Skeptics often ask the question, “Can God make a rock so big that he cannot lift it?” They smugly ask, as though they have somehow disproven the existence of God. The question seeks to shove God into a box, into a “no win” situation. The implied answer is, if He can make a rock so big that he cannot lift it, then He must not be all-powerful, or if He cannot make the rock the way he wants to, then again, He is not all-powerful.
The questions could also be asked, “Can God make a pineapple-scented 4?” Or, “Can God make a purple moral?” “Can God make intelligent water?” “Can God make ‘minty-fresh’ gravity?” Yes, they are silly questions because there are opposing dimensional values in play. The same is true of our rock question.
For starters God is Spirit. God is not limited in any way, especially in the material world. After all, He created it. He has authority over all things. Colossians 1:17 says, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” That means He is the anatomical and molecular authority over all things, in every dimension. Things are held in tact by His will. Things are dismantled by His will, even rocks, whatever the size.
Second, God has a higher purpose than to be consumed with menial challenges. For a person to ask the “rock” question, he may as well just ask, “How ignorant am I of the nature of God?” God created the mountains and the rocks in the first place to glorify Himself. God is seeking to reveal His glory and restore fallen man to himself. He is in the God-glorifying and reconciliation business, not in the business of doing parlor tricks for demanding Eddie Haskill-types.
In fact, why relegate this type of query merely to the physical realm? Why not address it to the intellectual sphere and ask, “WHY would God want to make a rock SO big that He could not lift it?” He already made the universe, micro and macro, to manifest His awesome glory. Can’t we just be happy that He made any rocks at all? The next thing the skeptic will want to know is, “Can God make rocks sing?” (For the record, Yes, God can do that). But God will never be able to “jump high enough” to satisfy the unbeliever.
God pretty well makes it clear what he thinks of this kind of arrogance in Job 38:1-4, “Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, ‘Who is this that darkens counsel, By words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me! Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.’”
The answer to God’s question is obvious; no one has such understanding but God alone. Nobody is able to offer God counsel. God makes it clear nobody is wise to challenge Him in this way. You can ask God questions. You can even be unhappy with His decision. BUT, I think it’s a pretty good idea not to bark out demands to the Creator of all. Next time you think you’ve got a better way to do it, go throw a planet into orbit. Or create something out of nothing. Better yet, create life!
Oh well, nuff said. Open your eyes and see all that He has done. Hasn’t He created enough to make His case that He is the Almighty God who can do whatever He wants?
