at least 120 times. Forty-eight times using the phrase “Son of God.”

Regarding the genuineness of Christ’s Sonship, He is called the “only begotten” six times, “the firstborn” four times, “the firstbegotten” once and God’s “holy child” twice.

Not once does the Bible even so much as hint that Jesus is only a Son in a metaphorical sense. The Bible means what it says and says what it means.

Four verses say He was “begotten” prior to His incarnation so this cannot be applied to His birth on earth from Mary as some have chosen to believe. These verses say that He “proceeded forth from,” “came out from” or “camest forth from” the Father.

The evidence on this subject is overwhelming. Christ truly is the literal begotten Son of God who was brought forth from the Father before all creation.

The example verses below with the help of the Thayer dictionary also reveal that Jesus was born of the Father before the world was, then much later, He came into the world.

Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon:

G1831 exerchomai- To come forth from physically, arise from, to be born of.
G2064 erchomai- To come from one place to another.

John 8:42 “Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, you would love me: for I proceeded forth [G1831] and came [G2240] from God; neither came [G2064] I of myself, but he sent me.”

Please note that to “proceeded forth” [G1831] and “to came from God” [G2240] has different meanings

John 16:27-28 “For the Father himself loveth you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came out [G1831] from God. 28 I came forth [G1831] from the Father, and am come [G2064] into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.”

John 17:7-8 “Now they have known that all things whatsoever you have given me are of you. 8 For I have given unto them the words which you gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out [G1831] from you, and they have believed that you did send me.”

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SON IN A NEW SENSE

“How can it be that the helpless babe in Bethlehem’s manger is STILL the divine Son of God? Though we cannot understand it, we can believe that he who made the worlds, for our sakes became a helpless babe.” The Youth’s Instructor, Nov. 21, 1895.

Note: To be STILL the divine Son of God means He was already the Son of God before taking on humanity.

“Christ brought men and women power to overcome. He came to this world in human form, to live a man amongst men. He assumed the liabilities of human nature, to be proved and tried. In His humanity He was a partaker of the divine nature. In His incarnation He gained in a new sense the title of the Son of God. Said the angel to Mary, “The power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” While the Son of a human being, HE BECAME THE SON OF GOD IN A NEW SENSE. Thus He stood in our world—the Son of God, yet allied by birth to the human race….” {5BC 1114.10}

Christ was the divine Son of God before incarnation and was brought forth from the Father…”HE BECAME THE SON OF GOD IN A NEW SENSE.” in His incarnation as Man Christ.

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“Studies in the Gospel of John. Christ the Beginning” — Excerpt from The Present Truth Vol. 14, 51.

E. J. Waggoner

Jesus Christ Himself is the Beginning. Col. i. 18. He is “the beginning of the creation of God.” Rev. iii. 14. He is the power of God, and “the wisdom of God.” 1 Cor. i. 24. Therefore it is He who speaks in the eighth chapter of proverbs, saying, “I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment; that I may cause those that love Me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries. The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” Prov. viii. 20-23. PTUK December 22, 1898, p. 803.4

On this last text it may be remarked that the words “set up” are from one Hebrew word meaning anointed, so that the meaning is the same as in the second psalm, “Yet have I set My name upon My holy hill of Zion.” The word is the same in the Hebrew, and it will be noticed in the margin we have “anointed” as the rendering of the Hebrew. Thus we learn that Christ was the anointed king before the earth existed. PTUK December 22, 1898, p. 803.5

Moreover, the word “in” has really no place in the twentieth verse of Proverbs viii., as there is nothing in the Hebrew to indicate it. So we read, “The Lord possessed Me, the Beginning of His way, before His works of old.” Still further, it should be stated that the word “possessed” is the very same that occurs in Gen. iv. 1, where we read that on the birth of Cain, Eve said, “I have gotten a man from the Lord.” Therefore putting all these things together, we learn that Jesus was brought forth “from the days of eternity” Micah v. 2, margin), before anything was created, and that He Himself is the beginning of all the ways of God. He is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” Col. i. 15. He is the Beginning of everything. PTUK December 22, 1898, p. 803.6

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Additional notes

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W. W. Prescott
The Christ For Today
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald Vol.73, April 14, 1896 page 232, par 2

“We found that Christ came to our humanity by birth. The Scriptures emphasize the manner of his birth,— born of a woman, born of the seed of David. He was given to us by birth. And the announcement of the angels to the shepherds was, ” Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Now as Christ partook of our nature by birth, so we must partake of his nature by birth. As Christ was twice born,— once in eternity, the only begotten of the Father, and again here in the flesh, thus uniting the divine with the human in that second birth,— so we who have been born once already in the flesh, are to have the second birth, being born again of the Spirit, in order that our experience may be the same,–the human and the divine being joined in a life union.”

