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Dear Roger, This may come as a shock but I was wondering, is it said in the bible that God knows everything? Or is it assumed? Because if God were to know everything, he must also know the future. If this knowledge exists then the future must be predetermined. In result, the free will we see would only be an illusion to a plan that has already been predetermined in his head. Sincerely, Unknown Dear Unknown, We know about the past and the present. What about the future? Let’s begin with the idea of Time. Jesus declared His timeless existence both backward and forward when He said to John: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 22:13). Psalm 90:3 reveals God’s perspective on time. In comparing the shortness of human life with the eternal span of God’s life, Moses wrote: “For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by…” In other words, a long time to us is a short time to God. Of course, Moses was speaking metaphorically and not literally. Nevertheless, it is fun to play with this idea. One day I and figured out that according to Moses, one year on earth equals about 90 seconds in Heaven. One of the most frequently asked questions I get from wives whose husbands have died is, “Will he miss me?” I respond, “Let’s say you outlive your husband by ten years. Will he miss you? Well, if one year on earth equals 15 seconds in Heaven, what that means is that your husband died and went to heaven, and fifteen minutes later, here you come! He’s probably still waiting in line to see Jesus. According to Albert Einstein time is relative depending on the speed of the observer (the faster we go the more time slows down) and the proximity of the observer to the gravitational field of a massive body (the more massive the body, the slower time goes). In fact, at the event horizon of a black hole all time stops. Does this mean that eternity has already started there? Probably not; but the thought is intriguing. The only constant in the universe is the speed of light (although this precept is now considered questionable). So, now we know a little bit about time, let’s get a little more intrigued as we consider whether or not God knows the future. The implications of quantum mechanics in this area are astounding. Two stand out in considering your question. First, in our universe time can move forward and/or backward. Imagine that a gun is fired at you and moments later the bullet enters your body. There is nothing unusual about this scenario—except that the chance of you ever being shot are minimal. But, in our universe, time can also flow backward. In backward time, the bullet his you before the gun is fired. Impossible to imagine but backward time is quite real. By the way, God could just as easily have created our universe with backward time instead of forward time. The point is that God is not limited by time. He transcends time. We have a God Who moves just as easily in the future as in the past and present. Second, downward causation is a foundational truth of quantum mechanics. In the micro world we can cause subatomic particles to behave as we desire. We can set up experiments which predetermine just how a particular particle will behave. Our observation and choices predetermine their behaviors. Causation only moves down, never up. This means that while we can affect behavior and even existence in the micro world, we can not affect the behavior of things in dimensions larger than ours. God works downward to cause and bring into existence our world. The implication is that all of our activities are determined by God’s observations and choices. But, wait, don’t stop here. Now, Unknown, you can imagine that there is much more involved in God knowing the future and predetermining our behaviors than can be found in the scientific world. While science can give us insight into the material world, there is still a spiritual world that affects everything. We can begin to answer your individual questions in turn. First you asked, “This may come as a shock but I was wondering, is it said in the bible that God knows everything? Or is it assumed?” The answer is that many verses confirm the fact that God knows everything. I’ll share several examples. “The Mighty One, God, the LORD! The Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows!” (Joshua 22:22). “For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” (1 John 3:20). “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come” (Isaiah 46:10). “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). Second you asked, “Because if God were to know everything, he must also know the future.” Again, many Bible verses affirm His knowledge of the future. Here is one example: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). One of the most astounding proofs that God knows the future regards the many predictions God made about the coming of Jesus which were all fulfilled. Gerry Peters.com has compiled a list of Biblical prophecies which all came true in Jesus. They came true because God looked into the future and revealed them to us. In the Old Testament of the Bible, there are 300 predictions about Jesus Christ the Messiah. 