Pre-incarnate Existence?

[GoldenKingGaze]

Smiths Literal Translation starts off Jeremiah with:
1The words of Jeremiah son of Hillkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: 2When the word of Jehovah was to him in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year to his reigning. 3And it will be in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, even to the fulness of the eleventh year to Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, even to the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

4And the word of Jehovah will be to me, saying,

5Before I shall form thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou shalt go forth from the womb I consecrated thee; I gave thee a prophet to the nations.

Does this indicate Jeremiah existed before conception for God to know him?

 

[David Lamb]

Smiths Literal Translation starts off Jeremiah with:
1The words of Jeremiah son of Hillkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: 2When the word of Jehovah was to him in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year to his reigning. 3And it will be in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, even to the fulness of the eleventh year to Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, even to the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

4And the word of Jehovah will be to me, saying,

5Before I shall form thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou shalt go forth from the womb I consecrated thee; I gave thee a prophet to the nations.

Does this indicate Jeremiah existed before conception for God to know him?

I would say that it doesn't mean Jeremiah existed before he was conceived, but that God, who knows all things, past, present and future, truly knew Jeremiah before Jeremiah existed. He knew all of us before we existed too, which fits with what is said to Christians at Ephesus:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Eph 1:3-6 NKJV)

 

[GoldenKingGaze]

I would say that it doesn't mean Jeremiah existed before he was conceived, but that God, who knows all things, past, present and future, truly knew Jeremiah before Jeremiah existed. He knew all of us before we existed too, which fits with what is said to Christians at Ephesus:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Eph 1:3-6 NKJV)

Couldn't God have then said "Before you were conceived, I knew about you."

 

[David Lamb]

Couldn't God have then said "Before you were conceived, I knew about you."

He could have said that, if that had been what He had meant. I believe God's knowledge is so immense that He can indeed say, and mean, "Before you were conceived, I knew you."

 

[GoldenKingGaze]

He could have said that, if that had been what He had meant. I believe God's knowledge is so immense that He can indeed say, and mean, "Before you were conceived, I knew you."

Once again, the testimony of several people is that in death, in the light of life, they feel they are home, more than anywhere on Earth. They meet angels they find familiar, and recall a time before conception in the light. Not re-incarnation. And they sometimes recall a history of participating in creation and choosing where they will be born. This persuades me to believe in incarnation.

 

[David Lamb]

Once again, the testimony of several people is that in death, in the light of life, they feel they are home, more than anywhere on Earth. They meet angels they find familiar, and recall a time before conception in the light. Not re-incarnation. And they sometimes recall a history of participating in creation and choosing where they will be born. This persuades me to believe in incarnation.

I believe it is far better to rely on what God says in His word, where (as far as I am aware) we are not told that we had any existence before conception. As for us "participating in creation", the bible says:

“All things were made through Him (Jesus), and without Him nothing was made that was made.” (Joh 1:3 NKJV)

Nothing about pre-incarnate mankind participating in creation. How could that be, since Man was the final being God created?

 

[GoldenKingGaze]

I believe it is far better to rely on what God says in His word, where (as far as I am aware) we are not told that we had any existence before conception. As for us "participating in creation", the bible says:

“All things were made through Him (Jesus), and without Him nothing was made that was made.” (Joh 1:3 NKJV)

Nothing about pre-incarnate mankind participating in creation. How could that be, since Man was the final being God created?

Job 38:6-8 KJV
6Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

7When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

In creation the sons of God could ask for things.

NDE accounts and testimonies make me look at scripture again.