Is God ever surprised by anything that happens? When nations rise and fall, when disasters strike, when we make our next decision—does any of it catch the Almighty off guard?

This isn't just a philosophical puzzle. How we answer this question shapes everything: our prayers, our peace in suffering, our confidence in God's promises, and our understanding of salvation itself. The stakes couldn't be higher.

If God chooses some for salvation and not others, isn’t that unfair?

The story is haunting. Jephthah, desperate for victory in battle, makes a reckless vow to God: “Whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering” (Judges 11:31). He wins the battle. His daughter runs out to greet him. And then, the unthinkable happens…

But where was God? Why didn’t He stop the tragedy? If God truly loves His people, how could He let an innocent girl die for her father’s foolish promise?

How did a monk's academic questions become the spark that ignited the Protestant Reformation?