Well, I don't want to give too lengthy an answer at this time either. If I post all of my thoughts at the outset, what would I say later on.
I agree that the very fact that Jesus Christ had been chosen before the world was even created to be the Redeemer of mankind is pretty strong evidence to me that God knew how things were going to unfold. So that raises another question: Did He want things to go the way they went or was He just powerless to keep it from happening? To me, had He really not wanted it to happen (i.e. for Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit), it would have been the simplest thing imaginable for Him to keep it from happening. Obviously, He didn't need to put the tree in the garden in the first place, so why did He? I've asked this question of people before and have always received the same answer: He needed to give Adam and Eve their free will. Huh? Says who? Why on earth did He need to give them their free will if He knew it would only bring about misery? There's nothing in the Bible that says God
had to do anything. If He'd wanted to make sure they remained in Eden forever more, He could have very simply made it happen. He probably could have even put the tree there. But not only did He put the tree there, He allowed the most deceitful, underhanded, unprincipled being ever created to tempt them with godhood! Seriously? Had He just put the tree there and told them not to eat its fruit, they likely wouldn't ever have even thought to disobey. But no. He let "the serpent" present them with what, in their ignorance of the complete picture, would have been a deal almost impossible to refuse. There's just no reason to think that there wasn't a much, much greater good to be derived from "the Fall" than most people stop to consider.
LOL... I'm glad I only put one subject... otherwise we would have a compendium.
Of course, we can only "guess" as to why since it doesn't say. But here is my take.
1) Love has to be a free-will choice. IMO. Otherwise it is an obligation. My wife knows I love her by the fact that with thousands of choices, so to speak, I chose her. If she were the only person on earth, she could potentially say "Do you REALLY love me?"
2) Was He powerless to keep it from happening? It depends on what one means. Should one stop every bad thing that happens? I think of the child who always gets rescued and never suffers consequences. Ends up in jail, usually. The fact that He fixes all things in the end, to me it says He is powerful enough.
3) Why wouldn't He stop it? I believe that if He had He would be submitted to the Father of Lies. If God said, "I give you complete dominion over every living think" and then turns around and takes the dominion away, He would have lied (which He doesn't).
3) Misery? Yes, there is misery. But, if eternity exists, what is a 100 year misery in light of eternity? A pimple of time. And, again, misery? Compare my misery with all the Jesus went through for me, my misery pales in comparison. I think Paul had it right when he said "light affliction".
4) Scripture says Adam disobeyed, so I am not convinced it was a deal impossible to refuse. As I view it, Adam had authority and just decided not to exercise it. Like a child that is in control at the grocery store because the parent didn't want to exercise their authority.
5) Tree? I always wondered, if you have all authority and the whole of the Garden, why is the Tree and issue? Back to a marriage, "Ken, you can't have other women". Should I scream "WHYYYYYYYYYY??????" Does that mean "It's an offer I can't refuse to have more women?" Or is it an issue of love.
Don't think there is greater good to be derived from "the Fall" other than we all have the choice to love or not to love, and "that is the question". LOL Almost didn't want to say that it is so overused but, what the hay, I'm 64.