Not

"Always was" implies an infinite regression of time. Which means that it could never reach the point of the Big Bang. But I doubt that is what Hawking means. I understand it is postulated that before the Big Bang time did not exist. In which case it should have continued to exist in a completely static state. You're right. I have the worst history when it comes to understanding physics so I think you're more spot on in terms of what Hawking meant. From what I understood, the argument was made that the universe was at 0 but it still "existed." Right. But again this begs the question why did anything at all happen? Chance. Something had to happen eventually. Regardless of how unlikely it is for a reaction to occur, as long as there is a small, miniscule chance, it will eventually happen. "Eventually happen" infers time. Remember there was no time. In a completely static state (which it would have to be in to eternally exist outside of time) there would be no chance of anything happening; there could be no reactions as nothing would ever be occuring. Not to mention a reaction requires an action precipitating it. And actions and reactions must occur in time. The problem is your still viewing time in Newtonian terms and not in modern terms. Time exist as Time-Space. Time does not move, we move through time. That's why thy say there was no time before the big bang. There was no space (at least not how its being defined here) in which for things to move through.

I dunno, the more I learn about the intricacies of science and reality the more it seems to produce evidence of God. For example, in some part of the world exists a certain type of flower that is shaped like a bee. It has evolved to this shape because male bees in that region mate by swooping down and grabbing female bees and mating in the air. So according to pure evolution that flower just happened through random genetic mutation to look a little bit like a bee and survived. As did the other millions of flowers that did not look like a bee. For millions of years until due to chance that flower became not the exceptio but th norm? That just seems to unlikely to me. As Albert Einstein said, "God doesn't play dice." As for quantum mechanics which seems to interest you, doesn't it seem interesting that the maximum amount of information or "bits", that can be stuffed into a region of space or a "Planck-sized unit" is equal to the area of the region not the volume? Whats in all that empty space? Not to mention that the beliefs of blacks holes you mentioned is an outdated model as there is much debate atm on the subject. I would suggest you read "The Black Hole War" by Leonard Susskind if you wish to know more

As satan had already been kicked out of heaven, there was sin in the universe someplace. There was sin found in him, so apparently God's created beings had the choice to rebel or obey God. God used that reasoning, I am sure when he allowed Eve to be tempted. There is much we do not understand. Evie could have said no, but she did not. 2/3 of the angels in the heavenlies did not follow satan, although they could have. I believe God allows all of his creatures to make a choice about how whom they will serve. But if god allowed us to make that choice and, perhaps, expecting the outcome, why the punishment? If we're going to be punished for making the wrong choice, then why the choice at all? Kind of seems pointless to have free will if there's only one right answer to everything. This too makes no sense to me. How is holding a gun to someones head, and telling them they have a choice however if they don't choose what you want you'll shoot them, a real choice? Only in this situation it would be worse because its your soul we're talking about!