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| Volume 25 Number 8 August 2023 |
Page 15 |
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| Volume 25 Number 8 August 2023 |
Page 15 |
Editor's NoteMarilyn LaStrape
The theme for our Vacation Bible School this year was “The Power of Jesus.” One night, the minister’s class covered the power and the authority of Jesus. He gave the class one of the definitions of authority from Vine’s Dictionary, which is the right to act.
I was employed as a secretary by the Health and Human Services Agency for the County of San Diego, California for a number of years. One of my bosses instructed me on how to interact with community leaders when I would call asking for certain information. If that information was not forthcoming, she would tell me to ask to speak with someone in a position of authority. This always resulted in my getting the information, or the person would speak directly to my boss.
The Bible tells us God has the ultimate authority in all things and over all creation because He spoke everything into existence. Genesis 1:1-31 reveals that God spoke eight times and created all which exists – including humanity. Genesis 2:1 states, “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished” (NKJV). The Bible also reveals that God is Sovereign over His creation. God has the right to rule, and His rule is always right. King David declared God’s sovereignty in 1 Chronicles 29:11. “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and You are exalted as head over all.” God is unlimited in His authority, power and sovereignty. Psalm 46:10 begins, “Be still, and know that I am God…” The remainder of the verse tells us why. “…I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
The book of Job contains numerous discourses of opinions from Job’s three friends regarding why he was suffering to the brink of human endurance physically, materially and spiritually. Finally in Chapter 32, the young man Elihu began his discourse. Verse 4 reads, “Now because they were older than he, Elihu had waited to speak to Job.” Verse 5 states, “When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was aroused.” Elihu proceeded to verbally tear these three men apart with his opinion on numerous subjects. In addition, he presented a barrage of questions. In Job 34:12, Elihu said, “Surely God will never do wickedly, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.” Then, he made a profound declaration in verses 14-15. “If He should set His heart on it, If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath, All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust.” How is that from the lips of an uninspired man? Elihu bowed in submission and humility, as it were, to the complete authority, power and sovereignty of Jehovah God!
Shortly before Jesus returned to Heaven, the eleven disciples went away into Galilee to the mountain which He had appointed for them (Matthew 28:16). Verses 18-20 read, “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” Who gave this authority to Jesus the Christ? He is our everything. He is our Lord, our Savior, our Advocate, our Kinsman Redeemer and our Great High Priest, just to name a few titles. Yet, Jesus declared without hesitation or reservation that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him. In our feeble, vain attempts to enter the realm of divine doctrinal authority, we are all nobody! Jesus is the One and the only One Who possesses authority.
God spoke of Himself and a future action He would take in His choice of a pagan king who would execute His counsel from a far country. In Isaiah 46:11, God said, “…Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.” In the plainest language possible, God announced that His authority, power and sovereignty are His to use as He pleases. In case some are still wondering, Psalm 115:3 confirms it for all His faithful children. “But our God is in heaven; and He does whatever He pleases.” Ultimate authority is God’s dominion to give to whomever He pleases. Speaking to the Jews in John 8:29, Jesus said, “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” God has given this authority to Jesus Christ, His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. We are to hear Him (Matthew 17:5).
