Authority over the Physical World
I. Introduction
1.
We have authority over the physical
world.
2.
God is a spirit being
3.
Satan is a spirit being
4.
Demons and angels are spirit beings
5.
Their station is the spiritual realms
6.
So we always think of spiritual
authority over all these spirit beings
7.
But we have authority over physical
world also
II. Adam
and Eve were given physical authority over the newly created earth and all on
it.
Genesis 1:28
– “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and
replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the
earth.” {moveth: Heb. creepeth}
III. But
Adam lost the authority when he hesitated to exercise his authority and obeyed
the serpent.
1.
Your master is whom you obey
2.
The one who gives orders is the master
Genesis
3:6
- And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of
the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he
did eat. {pleasant: Heb. a desire}
Adam Clarke’s
Commentary –
All natural and moral
evil sprang from three sources:
1.
The desire of the flesh - the tree was
good for food. (Exactly what the apostle calls)
2.
The desire of the eye - it was pleasant
to the sight
3.
The pride of life - it was a tree to be
desired to make one wise.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
commentary
The history of every
temptation, and of every sin, is the same:
1.
The outward object of attraction
2.
The inward commotion of mind
3.
The increase and triumph of passionate
desire
4.
Ending in the degradation, slavery, and
ruin of the soul (Jas 1:15; 1Jo 2:16).
1
John 2:16 - For all that is in the world, the lust of the
flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father,
but is of the world.
IV.
In the Old Testament period few,
designated by God used this authority over physical world.
1.
Joshua was one among the few.
2.
Israelites had war against five kings of
the Amorites gathered together against Gibeonites.
3.
Joshua and his people could not finish
the war before the sun set – they need more time
4.
If the enemy get the advantage of the
night, they may hid or gather their strength again and fight in the morning.
5.
So Joshua wanted to extend the day time.
6.
It is said that he ordered the sun and
the moon to stand still – they stood still.
7. Joshua
was using his authority over physical objects.
Joshua 10:12, 13
12- Then spake Joshua to the LORD
in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of
Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon;
and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. {stand...: Heb. be silent}
13- And the sun stood still, and
the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is
not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of
heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
Note:
i.
According to the present accredited
system of the universe, called sometimes the Pythagorean, Copernican, or Newtonian
system, The Sun is in the centre of what is called the solar system.
ii.
The earth and all the other planets,
whether primary or secondary, move round the sun in certain periodical times.
iii.
The sun has no revolution round any
orbit, but to revolve round his own axis - It is at rest in the system.
iv.
The earth, not only revolves round the
sun in 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 48 seconds, but also revolves round
its own axis.
v.
The sun makes this revolution in 23
hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds.
vi.
In the course of 24 hours complete,
every part of its surface is alternately turned to the sun.
vii.
This revolution constitutes our day and
night - the former does our year.
viii.
It is day to all those parts which have
the sun above the horizon, and night to those which have the sun below it.
ix.
This diurnal revolution of the earth, or
revolving round its own axis, in a direction from west to east, occasions what
is commonly called the rising and setting of the sun - not by any motion in the
sun himself, but by this motion of the earth.
x.
So if Joshua needed more time, to delay
the setting of the sun, he should have commanded to the earth to stop
revolving.
xi.
Joshua here says what he needs not the
means to achieve it - God will find a way
xii. God
asked the earth to stop revolving upon its axis and thus extends the day.
V.
Jesus used His authority over all
physical objects in this world.
1.
Jesus started using His authority by
defeating Satan’s temptations and ordering his to leave His at once.
2.
This is the secret of authority.
3.
We have to start with defeating Satan
and sin.
4.
Jesus defeated Satan in the desert –
where He was alone with Satan, away from His parents, John the Baptist who
baptized Him and His disciples (they were yet to be selected)
5.
Jesus started His ministry not by the
miracle at Cana, but by the triumph over the enemy.
6.
The defeat of Satan was not complete
there – but it started in the desert.
7.
The fight goes on till His death.
8.
Jesus declared the final victory on the
cross.
9. Jesus
took back the authority lost to Adam (man) at the desert from Satan. – Never
again Satan could use the authority.
VI.
Jesus
and His authority over the physical world.
1.
Jesus
started using His authority by performing his first miracle at Cana – He
changed water into wine – He made it clear that water has to obey him.
2. Later
during His ministry He gathered fish for poor fishermen – rebuked the violent
sea etc.
3. He
even taught His disciples and all those who believe in Him that even
topographical changes can be made by a word of faith from them.
Matthew 17:20
- And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto
you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this
mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall
be impossible unto you.
Matthew 21:21
- Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith,
and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but
also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into
the sea; it shall be done.
V. Jesus and His authority
Matthew 28:18 - 20
18
And Jesus came and spake unto them,
saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost: {teach...: or, make disciples, or, Christians of all nations}
20
Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the
end of the world. Amen.
Professor
Jacob Abraham
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