Authority Gen 41:37-40 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
All men and women are under authority and there are good consequences for yielding or bad consequences for disobeying the authorities in our lives.
When Joseph was promoted to “rule” in Egypt, he was still under authority [Gen 41:40-41]. He was set over all the land of Egypt by Pharaoh and it was God who actually directed Pharaoh to promote him [Gen 45:5-9; Prov 21:1]. And when Joseph’s family came to Egypt they were placed in the land where Pharaoh commanded [Gen 47:5-7, 11]. So, Joseph ruled as Pharaoh commanded.
In his authority, Joseph was like Jesus Christ. Jesus, God manifest in the flesh, was under God the Father’s authority here in the earth [Jn 4:34, 6:38-40]. And Jesus is still subject to and will continue to be subject to his Father [1 Cor 15:27-28] so that God can be all in all. All authority comes from God.
Moses was chosen by God to lead Israel out of Egypt and into the promised land [Ex 3:8-10]. And Moses obeyed the Lord completely [in Ex 39, “as the Lord commanded Moses,” appears ten times]. And when Moses’ authority was challenged by his family [Num 12:1-8] and by men within the tribes [Num 16:1-5, 28, 30-35] the consequences were very bad for those who would not be in subjection to his authority. Those who were not in subjection to Moses’ authority were not subject to God and therein was their ultimate problem.
Notice the authorities that are in your life.
The authority of government – 1 Pet 2:13-23 – we are to be subject to every ordinance of man “for the Lord’s sake.” That’s because “the powers that be are ordained of God,” [Rom 13:1-5]. Even when the authorities are bad you are to be in subjection. God raised up the Pharaoh that held Israel in bondage [Rom 9:17, Ex 9:16-17] and the Lord is the one who gave Pilate the power that he had [Jn 19:10-11].
The authority of husbands – 1 Pet 3:1-7 – in the same way that we are to be subject to the authority of government even when the governors are bad, likewise wives are to be in subjection to their own husbands even when they are disobedient to the word. The husband is won by the chaste conversation and meek and quiet spirit of his submissive wife, not by her contentious arguing. She is not “to usurp authority over the man,” [1 Tim 2:11-15], but rather she is to be in silence and to trust God [1 Pet 3:5]. It is in this way that her husband can see the hidden man of her heart [1 Pet 3:4]. After all, his problem is that he is being disobedient to Christ, [1 Cor 11:3]. He is to obey Christ and to love his wife as Christ loved the church [Eph 5:21-25].
The authority of parents – Eph 6:1-3 – children are to obey their parents in the Lord. Children are promised that it will be well with them and they will live long on the earth when they obey their parents. Children should return from this message and tell their parents, “I willingly submit to your authority in my life.” And they should show their parents all their video games, all their music, all their movies, all their friends, and all their posts on the internet. And any and all of those of which their parents disapprove, they should drop immediately.
The authority of pastors – 1 Tim 5:17; Heb 13:7, 17 – even churches are subject to authority. Jesus Christ is the head of the church [Col 1:18] and he gave pastors to “rule” and take the oversight thereof [Acts 20:28; 1 Pet 5:2-3]. We are not lords over God’s heritage, but walking in the fear of the Lord and under the authority of the words of God, we maintain the order of things which are done by the church [1 Cor 14:40]. It is a blessing to give counsel, after praying that we may answer as the oracles of God, and then to watch the Lord bless the results in your life as you follow the counsel. It is also a tragedy to watch things go awry in the lives and the families of those who disregard this authority in their lives.
Conclusion: authority comes from God and it is given so that God can be all in all. When you are out of line with these authorities in your life you are out of line with God. All those who are under your authority are going to suffer as long as you remain disobedient to your authorities. The best thing to do is to be in subjection to those to whom God tells you to be in subjection and to trust God.