LightGrams
February 2, 2023
Volume 27, Number 5
Just the name “Colossal Biosciences” sounds audacious. When you read of their plans to bring back the dodo bird (extinct for over 300 years) and the wooly mammoth (extinct for centuries) the name of the company seems to fit. Can such a feat be accomplished? To date they have raised over $225 million to support their project. That is colossal!
A January 31, 2023 Associated Press article on the subject shows a photo of a dodo’s femur bone that has survived over time. Scientists are hoping to extract DNA from that and other remains of the dodo and inject engineered cells into developing egg cells of the Nicobar pigeon, the closest relative of the dodo. If all goes as hoped, we may one day see dodo birds again.
Critics say this is a colossal waste of funds that could be better used to prevent extinction of animal species still present. Even if a wooly mammoth could be produced, where would it live? The natural habitat for mammoths disappeared long ago, they say.
A more colossal project took place many hundreds of years ago in a faraway land. God took the prophet Ezekiel to a valley “full of bones” that “were very dry” (Ezekiel 37:1,2). God then asked, “Son of man, can these bones live?” (Ezekiel 37:3). Conventional wisdom would have quickly replied, “Of course not! These bones are scattered, disconnected, and dried. How could they possibly live again?” Ezekiel, however, said simply, “O Lord God, You know” (Ezekiel 37:3).
To show His wisdom and power, God did not begin a months-long process of extracting and refining DNA followed by injection of engineered cells into developing eggs. He used Ezekiel as His assistant: “So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone” (Ezekiel 37:7). In a matter of moments there stood before Ezekiel an army of living and breathing soldiers, brought back to life by God.
“Is anything too hard for the Lord?”, God asked Sarah in Genesis 18:14. He had just announced that she would have a child within the year. What made Sarah laugh upon hearing that news was that she was 89 years old, long past the normal age of childbearing. Genesis 21:1-3 reports that God made good on His promise, and at the age of 90 Sarah gave birth to a son, Isaac.
An even more audacious promise was made to a young lady by an angel. Gabriel told Mary that she would bear a son, even though Mary had not yet had sexual relations with a man. “For with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37), the angel told Mary. Sure enough, Mary gave birth to Jesus despite the fact that she was still a virgin (Matthew 1:22-25).
Sometimes as we read about promises God has made to us we think, “How can this be? That’s not possible!” But instances like the ones above show that God can do all things. If He has said we will live forever, then we can know such a thing is possible with God.
We don’t know if God plans to revive the dodo bird, but we do know that His promises toward us are amazing and sure. Why would anyone ever choose to turn away from the Lord?!
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2023, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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