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J. F. BALLENGER.
“ONLY AN ASS.”
Review and Herald – April 6, 1897; pg. 211

“The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Here begins the six days’ work of making, or arranging this mundane system. For further evidence that in the “beginning” of Gen. 1:1 we are carried back anterior to the arranging of the earth, we turn to Prov. 8:22-31. Here wisdom is personified, which is Christ himself, who is the wisdom of God. 1 Cor. 1:24, 30. He says : “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” Here is the same person, or being, brought to view as in John 1:1, 2: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” That by the expression “beginning” we are carried back long ages before the creation of this world is evident; for he continues (Prov. 8:24) : “When there were no depths, I was brought forth ; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.”

“Is it not clear that from verses 22-26 we are carried back in the dim and distant past, far beyond the power of the human mind to grasp? In verse 27 we are brought down to the arranging of the heavens and the earth: “When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: when he established the clouds above : when he strengthened the foundations of the deep: when he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment : when he appointed the foundations of the earth.”

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The Mystery Series No. 3
The Mystery of God’s Eternal Purpose
John Orr
The Signs of the Times – March 15, 1899, Pg. 5

“In the unfolding of this marvelous plan, One stood in the presence of Jehovah who had been with Him from the very beginning of His way., He was Wisdom, who, before the mountains were brought forth, or the clouds were established in the firmament, was constantly in the presence of the Most High, as One brought up with Him. Prov. 8 :14-30. His name was called Wonderful, Counselor, and the mighty God. Isa. 9:6. He was the Word, who was with God in the beginning, and was God, by whom all things were made. John I: 1-3.
All things were not only made by Him, but for Him, as well; everything was His by right of creation. Col. I :15,16. Yet this same Word afterward became flesh, and dwelt among men as the Saviour of the world. John I :14.
It is therefore plain that every detail of God’s eternal purpose concerning creation as well as redemption, was entrusted to the authority and might of Christ. Every minute arrangement was perfected before the word was spoken lit which called the world into being. Before its founding, Christ was set apart as a lamb to be slain for a lost world. I Peter I :19, 20; Rev. 13:8. Through the might of Christ dwelling in men to control their every action, were they to be holy and without blame before God in love. Eph. 1:4,5.”

“…it was wisdom on God’s part, and better for all concerned, to keep the secret of His knowledge of affairs, between Himself and Son, letting all the angels act freely as they would in the great crisis then before the universe. This done, the loyal and true would be known to have acted from the purest motives. These considerations alone were sufficient to confine such a council to the Father and His only-begotten Son. ..”

“… In the creation which followed, all things belonged to Christ by right of His, creative agency. When man fell under the persuasive power of Satan, and sullied his native simplicity, Christ undertook to redeem His own, and so carry out the fulness of that plan which had been perfected between Him and His Father. …”

“The prophets, also, who, under the direction of the Spirit of Christ, wrote of ” His sufferings, and the glory that should follow,” altho diligently searching to know the time and the manner of the like which the Spirit was indicating through them, failed to understand the full import of these thing…”

“But as this mystery is the power of an indwelling Christ to redeem man to the restoration of his lost estate, the finishing of the mystery (Rev. 10:7) will be the complete gathering into one of “all things in Christ,” as has been “declared to His servants the prophets.”

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“Or Ever the Earth Was”
By MARGARET W. LOCKE
Review and Herald – May 29, 1930, Pg.10

THERE are many who do not believe in the pre-existence of Christ. They do not believe that Christ lived before He came as a babe in Bethlehem’s manger. John 3:16 says, “He [God] gave His only begotten Son.” ONE MUST POSSESS IN ORDER TO GIVE, so if the eternal God gave Christ, His Son, HE MUST HAVE POSSESSED HIM BEFORE He was able to give Him to a guilty race.

In John 1:1 we read : “In the beginning was the Word.” John 1:14 says, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” The first fourteen verses of the first chapter of John prove the Word to be God the Son who was in the beginning with God the Father. Not only did HE HAVE EXISTENCE IN THE BEGINNING WITH HIS FATHER, but as stated in the third verse, “All things were made by Him ; and without Him was not anything made that was made.” The tenth verse says plainly that “the world was made by Him,” although the world is ignorant of the fact that He is Creator of all things.

Ephesians 3:9 says that God “created all things by Jesus Christ.” Colossians 1:15 tells us that the Son is the image of God; and verse 16 says, “By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible: …all things were created by Him, and for Him.”

WE CANNOT draw back the veil which obscures our vision of THE TIME BEFORE THE BEGINNING of our world’s existence, when the Father had only the Son, and the Son the Father; but this we know from the inspired word, that CHRIST WAS POSSESSED BY GOD “in the beginning of His way, before His works of old.” We have the words of Christ Himself in Proverbs 8:23: “I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” And in the thirtieth verse: “I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.”

