The Foreknowledge of God and His Predestination

God’s foreknowledge – what does it mean?

Now the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, Before I formed you in the belly I knew you, and before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations. (Jer 1:4-5)

More examples:

1 Pet 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen. 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: may grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

Jesus Himself was also foreknown by God.

1 Pet 1:20 “For He [Christ] was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you.” – Some translations say foreordained or chosen: “He was chosen before the creation of the world”. Chosen contains the idea of pre-existence, but if the word foreknown is used, it only confirms the existence of God’s plan. An excellent example of the effect of one word on the significance of the translation.

God’s plan is, based on the foreknowing of God, that Jesus Christ is to be born on earth as the Son of God, and as the prophet who proclaims God’s plan for the salvation of mankind into the Kingdom of God. God also, according to his foreknowledge, called his elect to obey Christ, so that they could be sanctified to rule the Kingdom with Christ. Knowing beforehand, before the foundation of the world, does not mean that Jesus any more than the rest of the chosen ones, would have existed in heaven with God – except in God’s plan.

In another place, I ask a bit provocatively: if Jesus pre-existed in heaven, what about the other chosen ones? Why does not the Bible speak of their being in heaven?