Changes

One possibility In Genesis 25:23, God is responding to the question that Rebecca has asked him about why she was finding her pregnancy so difficult. In answering God revealed to her that she was pre-knowing (not predetermining) going to have twins and that the future: God did not take any part in determining Jacob's domination over Esau. Because God knows all things before they happenson who was born first, that is, He knew what the elder brother would happenactually be weaker and serve the son who was born second, that is, the younger brother. This "hands off approach" is reminiscent of [[Open Theology]]In Ancient Near Eastern, which the first son would add that God does not know people's decisions before they knownormally receive special blessing and a larger inheritance, and so this was very unusual.

Another possibility is Some have suggested that this verse was written by Israelites who knew poses a problem for the end goodness of the storyGod. Genesis was not compiled until long after For Jacob (the younger brother) to dominate over Esau (the older brother) he had to sin and deceive Esau's life. The compiler of this narrative may It has been argued that for God to have known Jacob would be stronger, he would have viewed aided Jacob. One possibility is that God was pre-knowing, but not predetermining, the birth order as prophetic and wanted a way to tie it into later events. Therefore he wrote on future: Goddid not take any part in determining Jacob's behalf. In the Hebrew understanding of domination over Esau but because Godknows all things before they happen, God He knew everything before it happened. Thus the compiler was explaining what God was thinkingwould happen.

Another possibility is that this verse was written by Israelites who knew the end of the story. Genesis was not compiled until long after Jacob and Esau's life. The compiler of this narrative may have viewed the birth order as prophetic and wanted a way to tie it into later events. Therefore he wrote on God's behalf. In the Hebrew understanding of God, God knew everything before it happened and thus the compiler would simply have been explaining what God was thinking. However, given that there are so many prophecies about Christ and other others that were clearly given beforehand, and yet God is said to not ever be the author of sin, we should conclude then the simplest logical conclusion is that it is possible for God to both clearly know the future and yet for people to remain free and accountable for their actions.