God is Sovereign: Authority
If sovereignty is primarily a concept of government and rule, then
sovereign authority must inherently hold certain qualities, rights and
privileges of governance. Likewise, God's
sovereignty is directly tied to His Government of His People.
In an age of personal choice, self-determination and the glorification of the rebel's cause the idea of Authority is antiquated at best and at worst downright villainous. If it doesn't involve bondage and black leather, submission to a superior is simply not cool. And yet supreme Authority is inherent to the very being of God, which means that submission to Him is inextricable from any relationship we could hope to forge. Authority asserts certain rights and privileges upon which it is essential to meditate in order to grasp the sovereignty of God. I've listed a few here, though this list is by no means exhaustive. I've also quoted a single scripture in support of each, and referenced several others. But again there is ample support for each throughout the Bible. A good concordance will unlock more such treasures in the pursuit of deeper knowledge.
AUTHORITY POSSESSES SUPREMACY OF WILL
“I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.”
Job 42: 2
See also: Isaiah 43: 13 and Isaiah 46: 10
AUTHORITY POSSESSES CONTROL AND POWER
"He said to them, 'Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?' Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.
Matthew 8: 26
See also: Psalm 62: 11 and Romans 8: 28
AUTHORITY HAS THE RIGHT TO GIVE ORDERS
"At the command of the LORD the sons of Israel would set out, and at the command of the LORD they would camp; as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped.
Numbers 9: 18
See also: Jeremiah 7: 23
AUTHORITY HAS THE RIGHT TO MAKE DECISIONS
"A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps."
Proverbs 16: 9
See also: Proverbs 3: 5-6
AUTHORITY POSSESSES EXPERT KNOWLEDGE
"Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all."
Psalm 139: 4
See also: Jeremiah 10: 12
AUTHORITY HAS THE RIGHT TO BESTOW AUTHORITY AND POWER ON OTHERS
"Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God."
Romans 13: 1
See also: Luke 10: 19 and Isaiah 54: 17
AUTHORITY HAS THE RIGHT TO CREATE AND DESTROY
"The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord."
Job 1: 21
See also: Job 5: 18 and Hosea 6: 1-2
AUTHORITY HAS THE RIGHT TO WAGE WAR/DEFEND ITS CITIZENS.
"The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”
Exodus 14: 14
See also: Deuteronomy 20: 3-4, Exodus 15: 3 and Isaiah 42: 13
Some of these statements may sound a bit extreme, but I invite you to remember that these are qualities of sovereign authority that we readily accept from mere human forms of government when they are behaving exactly as we have designed them to. Citizens may seek to curb aspects of these rights but no one is confused by the claims themselves. Rather it is readily understood by all when such privileges are declared by any sovereign nation state on planet earth. How much more so should we consider them inalienable to a Supreme God above whom there is no other authority?
In an age of personal choice, self-determination and the glorification of the rebel's cause the idea of Authority is antiquated at best and at worst downright villainous. If it doesn't involve bondage and black leather, submission to a superior is simply not cool. And yet supreme Authority is inherent to the very being of God, which means that submission to Him is inextricable from any relationship we could hope to forge. Authority asserts certain rights and privileges upon which it is essential to meditate in order to grasp the sovereignty of God. I've listed a few here, though this list is by no means exhaustive. I've also quoted a single scripture in support of each, and referenced several others. But again there is ample support for each throughout the Bible. A good concordance will unlock more such treasures in the pursuit of deeper knowledge.
AUTHORITY POSSESSES SUPREMACY OF WILL
“I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.”
Job 42: 2
See also: Isaiah 43: 13 and Isaiah 46: 10
AUTHORITY POSSESSES CONTROL AND POWER
"He said to them, 'Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?' Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.
Matthew 8: 26
See also: Psalm 62: 11 and Romans 8: 28
AUTHORITY HAS THE RIGHT TO GIVE ORDERS
"At the command of the LORD the sons of Israel would set out, and at the command of the LORD they would camp; as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped.
Numbers 9: 18
See also: Jeremiah 7: 23
AUTHORITY HAS THE RIGHT TO MAKE DECISIONS
"A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps."
Proverbs 16: 9
See also: Proverbs 3: 5-6
AUTHORITY POSSESSES EXPERT KNOWLEDGE
"Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all."
Psalm 139: 4
See also: Jeremiah 10: 12
AUTHORITY HAS THE RIGHT TO BESTOW AUTHORITY AND POWER ON OTHERS
"Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God."
Romans 13: 1
See also: Luke 10: 19 and Isaiah 54: 17
AUTHORITY HAS THE RIGHT TO CREATE AND DESTROY
"The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord."
Job 1: 21
See also: Job 5: 18 and Hosea 6: 1-2
AUTHORITY HAS THE RIGHT TO WAGE WAR/DEFEND ITS CITIZENS.
"The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”
Exodus 14: 14
See also: Deuteronomy 20: 3-4, Exodus 15: 3 and Isaiah 42: 13
Some of these statements may sound a bit extreme, but I invite you to remember that these are qualities of sovereign authority that we readily accept from mere human forms of government when they are behaving exactly as we have designed them to. Citizens may seek to curb aspects of these rights but no one is confused by the claims themselves. Rather it is readily understood by all when such privileges are declared by any sovereign nation state on planet earth. How much more so should we consider them inalienable to a Supreme God above whom there is no other authority?
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