FOREKNOWLEDGE (far-1261'6).
As an attribute of God, foreknowledge is sim ply a special case or aspect of omniscience. God knows all things, therefore not only the present and the past, but the future also, must lie open to His sight. This is implied in all His promises, whether they refer to the individual only, as where offspring is promised to Abraham (Gen. xviii :14), or are on a national scale, as when the glory of Abraham's descendants is foretold (Gen. xviii :18). It is implied also in the warnings which God gives, or causes to be given, as in the story of Lot and Sodom (Gen. xix), or in that of Moses before Pharaoh (Exod. viii-xi). To an earlier Pharaoh God shows in a dream 'what he is about to do' (Gen. xli :25), and similarly, at a later period, to Nebuchadnezzar 'what shall be in the latter days' (Dan. ii:28, 29).
It is, however, in its application, not to events generally, but to salvation, and that both of the individual and of the community, that the question of the divine foreknowledge has arrested the at tention, engaged the thoughts, and sometimes tried the hearts of men. True piety refers all things
to God, and rejoices to see in the individual life of faith and love the manifestation of divine ac tivity. It seems to it that, were the case other wise, there could be no assurance of salvation, and the peace which is the most priceless posses sion of God's children would be impossible to them. It is argued that, as God is both able and willing to bring about the salvation of the indi vidual, He must know beforehand, not only His purpose to do so, but its fulfillment. We refer talvation, along with all other events, to the Di vine Will ; but, as God is not only Supreme Will, but Supreme Intelligence, before, or accompany ing the forthputting of that will, there must be an act of knowledge. Thus foreknowledge comes to be associated with ELECTION and PREDESTINA TION (which see) as a constitutive element in the ultimate ground of the salvation made known in Christ. (See the article GoD, 4./ (A. Stewart, Hastings' Bib. Diet.)