Cheryl Schatz

Derek, You said: I have trouble thinking that God just waited to see whom would become the one he prophesied about. That is not what I am saying. In my view of the Sovereignty of God, I believe that God knows the end from the beginning. It was not a surprise to God who would end up as the betrayer. However I am saying that God did not predestine Judas so that Judas became the betrayer because he was set up from the womb in a role that he could do nothing else but fulfill. It is truth that one of the close disciples would betray Jesus. But although God knew who would walk away from all that God had given him, God cannot give a man into the hands of the evil one without the man’s decision to walk in the way of evil. You also asked: Also, just because Satan wanted to sift them all doesn’t have anything to do with God knowing who the betrayer would be, right? Yes, that is correct. While Satan was left guessing who he would be allowed to have, God was not ignorant of the future. You said: God would not be considered a false prophet had it not been Judas but it was and so I have to think God not only knew who it would be but passively made it so. There is nothing in the Old Testament that pre-determined that the close friend of Jesus would be Judas. God did not prophesy this before Judas’ birth. Jesus did prophesy the truth when Judas had already taken the step that had no turning back. Jesus also knew who the betrayer would be in the future years before, as He predicted that one was a devil years before, but He never gave any indication which one it was. John 6:70 (NASB) 70Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” Can you please explain what you mean when you said “God…passively made it so”. It seems to me that passively would be a reference to His foreknowledge, but how does God’s foreknowledge make a man the most cursed human sinner who ever lived? If I have time tonight I will explain about God’s view of babies. Still have to finish my bible study.