48 specific details about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. What are the probabilities of OT prophecies about Christ becoming reality? Birth in Bethlehem from tribe of Judah, Preceded by messenger Enter Jerusalem on a Colt Betrayed by a friend Hands and feet would be pierced Wounded by enemies Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver Spit on and beaten Betrayal money would be thrown in the Temple and then given to Buy a potter’s field He would be silent before His accusers He would be crucified with thieves People would gamble for his garments His side would be pierced No bones would be broken Body would not decay Buried in a rich man’s tomb Darkness would cover the earth. Remember, he was crucified on Passover…full moon…eclipse impossible. The probability of these 17 Bible prophecies occurring is equal to 1 chance in 480 Billion X 1 Billion X 1 Trillion or 1 in 480,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 This is a calculated number through scientific study by Auticians. It’s NOT a guess. Here’s my point: We have scientific proof that God knows the future. He knows our future. His predictions are right 100% of the time. Third, you asked: “If this knowledge exists then the future must be predetermined. In result, the free will we see would only be an illusion to a plan that has already been predetermined in his head. Just because God knows the future in no way means that He has determined in advance exactly what that future will be. Free will does not stop being free because God knows what will happen. When my children were small I knew for certain that when offered a bowl of chocolate ice cream and a bowl of raw spinach, they would go for the ice cream every time. My knowing this in no way took away there free choice to choose one dish over the other. Free choice is not predetermined. However the issue of predetermination is inherent in answering your question. As referred to earlier, the idea of downward causation seems to infer that everything that happens is determined by God. However, I tend to see in downward causation an indication that God has His “fingers” in everything that happens on earth. However we sort these concepts out, there is no doubt that we are certainly free to make all kinds of choices entirely on our own. Jesus solidified our free will ability when He invited “whosoever will” to come to Him for salvation (John 3:16). By the way, you may have heard of a relatively recent theological development among evangelical Christians known as “open theism.” The proponents of this nonclassical view postulate a God of limited omniscience who is unable to know all because He, like us, has yet to experience the future. God Himself is open to new experiences and to discovering new events as world history unfolds. I chuckled when the proponents of open theology made such a splash and caused such turmoil among evangelical ranks back in the early 1990s. Proponents continue to this day. Unfortunately, their understanding of time is limited. A little exposure to the nature of time in our universe would have precluded their foolishness. Now, let’s get personal. What I want to know is: “Does God have my life in His hands? Does He have good things in store for me and for my future? Fortunately, when I turn to the Bible, I find plenty to give me hope that I’m not on my own. I have a God Who is intricately and lovingly involved in everything I do—past, present and future. Let me share a few verses that focus on God’s care and security for our futures. “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely” (Psalm 139:1-4). “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11-12). Well, Unknown, even though I don’t know who you are, there is a God in Heaven Who knows you very well. Fortunately, He has wonderful plans for you. I hope you enjoy them. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, I’ve read that the hospice movement began with Kevorkian and continues to be assisted suicide by morphine, etc.. It seems to me that the drugs used to put hospice patients into a coma and dehydrates them are the main tools of assisted suicide under the guise of “comfort”. I wonder what your take is on this issue, Roger? Dear S, My dad died under hospice care—it was one of the best decisions our family ever made. I remember flying to Dallas on Monday. After dinner dad was being his usual old-positive self as he talked about his exercises and how he was soon going to be back up on his treadmill. Then he turned to me and asked, “Isn’t it a little unusual for you to come to Dallas on a Monday.” “I just came for a visit.” “That’s not why you’re here, is it?” I realize now, years later, that he knew exactly why I had come. “No. Not really. Mom can’t care for you much longer here at home. I came over to help us find a nursing home.” “Oh”, he said reflectively—and mostly under his breath. Several months earlier his doctor had told him that there were no more treatments to try for his lymphoma. “Well, I guess this is it,” he said quietly. Then, he quoted once more his favorite Bible verse: “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.” I rolled him out to his wheel chair and we drove home. Three months had passed since those gut-wrenching moments. Now it was time to die. We never made it to the nursing home. Tuesday morning he took a turn for the worse. No nursing home now. It was like he gave up all desire to live. We realized later that he would rather go on to glory than to be in a nursing home. It is lonely there. The hospice nurse arrived on Tuesday afternoon. We discussed the details and implications of allowing him to die at peace at home with his family instead of in the hospital most probably with tubes and hoses entering and exiting his body The nurse showed us