from before time

[sitifan]

I fear, too, that there was something too smug or self-congratulatory in our desire to announce to the world that God had determined from before time to bring us together. (My bold.)
Source: M. Blaine Semith, Should I Get Married?, Revised Edition, p33.
What does the phrase in bold mean?

 

[SoothingDave]

God created everything. Including time. He existed before time.

The idea here is that God pre-destined two people to be married.

 

[teechar]

@sitifan : Religious texts are often flowery and archaic in style and diction.
They're not the best sources for improving your English.

 

[Annabel Lee]

What does the phrase in bold mean?

beforehand

 

[Skrej]

Some similar expressions you may see along the same vein:

before time itself
since/from time immemorial
before time began
since/from the dawn of time

The last one technically isn't quite as old, since it starts with the beginning of time rather than before time began.