Testing...1,2,3
If God can either see the future or if He has foreknowledge of all future events because He predestines all things, what then is the point of all the occurrences of God testing people in the Scriptures? For example, in Genesis 22 God tests Abraham to see if he will sacrifice Isaac, then stops him moments before slaying his son, telling him in verse 12, "...now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” This clearly doesn't make any sense if God already knew what Abraham would do. We see similar testings in the following Scripture passages...
In Exodus 16:4-28, God tests Israel to see if they will obey Him concerning the gathering and eating of manna.
In Exodus 8:2, God tests Israel in the wilderness in order to know what's in their hearts.
In Deuteronomy 13:3, God tests Israel to see if they love Him.
In Judges 2:22, God tests Israel to see if they will walk in His ways.
In 2 Chronicles 32:31, God tests Hezekiah to find out all that is in his heart.
In Job 23:10, Job is aware that God is testing him.
If you take the time to study these passages in context, it is obvious that God is indeed testing people in order to find out something He doesn't already know about them. People who believe God has exhaustive foreknowledge of the future have a tough time explaining these verses. Instead of just accepting what God's Word clearly states, they claim that God is actually testing people in order for the people themselves to find out information about themselves. But if that were true, why doesn't the Bible simply state it that way instead of clearly saying that it is God Himself who is seeking the information?
When I was taking tests in high school and college, the teachers who were testing me weren't testing me so that I would find out what I knew. My teachers tested me in order for them to find out what I knew. The tests gave proof to the teachers whether or not I learned the material they were teaching. If the teachers somehow already knew that I knew the required material, testing me would not make any sense. It would simply be a pointless waste of time.
When companies design and create new products, they put those products through rigorous testing in order to get more information about them before selling them to the public. For example, a company that makes ceiling fans might run prototypes for years in order to make sure that the fan blades won't sag or fall off, that the motors run safely and quietly without overheating, etc. If a company could somehow know for sure beforehand that the product they are producing would perform excellently and safely for many years, then expensive testing would not be needed and therefore not be done. Likewise, if God already knows what all of us are going to do for the rest of our lives, then there would be no need for Him to test us.
I do admit however, that certain types of tests can show us something about ourselves that we may not already know. For example, when I first joined the Army they gave us a test to see how fast we could run two miles, how many sit-ups we could do in two minutes and how many push-ups we could do in two minutes. Before I was tested, I had no clue, but neither did the drill sergeants. The testing gave all of us new information we did not previously know, however the test was more for the Army's benefit because they would then know our weakest performance areas, and know better how to train us. In the same way, God's testings primarily give God better information about us, while as a secondary effect we may learn more about ourselves as well. If God tested us solely for us to learn something about ourselves, then the testings in the Bible would have been clearly worded that way...but in fact they are not. Think about it...
-nOFuTuRe
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