06/16/20 SOMETHING GOD CAN’T DO — Sometime ago I was engaged in a friendly discussion about God’s omnipotence—His infinite, unlimited power. A young lady overheard and interjected, “I know something God can NOT do: He can NOT make an unintelligent person into an intelligent person!” After a moment’s thought, I responded, “What about Nebuchadnezzar, King of ancient Babylon?!”

Daniel 4:31-34 (CSB) says, “While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared that the kingdom has departed from you. 32 You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals, and you will feed on grass like cattle for seven periods of time, until you acknowledge that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms, and he gives them to anyone he wants.’ At that moment the message against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people. He ate grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky, until his hair grew like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. 34 But at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity returned to me. Then I praised the Most High and honored and glorified Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation.”

The king had asked the prophet Daniel to interpret a troubling dream. Daniel told him that God was furious at him for his selfish arrogance. He would be reduced to a beast-like existence for seven years until he acknowledged God’s existence and sovereignty. When God was satisfied with his repentance, his sanity would return. And, of course, it all happened just as God told Daniel it would. God made a seemingly intelligent man into an unintelligent beast and then changed him back, better than before!

In the middle of the verse Titus 1:2 asserts that God can’t lie. That’s something God can’t do, but I’m pretty sure that’s a good thing!