Open Theism scriptures - a response to a posted comment

First, Scriptural support is a very tricky thing because interpretation is not always as black and white as what is on the page (or as what our pastor preaches). We are deeply affected by culture, language, experiences, etc. So much that our reading of Scripture will always be distorted. Maybe I'll share more about these thoughts tomorrow...This being said, I share the passages below with the cautious attitude that interpretation is precarious. For me, these passages serve to generate questions more than provide answers.

Second, let me clarify that this is not necessarily my point of view. I do, however, feel myself resonating with many of the ideas concerning the nature of the future.

Third, this theology is complex. Boyd's "short" primer is still 169 pages. My blog is significantly less. Please understand that I cannot fully explain the nuances of this theology in short and simple terms.

So, if you think I'm off-track because my Biblical support is not sufficient, please read something other than this blog. I never intended to make anyone think like me; I'm just sharing some of the thoughts I wrestle with.

Before beginning, ask yourself this: If God did change his mind and some of the future was partially open to him, how would he let us know that this was the case? Perhaps one response would be: He would tell us in Scripture.

Boyd remarks that I Kings 20 sparked his first questions about the nature of the future. In this passage, God sends Isaiah to inform Hezekiah that he is "going to die; you will not recover." Hezekiah then prays to God, and God responds by sending Isaiah back to Hezekiah. "This is what the Lord...says: I have heard your prayer....I will add fifteen years to your life."
1) Was God sincere when he told Hezekiah he was going to die?
2) If He was, how could we not believe that God then changed his mind?
3) How could God truly change his mind in response to a prayer if the prayer he was responding to was forever in his mind?
4) How could the Bible say that God "added" 15 years to his life if God was certain that he was going to live those years all along?
(these questions are all paraphrased to some degree from Boyd)

Clarification: the open view does not suggest that "all" of the future is open to God as possibilities (this would be defined as "process theology"). The open view suggests that "some" of the future is open while "some" remains determined or settled.

There are plenty of passages to support that the future is settled to God, but equal weight should be given to passages like the following:

Gen. 6:6 - "The Lord was "grieved" that he had made man on the earth." - Can God grieve over something he eternally foreknew would happen?

Num.14:11 - God asks Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse...?"
Hos. 8:5 - "How long will they be incapable of purity?"
- These two could be rhetorical questions, but that's left for interpretation to decide. Many people that take the Bible "literally" would choose to say here that these are not literal questions that God is asking...convenient...

Is. 5:2,4 - The vineyard yielded "bad fruit" although God expected good fruit. "What more could have been done...? why did it yield only bad?"

Jer. 3:7 - "I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not..." It seems like Israel "not" returning was unexpected to God (if we take this literally). How could it be unexpected if he already foreknew their response?
Again in Jer. 3:19 - "I thought you would call me Father and not turn away...you have been unfaithful...."

Jer. 7:31; 19:5; 32:35 - Israel's behavior was other than God commanded, "nor did it enter my mind." At the very least, this suggests that God did not determine their actions. How could it never enter his mind, but also eternally be in his mind that they would do this??

Ex. 4:10-15 - God becomes angry at Moses for refusing to speak. If God always knew this would be Moses response, why would he then get angry when Moses refused?

Ezek. 22:30-31 - The Lord looked for a man among them who would stand up and build the wall, but he didn't find anyone. Why would God look for someone that he eternally knew would not answer?

Jonah 3:10 - "he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened." What? Are his threats empty? I don't think so. Maybe he literally threatened them and because of his compassion, he changed his mind. If he foreknew that he would have compassion, why did he threaten them in the first place???

At this point, if I'm attempting to refute open theism, I'm beginning to make some accomodations to my "literal" interpretations (evangelicals love to pride themselves on their "literal" and "the Bible says it" interpretations)...

If you really want more biblical support, read these passages (or read Boyd's book):
Ex. 32:14; 33:1-3,14; Deut. 9:13-29; 1 Kings 21:21-29; 2 Chr. 12:5-8; Jer. 26:2-3; Ez. 4:9-15; Amos 7:1-6 - and there's more in the book (that is, both the Bible and Boyd's)

The first passages aren't more important. I just happened to see those first. And I stopped because I needed to go to work.