Posts Tagged ‘authority’
Scripture reading for October 24th: Luke 10-12
We are in a war and often our lives here on earth resemble a war zone! The Kingdom of Heaven is in direct opposition to the kingdom of the devil. The devil’s kingdom is one of dominance, manipulation, fear, and deceit. God’s Kingdom is one of love, compassion, faith, and truth. The devil uses sickness, oppression, depression, and poverty to imprison those made in God’s image. God sends His people out under His authority to heal the sick, deliver the oppressed, preach good news to the depressed and hopeless, and share His great riches with all who will receive! These kingdoms are in conflict that is raging around the earth each day.
In our reading today, Jesus sent out seventy-two disciples into this conflict. (Luke 10:1-4) They were not to take a purse, bag, or sandals. They were not to greet anyone on the road because they had a mission. They were armed with His Word and authority and had prayed that the Lord would send out workers. Jesus then sent them! Be careful what you pray for– you may be the answer!
They were to live by faith and trust God for whatever they needed in the way of daily provisions. As they entered a town, or a house, and were welcomed, they were to speak ‘peace’ to those who dwelt there. They were to eat and have fellowship with those who welcomed them. They then were to heal the sick and tell them of the Kingdom of God. (Luke 10:8-9) However, if they were not welcomed, they were to shake the dust from their feet and warn the people that the Kingdom of God had come near to them and their dust would be a witness against them on judgment day. (Luke 10:10-12) It was a simple assignment!
As the seventy-two returned to Jesus, they were full of joy and rejoiced at their results! The demons had fled, sick people were healed, and Jesus’ authority had given them victory after victory! Jesus Himself remarked: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:18-20) Jesus was filled with joy at these disciples’ success and their understanding, for the Father had opened their hearts and given it to them. He cautioned them not to become proud, but to remain humble about God’s grace gift to them.
As we reflect on this passage and on our own lives, we realize that each day we are sent into this conflict. We have the Holy Spirit and the Name of Jesus Christ. Authority is ours to plunder the enemies’ camp! All power of the enemy can be overcome by faith and the Word of God. We must remain humble and under His authority. Go out with humble boldness today and bring joy to God’s heart!
Scripture reading for March 12: Judges 9-12
All authority come from God and the Bible declares that God places people in authority. (Psalm 75:6-7) When God places someone in authority, His anointing and counsel guide that person. The person must stay under God’s anointing and follow His directions closely. As we have observed the various leaders so far in Scripture, we see how God has placed them where He wanted them and used them as they followed Him.
For example, Gideon was a man placed by God in a position of leadership. Gideon interacted with God to be certain of what to do and how to do it. He certainly was not perfect and made some glaring mistakes, but brought peace to the land for a period of time. He had 71 sons and a large family. When Gideon passed away, a leadership crisis arose. The Israelites went back to idol worship and one of Gideon’s sons sought to take over.
Abimelech arose to take over his father’s place. Abimelech was the son of a slave girl. He had 70 brothers who were produced through his father by other mothers. He went to his mother’s town and relatives and proposed to take over leadership. They paid him some money from an idol temple and he hired mercenary soldiers. They then killed 69 of his seventy brothers. Jotham, the youngest, was the only one who escaped. Jotham spoke a word of prophesy from Mt. Gerazim at Abimelech’s coronation ceremony then quickly escaped. He basically pronounced a judgment on Abimelech’s leadership and those who followed. (Judges 9:7-21)
The Scriptures state that God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem. God did this to avenge the shedding of innocent blood of the seventy brothers. Abimelech and the citizens of Schechem had conspired to commit that murder and now they would become enemies themselves! (Judges 9:22-24) This evil spirit would destroy them both and was God’s judgment on a self-appointed leader and those who joined with him in rebellion!
What can we learn from this today? God does place people in leadership for our good, protection, and blessing. When a leader follows the Lord, the people and leader are blessed. When someone tries to place themselves in leadership by his own power, craftiness, or manipulation, then both the leader and those who scheme with him come under God’s judgment! We must be vigilant today in our country. Politics and media are always at work trying to manipulate people. Politicians use religion and try to destroy their rivals. In the workplace, people scheme and plot to get advantage. In the church at times, people seek to appoint themselves. Beware– God’s judgment will come on those who appoint themselves!
Shechem’s punishment: “So all the men cut branches and followed Abimelech. They piled them against the stronghold and set it on fire over the people inside. So all the people in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, also died.” (Judges 9:49)
Abimelech’s punishment: “Abimelech went to the tower and stormed it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull. Abimelech had his armor-bearer kill him so he did not die at the hands of a woman.
Scripture reading for January 28: Exodus 25-27
Do you like to follow directions? Men are particularly prone to trying to put something together from trial and error. We like the adventure and take pride in being able to do complex projects from our memories or experience. We often feel that instructions are unnecessary. This attitude usually gets us into trouble and we either get lost or end up with left over parts from the project!
Moses was given a pattern for the Tabernacle. God gave him specific instructions as to how this “dwelling place” was to be constructed. He told them numbers, lengths, weights and the type of materials for each part. God left nothing to chance when it came to His first dwelling here with His people on earth. It was a mobile dwelling because God was moving with the Israelites and leading them as they journeyed. He moved in the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. Four times in our reading today God re-emphasizes the need to make everything after the pattern shown on the mountain. (Exodus 25:9,40; 26:30; 27:9) It may be that God knew Moses was a typical man!
The instructions for this Tabernacle starts with the Ark of the Covenant! Everything begins with God at the center! God’s dwelling place was a special representation of a heavenly reality. It was a chest of acacia wood about 4 feet long. It was to be coated with pure gold. Two gold cherubim were to be beaten out for each end and they were to face the lid of this box. The box was to have two rings on each side where poles of acacia wood would be used to transport it. Everything was coated with pure gold. It was to be carried by priests who were consecrated for this job. The tablets of Testimony, the ten commands, were to be placed inside of this box. Later a jar of manna was placed there as well as Aaron’s rod that had budded and sprouted in God’s presence. (Hebrews 9:1-5)
This ark of the Covenant represents Jesus Christ, God dwelling with us. John 1:14-15 tells us that Jesus came and “pitched his tent” (tabernacled) among us. We beheld His glory! Jesus kept the law of God, the tablets of Testimony. He was the only man who has ever lived who fully obeyed the Law and was without sin. (Hebrews 4:15-16) He was the living bread (manna) come down from heaven, that if any man eat of this bread, he would never die! (John 6:47-50) He was the one chosen by God to have all authority in heaven and on earth! (Aaron’s rod!) (Matthew 28:18) He was worshiped by angels at his birth, and now is in the presence of holy angels in heaven. (Revelation 4:12) This is an awesome object lesson meant to teach the Israelites of that day and us today about Jesus and his glory.
We who are saved and in relationship with Jesus have his glory in our earthen “tents”. (2 Corinthians 4:7) We are being transformed by that glory into God’s image! (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) The Spirit is God with us! We are made holy by the blood of Jesus Christ and desire to keep his law in obedience with grace.(Hebrews 8:10-11) We receive authority to pray and witness in His name! (Luke 10:19-20) We are destined for the gold streets of Glory and to see the face of Jesus! Thank him today for his perfect plans!