Since God can do Anything, Can God Make a Boulder so Big He can't lift it?
We should all ask questions regarding God. After all God created us to know him. This specific question has an important answer. The answer helps think through the nature of God. The nature of God is what makes God who He is. When we understand His nature, we understand how God interacts and displays himself to us. For example, the Bible tells us that God is a good God (Psalm 135:3). Therefore, when we examine the nature of a good God, it should uplift and encourage us.
To best answer the question, I want to back up and simply ask a more basic question. Is there anything God can Not do? The simple answer is YES!!! There is something God cannot do. He cannot violate his nature. God’s nature or character does not change (Malachi 3:6). This means if God says he is love or the truth (John 14:6; 1 John 4:8), He does not change. In addition, the Bible tells us that God does not lie (Hebrews 6:18, Numbers 23:19). This means if God gives us a promise, we can always depend on that promise to be fulfilled. For example, God promises to never leave you (Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:6).
Why is this important to understand? Because it helps us answer the question “Since God can do anything, can God make a boulder so big He can’t lift it?”. If you look throughout scripture, God gives a repetitious promise to His people. He continues to remind them that “Nothing is too difficult for him”.
Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” (See also Genesis 19:14)
His nature is so powerful, that nothing exists or can exist that he can’t handle. This means God can’t make a rock too big to lift. According to his nature he can handle everything and he cannot violate his nature. This is because He created all things and upholds all things and by His power all things exist. (See Colossians 1:16-17)
When you think about it, this should be incredibly comforting. It reminds us that God is in control and we can take rest in Him. Absolutely nothing is too big for Him. He can lift it all, including every boulder.
Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble”