Does God know everything that will happen in the future?

3.1. What God does know?

I had a conversation with someone who was disillusioned about God. She said that she does not understand why we were all living on earth since God knows everything and knows who is going to burn in the lake of fire and who will enter heaven. She asked, “What is the point of allowing human beings to be born and live many years if God already knows their fate?”

I thought that it was a valid question; therefore, I did some in depth investigation of the Bible to find out whether God does really know everything.

- General analysis about what God really knows

Let us first discuss what God really knows regarding the future. God knows what He has planned and declared (Isaiah 46:10). We call these prophecies.

• He knew that Babylon would be destroyed because He planned to destroy it.

• He knew that Jesus would be born because He planned it.

• He knows that the world will end and that He will create a new earth because that is His plan.

However, the fact that God plans something and then executes it does not mean that He knows what will happen in the future.

- Many pastors and Christians quote the following verses to support their belief that God knows the future.

• Psalm 139:1-2 says, “1 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.”

God knows when you sit down and arise because He is there with you and sees everything that you do (Proverbs 15:3; Hebrews 4:13). He understands your thoughts because He can read minds and knows your heart (Acts 15:8)

• Romans 8:28-29 says, “28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

This verse states that God predestines everyone to conform to the image of Jesus. Therefore, everyone is predestined to be saved and enter heaven. However, not everyone is going to get saved because salvation is a choice meaning there are those who will not enter heaven. 

• Ephesians 1:4 says, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love”

This verse is similar to Romans 8:28-29. God had decided from the beginning for all of us to be saved. God never chose anyone to perish and burn in the lake of fire. It also says that God chose us to be holy and without blame. Therefore, it was God’s plan for us to be holy and without blame. However, how many Christians are holy and without blame? Most Christians are struggling with sin and are constantly disobeying God. Although it was God’s desire for us to be holy and blameless, He does not force anybody to be this way. 

• Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

I have heard this verse in many sermons as a justification for the belief that God has predetermined who will be born in the next 10, 20 or 30 years. However, this verse specifically relates to Jeremiah. We know this because God ordained Jeremiah to be a prophet and not everyone is born to be a prophet. God does make future plans and He decides beforehand who will become a prophet. However, this does not necessarily mean that He knows who will be born in the next 20 years, what their names will be, or what profession they will choose.

• 1 John 3:20 says, “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.”

This verse specifically refers to the heart. We should not assume that because it says God knows all things, it means God knows everything that will happen in the future. This verse is saying that God knows all things with regard to what is in our hearts; it does not say He knows the future.

• Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

God in general has only positive plans for everyone, not negative plans. This verse does not mean God knows the future; it is saying He has planned positive things for the future. However, we have free will and can decide not to choose God’s plans for us. Therefore, if our life goes wayward, it is our fault.

• Isaiah 46:10 says, “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure”

God does make plans and decides what will happen in the future. Just because He plans something, it doesn't mean it will happen. For example, it was God’s plan for all of the Israelites to enter the Promised Land within less than a month. God had told Abraham that the land of Canaan would belong to him and his descendants in Genesis. However, this plan did not happen as God intended. The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness and not all of them entered as God had planned. Sadly, it was only the younger generation of the Israelites that entered the Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb were the only adults to enter the Promised Land, because all of the other adults perished due to disobedience.

When analyzing the verses used by pastors, it is reasonable to conclude that they do not prove that God knows everything that will happen in the future, including whether you are going to heaven or will end up in the lake of fire.

3.2. Evidence that God does not know everything

• He becomes angry (Deuteronomy 9:8, 2 Kings 17:18).

You do not get angry at something that you know is going to happen. God becomes angry because what He thought would happen, did not happen. 

• He has had regrets (Genesis 6:6; 1 Samuel 15:11).

He regretted creating human beings because He did not foresee that they would become so evil. He regretted choosing Saul as king because He did not foresee him disobeying Him.

• He tests humans (Psalm 11:4-5).

God tested Adam and Eve, including Abraham. He always tests us. If He knows how we will act, then the test is meaningless. He tests humans because He does not know how they will act.

• He gives us many chances hoping for us to change (2 Peter 3:9).You don't give chances to those you know won't change.

• He provides contingency plans.

A contingency plan is a second plan that you make in case your first plan does not work. Contingency plans are a sign that God does not always know the outcome of a situation.

Exodus 4:8 says, “And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign."

God told Moses that in case the Israelites do not believe him by using the first sign, he can give them a second sign. Therefore, God was not certain whether the Israelites would believe the first sign.

God can assess based on your everyday actions where you might end up. Human beings are creatures of habit and tend to do more or less the same things every day. God observes us daily and has the ability to predict our future actions based on our current habits.

God can make a reasonable conclusion today as to whether you will go to the lake of fire or heaven because of your everyday decisions. If you are fornicating, involved in drugs, stealing and lying on a daily basis, then it is reasonable to conclude that you will end up in the lake of fire.

