A Study of Authority

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A Study ofAuthority

• Illustrating Obedience to Authority
• Lessons from the Old Testament

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Review

• Authority tells us something is permitted
• Commands (for us from the right source) tell us
  something is required
• Examples (approved NT) may clarify commands or
  show what is authorized
• Inferences may clarify commands or examples or
  show something is authorized
• How do these things fit together so we know what
  we are to do to be obedient?
• Well look at some OT examples of how people
  obeyed God and draw some lessons for us?
• Rom 154

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Obedience

• Ex 195-8
• How does God want to be obeyed?
• Fully and completely
• obey My voice, keep my covenant
• The Israelites understood they didnt get to pick
  and choose
• All that the Lord has spoken we will do.
• LESSON We must fully obey Gods word
• Even if we dont understand why some things are
  asked of us
• Even if we think of a different way to do some
  things

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Noah

• Gen 611-22
• God gave commands to Noah and Noah did all that
  God commanded him
• But what exactly did his obedience mean?
• Could Noah build a raft? a yacht? a row boat?
• Could Noah put two doors in the ark?
• Could Noah use tools to build the ark?
• Could Noah use oak?
• Could Noah place three of each animal in the ark?
• The answers seem obvious because we all actually
  understand some basic truths about authority

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Noah

• LESSONS
• Generic Authority Some commands leave multiple
  options unspecified
• Noah could use any tools he wanted in order to
  fulfill the command "Make"
• Specific Authority Some commands are limited to
  single or multiple specified options
• Noah had to use gopher (cypress) wood
• He was limited to one option
• Noah had to put a single door
• He was limited to one option
• Noah had to put two of each animal in the ark
• He was limited to one option
• Noah had to build an ark
• He was limited to one option
• Silence Notice that God did not have to forbid
  the other options when He gave specific authority

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Burning Incense

• Now, apply those lessons to another command
• Command Lev 1612-13
• How can this command be obeyed?
• Could a priest use three handfuls of incense?
• Could a priest use burning coals other than those
  from the altar?
• Nadab and Abihu (Lev 101-3)
• LESSONS
• Reverence and Honor
• God considers the way we obey (or disobey) His
  commands to be directly related to how we honor
  Him
• Failure to stay within the limits of authority is
  to dishonor God
• Silence
• God did not think it was necessary for Him to
  specifically forbid all other fire since He had
  said which fire was acceptable
• Therefore, when God gives specific authority,
  then His silence is the same as forbidding all
  other options

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Priesthood

• Lets try another command
• Command Ex 281, 43
• How could this command be obeyed?
• Could anyone not a descendant of Aaron be a
  priest under the old covenant?
• Could a descendant of Judah be a priest under the
  old covenant?
• Korah (Num 161-11, 16-21)
• Questioning God's Command
• Disregarding or twisting the meaning of God's
  commands is the same as breaking the command
• God considers it to be rebellion against Him
• Silence (Heb 711-14)
• When God is silent about other options after
  giving specific authority, then the other options
  are forbidden

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Saul and the Amalekites

• One final command to try 1 Sam 151-3
• How could Saul obey this command?
• Could Saul raise an army?
• Could Saul (and the army) use weapons?
• Could Saul (and the army) ride horses, mules,
  camels, carts, etc?
• Could Saul spare the women of Amalek?
• Could Saul keep the cattle of Amalek?
• Could Saul bring back the cattle to sacrifice to
  God?
• Could Saul keep some of the people alive for a
  few days, then kill them later?

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Saul and the Amalekites

• The result (1 Sam 154-26)
• LESSONS
• Generic Authority Some commands leave multiple
  options unspecified
• The command to go is generic and leaves
  multiple options for the means of going
• The command to attack is generic and leaves
  multiple options
• army, weapons, etc
• Specific Authority Some commands are limited to
  single or multiple specified options
• utterly destroy all is specific and leaves no
  options
• Good Intentions God is not interested in why
  someone violates a command

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Saul and the Amalekites

• MORE LESSONS
• Conflicting commands
• God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor 1433)
• His commands do not conflict
• Generic authority NEVER takes precedence over
  specific authority
• Saul (as an Israelite) had general authority to
  provide sacrifices (Lev chps 1-7)
• But God gave Him specific commands for what to do
  with the Amalekites and their cattle destroy
• So God did not want him to violate the specific
  command (destroy) in order to keep the general
  command (sacrifice)
• Specific authority NEVER relieves one of the duty
  to keep the generic authority
• Saul would still have to sacrifice, even though
  he couldnt use the Amalekite cattle

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Conclusion

• How do we obey fully the things authorized by
  God?
• Recognize the different kinds of authority
• Generic and specific
• Recognize that Silence is not a source of
  authority
• Know that God allows no additions, no
  subtractions, no changes, and no excuses when it
  comes to obeying His authority
• Realize that Gods commands can ALL be obeyed
• Next, we will start making application to how we
  obey God in the NT

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