Do I have any control over my future? Or is my future fixed and unchangeable? Many will say that it is. That we only have the illusion of free will. Some would argue this from a scientific basis, and others from a theological perspective. But what does the Bible say?
The Bible is filled with calls to repent and turn to God, implying that we can change our future. But there is an account in the life of David that explicitly illustrates the variability of the future and how we can change it (1 Sam. 23).
David and his men had been fleeing from Saul and entered the city of Keilah. Saul heard about it and started toward the city with his army. When David heard that Saul was coming, he asked God if Saul would indeed come to Keilah. When God told him that Saul would come, he then asked if the city would turn him over to Saul.
David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul’s hand?” The LORD said, “They will deliver you over.”
1 Samuel 23:12 NET
God answered him, “Yes, they will deliver you to Saul.” So, David and his men left the city and went to another place. And Saul ended up not going to the city.
Does God Know the Future?
The future God told David about did not happen. Why? Was God mistaken? Or did God see two potential futures for David, Saul, and the people of Keilah? One future if David had stayed in Keilah. And another if he fled the city.
If David’s future had been fixed, what God told him would happen, would have come to pass. He would have been turned over to Saul by the citizens of Keilah. However, because David chose to leave Keilah, the future for David, Saul, and Keilah all branched in a different direction.
Did God know what David would do with his knowledge that Saul was coming and that Keilah would surrender him? Since God knew what Saul and Keilah would do, it is a safe assumption that he also knew what David would do and the results of that action.
So, does God know my future? And am I locked into that future? This story illustrates that God does know my future. It also tells me that my choices will change how my future unfolds.
God is a trustworthy guide to life. And I can trust that if I follow his direction, life will turn out better for me than if I ignore him.
