Lesson 3: Understanding the Authority of God  

Paul is writing concerning a brother that sinned and was corrected…

II Cor 2: 7  So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8  Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.9  For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.  10  To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;  11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.     à  OBEDIENCE WILL BE TESTED!

I Pet 5: 8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.  10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.  11  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

When the military examines the missiles pointed at us… it is NOT giving the enemy glory!   IT IS VIGILENCE!

II Cor 1: 7  And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.  8  For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:  9  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

Does that sound to you like believer’s can be oppressed and effected by spirits?

You know, I agree that folks can become overly excessive in thinking about the devil – but you can also be blinded by acting as if he’s not there.     SPIRITS ARE PART OF THIS ISSUE OF AUTHORITY.

I AM TRYING TO HELP US BE BALANCED…  remember we are a 70% first generation church

Rom 15:20  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation:  21  But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.  22  For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.  23  But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;

HEAR ME:  IF A CHURCH IS  FULLY AGRESSIVE TOWARD FIRST HEARERS – you will have easier walk

I Thes 2: 18  Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

Gal 5: 6  For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.  7  Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?   è who did you?

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Satan attempted to snare Jesus himself with the temptation in the wilderness = you think he is not trying you?

è  è  REMEMBER ABOVE:  Paul tested their obedience by telling them to forgive…  Did they?  ç  ç

Let’s learn some more about the authority of God…

Gen 9: 19  These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.  20  And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:  21  And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.  22  And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.  23  And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.  24  And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.  25  And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.  26  And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.  27  God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.  28  And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.  29  And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

è NOAH MADE A MISTAKE WITH FLESHLY DESIRE…

But his obedience created a righteousness in his life that overcame his mistake…

NOAH was the authority over his family  (the whole world at the moment)    HAM SAW HIM UNCOVERED.

à HIS MISTAKE WAS TO NOT HONOR THE DIGNITY & AUTHORITY of him  BECAUSE IT WAS DAD.

*****  Our flesh loves to see any defect in our authorities  —  so as to throw off mental restraint *****

IT IS IN THESE TIMES WHEN OUR HEART IS TRULY TESTED!

(Ham told his brothers & mocked which showed his rebellious heart)

His brothers backed in with the covering…  listen to what happened after Noah woke up =  Cursed be Canaan!

SO OFTEN  WHEN WE  DEMONSTRATE A REBELIOUS HEART — OUR KIDS PAY FOR IT!

That’s not fair?   (his ways are higher)  QUIT TRYING TO FIGURE HIM OUT AND JUST LEARN OF HIM

(remember from last lesson  —– is your understanding of right & wrong coming from God or self? )

listen = THE WHOLE WORLD IS HELD BY HIS WORD =  Grass is green because “he said”

sky is blue because “he said”    dirt is brown because “he said”               ALL CREATION LISTENS BUT US!

We are the only thing God made that has to know “WHY?” before we will obey!  (yet we know he is smarter)

è POINT: THOSE THAT ARE NOT SUBJECT TO AUTHORITY SHALL BE SLAVES TO THOSE THAT ARE!  Anyone that wishes to serve must obey —- you cannot serve lawlessness!  listen and learn a principle…

 

Lev 10:1  And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.  2  And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.  3  Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.  4  And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.  5  So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.

WHAT A SOMBERING STORY  — IT BEGS THE QUESTION  =  WHY?

Exo  28:1  And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.  2  And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.  3  And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.  4  And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

They served as priest (not because of personal dedication)  but because of family lineage!    à that’s OK

è POINT:  The oil flowed down Aaron’s head… He was the Priest (authority)    THEY WERE HIS HELPERS!

Just prior to the their death we see them working at his side!

Lev 9: 18  He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron’s sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about,  19  And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver:  20  And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar:  21  And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave offering before the LORD; as Moses commanded. 22  And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.  23  And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people.

24  And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

GOD NEVER INTENDED HIS SONS TO SERVE SACRIFICES INDEPENDENTLY!  – they assumed they could

STRANGE =  2114. zuwr, zoor; a prim. root; to turn aside (espec. for lodging); hence to be a foreigner, strange, profane; spec. (act. part.) to commit adultery:-

IN OTHER WORDS:  “Out of Order”    (they served w/o obedience to God’s delegated authority

THEY FAILED TO SEE WHO WAS IN AUTHORITY

è STRANGE FIRE is totally man originated!  (God did not draw it out at all)  Man’s ZEAL birthed it

Rom 10:1  Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.  3  For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

God wanted Aaron’s sons to serve under Aaron’s authority…  (until the time of their own ministry)

We saw this principle in the NT also…   Paul & Barnabus  /  Paul & Timothy  /  Peter & Mark  etc…

(some were responsible while others were helping = but it was a team ministry)

THE POINT IS SIMPLE BUT PROFOUND:  Who ever tries to serve without first meeting authority is offering strange fire.      (Rebellion changes the nature of fire)      “if he can do it, I can do it”   IS REBELLION

There is no place in the kingdom for individual isolated work.  We must cooperate under his authority

MANY MEN TODAY ARE SERVING OUTSIDE OF GOD INDEPENDANTLY – outside of authority

è those that have complained about me being to hard or expecting to much has only

been in reference to leadership/ministry NOT salvation and body membership!

è  I’M TRYING TO KEEP YOU FROM UNWITTINGLY SERVING STRANGE FIRE ç