“Let us go back for a moment to the time when THE FATHER AND THE SON WERE IN COUNSEL TOGETHER, planning the creation of this world. Man must be a free moral agent; of that there could be no question. God would not bring into existence beings who were mere machines, devoid of will and opportunity to develop character. Every created being must serve its Creator through love and not through force. This left a possibility for sin to enter, yet everything was done that a loving Father could do to warn man of the deceptions of the one who was bent on leading other souls astray.

GOD’S ONLY SON, the Creator, so loved the creatures of His hand, even before they were formed, that HE COVENANTED WITH HIS FATHER that, should man sin, He would give His life to pay the penalty. He would live the sinless life for sinful man, die the sinner’s death, though Himself guiltless, that those who should accept Him might have life everlasting. Through this plan in the beginning, Christ was the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Rev. 13:8. So “when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law.” Gal. 4:4, 5.”

Up in the courts of glory the angels’ harps were hushed, for their beloved Commander was about to leave them. Through the eye of faith we see Him bidding farewell to His Father and to the glorious beings of His creation; through faith we see Him standing before them all in the beauty of His holiness, and then through faith we believe that He was seen no more by them—He was gone. He had stepped “out of the ivory palaces, into a world of woe;” His place in heaven was vacant. All the angelic host and sinless beings of other worlds watched with intense interest the birth and development of the child in whom was centered the destiny of the millions of this earth.

“Or ever the earth was,” the plan was laid. Before He made us He loved us, and, 0 matchless love! He was willing to die that we, through believing in Him, might not perish, but have everlasting life!

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Are you Intellectually Honest
By Margaret Locke
The Watchmen Magazine March 1938, Pg. 16

“Yes. I can imagine it’s very interesting and fascinating if one can understand it. But you know—this puzzles me, Jack—some say Christ lived before He was born here upon earth, and others say His first existence was in the manger of Bethlehem. I’d like to know what you think about it, and why Christ had to die for sinners.”

“Well, first of all,” began Mr. Nicholson, “there is a Supreme Ruler, or Governor, Fred. There can be no government without law. The laws of a monarchy express the character of the monarch. God being perfect, His law expressing His character must be perfect. Any violation of that perfect law calls for the death of the transgressor. Heaven and other inhabited spheres are real places, the inhabitants are real intelligences—as real as you and I. They have real pursuits and happiness, and there is peace and harmony. This harmony cannot be marred by the existence of sin and sinners.

“The Bible says, ‘God is love.’ That means, of course, that love is one of the strongest attributes of His character. God’s love for His Son was so great that He bestowed upon Him all power and wisdom. We read that GOD POSSESSED HIS SON ‘in the beginning of His way, before His works of old.’ [Proverbs 8: 22.] Speaking of Himself through His inspired servant Solomon, CHRIST CONTINUES: ‘I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was,’ and in the 30th verse: ‘I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.’ We all know the much quoted and loved verse, John 3:16: ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ He `so loved that He gave.’ ONE MUST FIRST POSSESS IN ORDER TO GIVE. Ephesians 3: 9 says: God ‘created all things by Jesus Christ.’ Colossians 1:15 says the Son is the image of His Father, and verse 16 says: `By Him [Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible: …all things were created by Him, and for Him.’

“Christ, having been endowed with creative power, brought into existence the angels of heaven. ….”

“This planet was new-born. GOD HAD SAID TO HIS SON: `Let us make man in our image, after our likeness!….

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Bible Lessons
Dallas Youngs
Signs of the Times – Januuary 1, 1946, Pg. 13

When was the Son brought forth?
“The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding
with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: while as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When He prepared the heavens, I was there: when He set a compass upon the face of the depth: …when He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment: when He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before him.” Proverbs 8:22-30.

Before any other creature was given life, God brought forth His Son, His only begotten Son, made of His own divine substance and in His express image. Christ was “first-born.” The Son was given self-existent life. He was made immortal; that is, He was given perpetual life within Himself.

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The Bible Echo, April 23, 1900. pg. 274 “The Creator”

“There is another beginning brought to view in the Scripture. CHRIST, SPEAKING UNDER THE PERSONIFICATION OF WISDOM, declares, ” The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” Prov. 8 : 22-3o. The history reaching from this beginning has not been written for man. It reaches back to the “everlasting,” before the earth was, and it is reserved as a future study for those who ” delight to inquire in His temple.” The eternity beyond will be spent by the redeemed in reviewing the history of God and the wonders of His love.”

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GOD’S GIFT IN CREATION AND REDEMPTION
P. T. MAGAN
Review and Herald – April 30, 1901, pg. 282

“…How beautifully has Solomon, speaking of Christ and creation, told all this: – THE LORD FORMED ME AS THE FIRST OF HIS WAY, The first of His works of old. I set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; When there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth…”