Omniscience is Limited by Divine Definition, Design and Example

Read 1 Samuel 23:11-13

The context of these series of incidents revolve around the possession by David of the ephod. This was one method by which the priests could inquire of God and get answers to questions about His will (but interestingly NOT about the future). The responses from God, however, clearly show that answers to questions about His will are basically options that God has made available, and whose final outcome is dependent on the actions of man (in this case, David).

The answers to the two questions are quite revealing and should be a matter for theological discussion. "Will Saul come down...?" had the answer "He will come down..." which DID NOT actually happen because David changed plans based on the answer to the 2nd question,"Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?". The answer again from God was, "They will deliver you." which again did not happen.

The concept now of foreknowledge and predetermination should be modified according to this incident which, by the way, does not seem to be an exception but indeed the norm when inquiring of God.

It is almost quite obvious that our relational God has chosen to lock Himself out of many parts of the future except those which he has pre-ordained, and except those wherein His people have prayed for His divine intervention. In this light therefore, one can see that our loving God has chosen to limit His sovereignty and hence, His omniscience is limited in scope (unless God otherwise wills it and He has NOT!) to the total sum and minute details of historical and current events and the PRESENT thoughts, intentions, and nature of man.

Omniscience should NOT include foreknowledge, not because God is incapable but because it is obvious in Scripture that God Himself has opted to limit its definition and scope! When God has foreknowledge of something or anything, what God has foreknown CANNOT be changed lest His foreknowledge is in ERROR and that should never happen to The Sovereign God.

If God exercised foreknowledge or predetermination of all events like the classical theologians would have it, then this passage gets arbitrarily demoted again to a meaningless "anthropomorphic" passage, and that is what that word REALLY means - - - Anthropomorphic = Meaningless (don't bother).

Biblically speaking, Omniscience does not include Foreknowledge. Foreknowledge seems to be an optional sovereign act with God, but such is not the case with Omniscience.