Michael Heiser — Predestination & Foreknowledge

Predestination and foreknowledge aren’t the same. Foreknowledge does not necessitate predestination. In 1 Samuel 23:1–13 it’s clear, God foreknew a possible outcome that never actually happens—foreknowledge does not command that it’s predestined to happen. In other words, the means by which God works are His own—God can predestine things if He wants, but we cannot conclude that everything that happens was predestinated.

We cannot exist as God’s own image if everything is predestined (Genesis 1:27). Free will (what we choose) matters, although we may not know how it matters exactly—God is omniscient and God will use it—only God knows such things. If everything is predestined, we would have no free will and we would simply be robots. This is why God does not eliminate evil just yet. In doing so, God would have to eliminate all of humanity as well as everything else in the spiritual world having free will. God is omniscient and knows what the cost is going to be. He would rather have us and have that cost happen than not have us at all!

God formed humanity in His own image—in meaning “functioning in the capacity of.” In other words, we are imager’s of God, created as God’s image. God is speaking to the divine council (the heavenly host)—the words Elohim and created are both used in the singular here (Genesis 1:26–27). In His own image is also singular—the image isn’t an attribute we have, it’s a status, a role in God’s divine plan. Given this status, our cognitive awareness of our very being, our existence and physicality, we are God-conscious—we worship and love God, understand and choose, and maintain the capacity for holiness:

• Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, to be like us. Let them be masters over the fish in the ocean, the birds that fly, the livestock, everything that crawls on the earth, and over the earth itself!” So God created mankind in his own image; in his own image God created them; he created them male and female. (Genesis 1:26–27)

As for the death penalty offenses in scripture, there is only one that preceded the theocracy, which is murder. Murder is so offensive because it’s like killing God in effigy. Bodily harm such as kidnapping or assault, these also were death penalty offenses—direct attacks against the image of God. This frame of reference was carried to the utmost degree:

• “Whoever sheds human blood, by a human his own blood is to be shed; because God made human beings in his own image. (Genesis 9:6)

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[karinecarde]

The Lord is NOT willing that anyone should perish. He loves each person and is patient unto us all. Praise the Lord!!!

[jw]

Thank YOU merciful God for giving us the gift of redemption, instead of punishing us with death. Praised be Thy name, Merciful God.

[ricobonifacio]

wow this is an amazing explanation. He who has ears let him hear.

[mordeys]

as a mother of 5 full time kids and several others that came to stay awhile and then left I've got 35yrs straight and total of 100+ years if we add the ages of the full timers...i have some experience. i as a simple human mom i can tell you with about 80% certainty what my kids are going to or are doing...they have free will but i know (and as teenagers that killed them) whats up.
now imagine what an omnipotent omnipresent Father can know. we have free will but he knows us.

[EndTimesHarvest]

Fate and freewill coexist. There are events which are fated to happen, and yet at the same time people still have the ability to make choices. And know this: everyone's freewill is limited to what they can possibly imagine; one cannot do something if they are unable to imagine it first. In this way, the infinite mind of God can take into account all of our freewill choices which are finite. God's mind is so infinite that it even encompasses freewill itself.

[Kenneth-nVA]

1Samuel 23 teaches compatibility clearly and concisely

[Jamie-Russell-CME]

AMEN.
This explanation should be heard by every serious Christian.

Oh God, create in me a new heart.

That's why evil is such. It isn't needed for the plans of God. To realize this is to start to realize the horror of sin and the love of God through His allowance of life inspite of our failing and His unbound grace in the plan of salvation.

[Over-for-now]

Thank God HE receives ALL the GLORY and HE will NOT share HIS GLORY with another.
HE chose me to salvation in pure grace and mercy

[mattyskilling]

This answered so many questions for me and "I found it" (It found me, God put it in front of me[choose the one which least offends]) at the most perfect time.

[LoftOfTheUniverse]

This one video sums up so many things in one, in such an irrefutable way, its incredible.

[wareorchrist]

My mom knew predestination and foreknowledge.
When I was a kid going to school she had for knowledge that there would be a time during the day that I would have the option to eat lunch and she predestined me with the ability to either take a bag lunch or take money for a hot lunch or to not have any lunch at all. But in the end, all of that was my choice, she just made away for me to Fully exercise my free will.

[jasonlewis]

Very insightful, well explained and accurate.

[danielgarrido]

We Christians have so much religion, and traditions, that are not that Biblical. Dr. Heiser, really present a serious, deep, and profaund alternative, against Christian religiosity

[stubowl]

I'd very much like to here a discussion about this topic between Mr Heiser and James White

[ravissary]

I think there's a principle people, in general, get wrong. The Bible doesn't use absolutist language about free will or predeterminism. What things are predestined are predestined, and what things God says you choose, you need to choose. Scripture isn't written like metaphysics, it's narrative, it's contextually presented. Excessive generalization without accounting for the WHOLE STORY is a massive mistake, and it's a mistake most systematic theology makes.

[revalationrevaltion]

Mis Mr Heiser he's with Jesus now

[brentonstanfield]

I really like many of his explanations here. A lot of truth, especially the “as image bearers” discussion. But there are 2 problems:

(1) God’s predestination of all things isn’t a function of foreknowledge operating alone. It is a function of foreknowledge/omniscience and omnipotence. Before God created the world he knew all the worlds he could create and he chose to create this world knowing all that would happen. He could have changed anything he wanted about this world (ie omnipotence) but chose to create this world... and everything that happens in it... for a purpose.

(2) Although Dr. Heiser is correct that as image bearers we must have “freedom”, he mis-defines “freedom”. He holds to the humanistic view that freedom is some kind of “independence from God”. In other words, in order to be “free” we must be in some sense “independent” of God. But Biblically this is false. “Independence from God” is rebellion. Freedom is NEVER defined as “independence from God”, indeed just the opposite is true. The Bible describes us as being “free” when we totally depend on God. God IS Freedom. So, we are truly “free” when we are servants of God who does all our master calls us to do. For examples of this see Moses. He tells Pharaoh to let God’s people go SO THAT THEY COULD WORSHIP GOD. Freedom is the worship of God. If Adam and Eve had followed God’s command they would have been free. If Israel had followed the law, they would have been free. Jesus is the great example of freedom and here is how he describes himself:

John 5:30
I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

John 6:38
For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.

John 8:28
So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own, but speak exactly what the Father has taught Me.

John 12:49
I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it.

John 12:50
And I know that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say."

John 14:10
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, performing His works.

Freedom is doing what is good and being conformed into the image of Christ. It is not any kind of “independence from God”. It is total dependence on Him.

[joshua]

I like the sound of that a whole lot better than the Calvinist explanation of God predestining horrific evil acts for some unknown purpose like the holocaust or child rape etc.
it never makes since for me to think that I’m the Old Testament God despises child sacrifice and commands his people not to do it. So why would he predestine things and then be disgusted at them when they happen?
Michael has really came through clutch with some big answer to some deep questions I’ve had regarding predestination.

[kibo]

The question still remains: doesn't God know what we will choose?

[conantheseptuagenarian]

no matter what this guy talks about the conclusion is always some kind of equivocation.