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In creating the world, Isaiah 48:13 tells us, God "laid the foundations of the earth." In the context, this not only refers to Yahweh's place at the origin of all things but His place at the end of all things: "I am He, I am the first, I am also the last" (v. 12). So, the fact that God creates also means that he sets the telos for His creation, directs it toward its consummation, where He is already waiting for it to arrive.
The image of "laying foundations" itself implies this. The Hebrew verb for "lay foundation" is also used in contexts where it means "destine" or "assign" (cf. Is 23:13). The image is: Laying foundations sets the countours of a building project; so "laying the foundations" of a plan or program sets the contours and direction that the plan will take. When God laid the foundations of the earth, He determined what shape the final building would have. Creation thus implies decree. The question arise, of course, whether or not the builder has the power to control the building, so that it conforms to the foundations laid. Unforeseen difficulties arise in any building project, and plan of action, and the building needs to be adjusted accordingly. But God never meets unforeseen difficulties, so that He is fully capable of building a house that conforms perfectly to the original plan that was laid down with the foundations.
It would be intriguing to explore how this notion of "foundation" might relate to the "foundationalist" programs of modern philosophy and the "antifoundationalism" of postmodernity.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Wednesday, February 02, 2005 at 12:34 PM
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