Divine Authority

‘Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds’ (Numbers 17:8).

  

Aaron’s rod that budded was one of the three things God commanded Moses to put into the Ark of the Covenant, and it signified divine authority. Today’s study is to establish the truth that, the awesome glory that Israel experienced through the Ark of the Covenant was only a fore-shadow of a far greater glory to be revealed in you through Christ. Divine authority was bestowed on man in the Garden of Eden. During the planning stage of God’s creation ‘…God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion...’ (Gen 1:26). The word dominion means authority to rule, so God made man to rule over everything He made.

It is important to note that, man’s ability to rule was dependent on his creation in the image and likeness of God. None of the other creatures where made in the image and likeness of God. God used the dust of the earth to give man a body to be able to live on earth. However, it was not until God breathed His Spirit into man that he took on God’s image and likeness. Clearly, it is the indwelling of the spirit of God that gives man the image and likeness of God and enables him to live a life of Dominion. Through the spirit of God in man, God reigns and accomplishes His purpose on earth through man. After man sinned and lost this divine authority, God chose Israel and used His dealings with them as a fore-shadow of the ultimate redemption that was coming to all men through Christ.

In Num 17:1-7, God established the authority that He had bestowed on Aaron when the people of Israel rose up against him. He commanded Moses to put the rods of all the twelve leaders of the twelve tribes in the tabernacle, the next day all the rods remained dry, only Aaron’s rod budded. God told Moses, ‘bring Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebels…’ (Num 17:10). The Ark of the Covenant, its contents and their significance, were all painting a picture of the restoration that Christ was bringing to man. If the picture was that powerful, how much more the reality; if the judges in the old covenant were referred to as gods by God Himself, how much more a new covenant believer (Psalm 82:5-7, John 10:35)?

Through Christ’s incarnation and the outpouring of God’s spirit on all flesh which began on the day of Pentecost, God now dwells in men. As a Christian, you carry the spirit of God inside you. In essence, where ever you show up, God shows up. So Paul said ‘I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms’ (Eph 1:18, NLT). With the spirit of God dwelling in you, all of God’s power is available to you. ‘You are too loaded to be mistaken for a common man, you are in charge and you can have it as you want it in accordance with God’s will’ (D. Oyedepo). Indeed, like Adam did in the garden, you name things and they respond. You are a joint heir with Christ and you rein together with Him, far above all principalities and powers.

Today, I pray that you will realize your heritage in Christ and the divine authority He has given you. Arise in faith and exercise your authority over every work of the devil in your life. Name them, sin, sickness, poverty, marital problems; none of them has the right to rule over you. Exercise your divine authority over them, ‘not by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord’ (Zech 4:6). The next lesson  is “Divine Provision”.