However, He does not know for certain that you will decide to change. This is the reason why the Holy Spirit keeps coming to you to plead with you to change. God also uses others to talk to you to try to convince you to change. He is patient with you because He hopes that you will repent.

2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (NIV)."

- Implication of the above analysis

Your life has meaning, and you are in control of it. God wants everyone to get saved and everyone to get to heaven. However, it is YOU who decides whether you will enter heaven or not. God is not wasting His time by allowing you to live on earth.

3.3. The truth about predestination

We are predestined:

• To be conformed to the image of God’s Son (Romans 8:29).

• To receive an inheritance from God (Ephesians 1:10-11).

• To be called, justified and glorified (Romans 8:30).

• To be adopted by God (Ephesians 1:5; 1 John 3:1).

We are all predestined to be saved. Nobody is predestined to be lost or end up in the lake of fire. However, we can choose to reject salvation and not receive what God has promised. There is no verse in the Bible that God predestines people to burn in the lake of fire.

2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”

3.4. Puzzling statements by God – “Jacob I love, Esau I hate”

One of the scenarios that some Christians use to justify the idea that some people are predestined to not enter heaven is the following verse.

Romans 9:10-13 says, “10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”

The election that verse 11 and 12 are referring to the fact that God declared that the younger son, being Jacob, would serve the older, which was Esau. Genesis 25 announced this before any of them were born. This verse is not talking about salvation.

Genesis 25:23 says, “And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.”

Verses 11 and 12 are similar to the one for Jeremiah, whereby God elected Jeremiah to be a prophet before he was born.

- What about verse 13?

When did God first say He hated Esau? It is in Malachi after Esau had died, not before he was born.

Malachi 1:3 says, “But Esau I have hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage. For the jackals of the wilderness (NKJV).”

- Why did God hate Esau?

• The problem with Esau is that he lacked self-control and sold his birthright for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25), which resulted in him losing additional blessings.

• He was also a profane person, according to Hebrews 12:16. A profane person treats sacred objects with disrespect or irreverence. He was also a fornicator and fornication is a sin.

• Esau’s descendants (Edom) terrorized the people of Israel and regularly fought against them. Furthermore, the Edomites were pagans and the Israelites followed God.

The Edomites also did the following which resulted in their destruction.

Obadiah 12-14 says, “12 But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. 13 Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity 14 Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress.”

God hated Esau because of his actions after he was born. He did not hate him before he was born.

Esau did eventually get blessed, despite the fact that he had lost his birthright because of his lack of self-control. Genesis 32 and 33 provide evidence of this. When Jacob returned home, he decided to give his brother Esau oxen, donkeys, flocks, and servants (Genesis 32:5) as gifts. But Esau declined these gifts and said he had enough possessions until Jacob begged him to take them.

Genesis 33:8-11 says, 8 Esau asked, “What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?” 9 “To find favor in your eyes, my lord,” he said. But Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.” 10  “No, please!” said Jacob. “If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably.  11 Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it. (NIV)

3.5. Puzzling actions by God – “God hardened the heart of Pharaoh”

Exodus 9:12 says, “And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses.”

Throughout the Bible, we read that each of us has a choice. We can obey God or disobey Him. And we will receive the benefits of the consequences of our decisions. Yet, at first glance, this passage seems like Pharaoh’s stubbornness was caused by God. 

- How can this be?

God gives us the freedom to make our own decisions. When people choose to continually disobey God, they become more and more stubborn. These individuals have already made the choice to turn away from God. Pharaoh’s actions over the years show that there was no hope for him and that he will never enter heaven. Therefore, it did not matter that God had hardened his heart because he had already sealed his own fate by his continuous stubbornness.

The Pharaoh had a proud and stubborn attitude. God did not cause him to have this attitude and He knew the Pharaoh would not readily release the Israelites. Pharaoh's stubbornness resulted in God having the opportunity to demonstrate His existence and show that He had the ability to perform powerful miracles. God used this situation to show both the Israelites and the Egyptians that He is the one true God.

- Key Points

• It is only the hearts of sinners and those who continuously reject God that can be hardened. No matter what happens, they will not enter into heaven and have already decided their fate. Therefore, regardless of whether their hearts are hardened or not, they have rejected God and will not get saved.

• There is no record of God hardening the hearts of good people.

• God will not harden a person’s heart for no good reason. He hardens the hearts of sinners for the benefit of others. As said previously, God hardening Pharaoh's heart resulted in the Egyptians believing that He is the one true God. Some of them joined the Israelites when they left Egypt to go to the Promised Land (Exodus 12:38).

The actions of God was not in conflict with the concept of free will. It was the will of Pharaoh to not listen to others and he was stubborn because of his pride. God hardening his heart (making him more stubborn) is in alignment to Pharaoh's will.

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