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NO God does NOT know the number, IF He did there would be NO reason to have this flesh age. He did however, as Paul says know the ones who already proved their love and loyalty, they are called the elect.... Many are called but few are chosen. There can be no such thing as 'free will' IF the outcome is already decided.

Hang on there. God DOES know the end from the beginning, does he not? Before he even created the world, he already knew all those who would come to Him as well as all those who would reject him - this is because God is omniscient which means having complete, infinite or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding; perceiving all things. However, this is not the same thing as saying God predestines who will or who won't be saved. Why God chose to do it all anyway is a mystery that I don't think our finite minds are all that capable of grasping. It doesn't change, however, that God certainly DOES know the "number". If he didn't, then he would be just as subject to time as we are and he would not be eternal or infinite. He would not be the I AM - the self-existant one and he would not be the only, true Almighty GOD.

I have long struggled with the concept of God’s omniscience, especially when juxtaposed with the concept of human free will. I do believe that God is omniscient, but I am not sure what all omniscience entails. For example, I have 2 children. Does God know the name of my THIRD child? I submit that He does not, but that does not make him not omniscient. An omniscient being can only know that which CAN be known. My feeling (at least today) is that God gave man free will, and that He could make man’s free choices unknowable, by Him or anyone else. (Of course, in most cases God, and most of us, have a pretty good clue as to what a choice might be in a certain situation, but that is not the same as knowledge.)

God knows all that CAN be known. He does not know that which cannot be known. He is omniscient.

Hang on there. God DOES know the end from the beginning, does he not? Before he even created the world, he already knew all those who would come to Him as well as all those who would reject him - this is because God is omniscient which means having complete, infinite or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding; perceiving all things. However, this is not the same thing as saying God predestines who will or who won't be saved. Why God chose to do it all anyway is a mystery that I don't think our finite minds are all that capable of grasping. It doesn't change, however, that God certainly DOES know the "number". If he didn't, then he would be just as subject to time as we are and he would not be eternal or infinite. He would not be the I AM - the self-existant one and he would not be the only, true Almighty GOD.

Do you really believe that when the devil was placed over the 'mercy seat' as described in Ezekiel 28 before he rebelled that God knew he was going to rebel. That is not omniscient if the sole purpose was to 'create' something full well knowing it would turn evil just so it would be destroyed. Love is not an emotion that can be ordered, bought, sold, or commanded. AND the purpose of this flesh age was to give all souls the opportunity to pass through this flesh journey as the first requirement to 'see' the kingdom of God. John 3.

AND according to Paul some were chosen/elected before the foundation of this flesh age. AND by Paul's own life story he was NOT allow to follow his free will of ending Christianity.... Stephen was stoned because of describing the Christian 'history'!!!