This is a fascinating theological question that has been pondered by philosophers, theologians, and believers throughout history. While the Bible does not provide a definitive answer, examining Scripture and faith traditions offers some intriguing possibilities about God’s nature and activities prior to creating humankind.
The Eternal Nature of God
The first key point to consider is that God is eternal. He exists outside of time and space, unaffected by their limitations. As Psalm 90:2 states, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” God has no beginning or end; He simply is. Therefore, any concept of “before” does not strictly apply to God Himself.
However, from humanity’s limited, time-bound perspective, it is reasonable to ponder what God was doing prior to the universe and people’s existence. But Scripture reminds that God dwells in eternity, not bound by the constraints of time as humans know it (Isaiah 57:15).
The Trinity’s Eternal Relationship
The doctrine of the Trinity also sheds light on this question. Orthodox Christianity teaches that the one God eternally exists in three co-equal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This means that before creation, the three persons of the Trinity enjoyed perfect communion and relationship with one another.
Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17 provides a glimpse of this eternal unity and love between the Father and Son. Verse 24 records Jesus praying, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” Here, Christ speaks of the reciprocal love and glory between the Father and Son before creation.
God as Creator
The doctrine of creation ex nihilo (out of nothing) is also helpful for pondering this question. Scripture presents God as existing alone before the universe’s genesis. Passages like Genesis 1, John 1:1-3, and Hebrews 11:3 reveal that God created all things out of nothing simply by the power of His word and will. This means that prior to creation, only God existed.
By His very nature and definition, God is the eternal Creator. It is central to His identity and character. So even before making the universe and humanity, God existed as the all-powerful Maker. He possessed the creative capacity to speak worlds into existence with a word.
The Mystery of Eternity
Attempting to grasp the mystery of eternity accentuates the limitations of a finite human mind. God reminds that His ways and thoughts transcend human understanding, as high as the heavens are above the earth (Isaiah 55:8-9). So one must approach this question with humility.
The eternal, omnipotent Creator existing alone outside of time and space is difficult for temporal beings to fully comprehend. But Scripture affirms that only the Triune God inhabited eternity past, even if the details remain hazy to the human perspective.
Predestining Salvation History
Though this moves beyond biblical revelation to some degree of speculation, some theologians have pondered whether God used the pre-creation eternity to prepare and plan for human history. Concepts like predestination suggest that before making the world, God ordered the course of salvation history, with Christ’s redemption as the centerpiece.
For example, 1 Peter 1:20 says Christ was “foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.” And Ephesians 1:4 states that God “chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” Such verses could indicate that God prepared His redemptive plan for humanity ahead of time.
Existing in Infinite Bliss
From another perspective, the pre-created eternity may have simply been defined by God’s self-sufficient joy and delight within the Trinity. Being complete in Himself, God did not create out of need or obligation. The universe was an overflow of His abundant triune life and love.
The eternal happiness of the Trinity requires no external fulfillment. So perhaps God existed in perfect blessedness and self-sufficient relationship prior to creation. The Genesis 1 account then describes God effortlessly and joyfully bringing forth the world through His spoken word, as an expression of His glorious being.
In Summary
In summary, Scripture does not definitively answer what God was doing before creating humanity or the world. But Christian theology provides some clues. God eternally exists as the Triune Creator, dwelling in perfect love and communion apart from time. While the details remain clouded in mystery, God’s pre-creation existence may have involved foreordaining redemption history and delighting in the fellowship of Father, Son and Spirit.
This profound question highlights the limits of human perspective compared to God’s boundless nature. But it also forces one to marvel at God’s eternality, self-sufficiency, and creative power – offering worship to the Lord who inhabits eternity and crafted humanity for His glory.