how to use glycerin to keep his mouth and lips from drying out. Fortunately, he was suffering no pain so there was no need for morphine and/or anti-pain killers. We talked and shared some special moments on Wednesday. Early that evening he stopped talking and quietly closed his eyes. His breathing dissipated through the evening. About 5:00 a.m. Thursday morning Jesus came and took him to his new home in Heaven. It is not lonely there. My brother Ronnie and I carried him out of the house and into the mortuary hearse which took his body away. I can’t tell you how nice it was to spend those final days with him at home. I am forever grateful that he could die at home instead of in a strange room filled with strange people with a breathing mask of some kind in an attempt to gain him just a few more short-days alive. I am a believer in hospice care. Hospice is a philosophy of care that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of those patients who are nearing death. These symptoms can be physical, emotional, spiritual or social in nature. Palliative care, unlike regular hospice care, is a specialized type of healthcare which includes all who are terminally ill. Palliative care may be seen as an expanded sphere of hospice which includes patients in all stages of disease, including those undergoing treatment for curable illnesses, those living with chronic diseases, as well as patients who are nearing the end of their lives. The first hospices are believed to have originated around 1065 during the Crusades. Those wounded and unable to travel were taken to dedicated locals to treat those wounded in battle. The movement has continued in a variety of forms to this very day. Now, S, let’s get to your questions and straighten out some unfortunate misconceptions . You wrote: I’ve read that the hospice movement began with Kevorkian and continues to be assisted suicide by morphine, etc.. It seems to me that the drugs used to put hospice patients into a coma and dehydrates them are the main tools of assisted suicide under the guise of “comfort”. The hospice movement was solidly in place and operating long before Kevorkian came on the scene. Hospice care often includes the administration of morphine and other pain relieving drugs in order to mitigate suffering and to make dying patients as comfortable as possible. Drugs are never used to induce death. If they are, a crime has been committed. Drugs are not utilized to put hospice patients into comas nor to dehydrate patients in order to expedite death. What hospice care does is to allow patients to die as comfortably as possible. In my mind there comes a time when a patient can no longer drink. Pouring in IVs to keep them hydrated is an artificial elongation of the natural life span. There comes a time to die. To extend life artificially may make a person late for his/her appointed time to come into God’s presence in Heaven. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:13-16). I don’t want to miss my appointed day to meet Jesus in Heaven. I have a living will that declares my intention to not have extra heroic efforts to keep me alive after my time has come to die. I hope that I get to die at home on the very day God has planned for me to go off to Heaven. I have an appointment with Jesus and I don’t want to be late. By the way, euthanasia and suicide end life before it’s time. I also don’t’ want to go early into God’s presence and hear Him say, “What are you doing here? Why are you early? I am not ready for you yet!” By the way euthanasia will become more of an issue I our country as our economy is unable to keep up with the needs of all the people. Cries for rationed healthcare are increasing. I am not surprised! We have more people than we have money. Where do we draw the line? Denmark is working on a plan to give no more health care to seniors over a certain age. After all, they reason (not unreasonably so) that the older ones have had their turn at life. Now the money needs to go to help the younger ones who haven’t lived so long. A physician friend recently told me that one-half of all Medicare expenses occur during the last month of peoples’ lives. If we could just get all the seniors to die one month earlier we could save million of Medicare dollars! Dealing compassionately with the dying is and has been a problem in every culture. For most cultures throughout the centuries the practice was to set people aside when they can no longer produce and thus become a threat to the viability of the others. It was time to withdraw care. Many Native Americans tribes simply put their old and dying under a trees, packed up the tepees and moved on. Some Eskimo cultures once put their unproductive ones on ice floes and sailed them off to eternity. Most hunter-gatherer societies abandoned their elderly to the elements. The margin of survival for the others was infinitesimal. So, we do the best we can. Sometimes we forget that most people in the world have no access to health care whatsoever. They die at home without health care and medicine because there is no where else for them to go. I like our hospice care system much better than those others. Well, S, thank you for asking. The whole hospice question stares many Boomers in the eyes. Adult children are returning home just as mom and dad need more health care than ever before. Hospice care is a helpful tool that can potentially offer succor and aid to many in today’s sandwich generation. Thanks again, S. God bless you. Love, Roger