Why would I believe that creation was before free will? Couldn't they have been created in the same instant? Also, Why would God, Whom I would think we could agree is omnipotent, without flaw, merciful and just, create beings whom He knows are doomed without recourse? Did not the Christ come as a savior? If He came as such, did He not die to save us all? If yes, then why can we not, through our adherence to His two great commandments, be saved? If no, that would indicate to me that Jesus' sacrifice is imperfect.
It would seem that the exercise of free will to choose to follow Christ or not to is the ultimate gift, since it is we who accept the perfect gift. God is simply just in enforcing our choice.
As an aside, it seems to me that the perception of God as an angry God is not borne out by my experiences. To me, it seems He is merciful and loving of all of His creations. Just like a parent loves a wayward child. Not approving of bad behavior, but nevertheless willing to forgive when the child corrects him/herself. Isn't there some bible passage about a son who goes out and comes back?
In the OT, He took out around 50,000 Israelites at one time. Not angry? He IS a jealous God, wanting to be worshipped and not to share it with other idols we tend to worship right along with Him. God is a God of love, but He is also a God of justice and one day we will see that. His judgement on America is here...economy will soon bottom out, all the floods and storms where there have never been any or many before, oil shortages, etc. All this is part of the coming judgement. Hold onto your seat...